The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer has earned its reputation for pristine overdrive and ultimate reliability on merit. This little green stompbox has graced countless pedalboards over the years from blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan to grunge hero Jerry Cantrell the wide array of users show the pedals versatility. The classic three-knob layout makes it easy to dial in a range of overdriven tones- from light mid-boost to give your tone an edge through to full-blown sludgy distortion the TS9 has mastered low-medium gain drive. Once you plug in with one of these it becomes quickly apparent why its one of the best-selling pedals of all time and still the go-to for beginners and seasoned pros alike. The only difference between the TS9 and the original TS808 is the output section which was altered to give the TS9 a more modern feel. This makes the outputted sound brighter and slightly less rounded so its all down to personal preference- The Edge from U2 prefers the TS9 whereas John Mayer prefers the TS808. If youre after a smooth response with warm dynamics the TS808 is the way to go whereas if you want something a bit sharper that aids in cutting through a mix the TS9 is your best option. Often imitated never duplicated Legendary tone since 82. The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer has earned its place in pedal history thanks to delivering incredible overdrive from its release and never really having to change- if it aint broke dont fix it. The iconic green design and easy-to-use functionality stand it apart in the world of overdrives as a superb all-rounder. The modern brighter version of the TS808 has a slightly rougher edge making it better suited to slightly heavier styles and the TS808 for cleaner applications. The TS9 can still do the classic warm well-rounded sound that Tube Screamers are known for but its also capable of taking things up a notch and going slightly higher gain than its older counterpart. One things for sure though you cant go wrong with a Tube Screamer. Secrets of the Tube Screamer The Tube Screamers clever design is the reason its still the industry-standard overdrive pedal. Widely imitated but never accurately replicated there are a few unique features that give the TS9 its unique sound signature. One of these is that the active high pass filter in the clipping stage rolls off the bass so that only frequencies above 720Hz get the full distortion and harmonics below get progressively less making the distortion frequency selective. After the clipping stage a passive low pass filter shaves off excess treble giving the characteristic mid boost that Tube Screamers are known for. The clipped output signal then also contains part of the input signal perfectly preserving the original dynamics of the instrument while also improving the responsiveness and overall clarity of the distortion. This is all made possible by the input buffer isolating the effect from the guitar retaining optimum signal fidelity one of the main reasons the TS9 can offer mid-heavy overdrive without the effect becoming muddy. This is what makes a Tube Screamer a Tube Screamer- optimum signal filtering and frequency selective distortion. Specifications Input Impedance: 500K ohms Output Impedance: 10K ohms Maximum Output Level: 0 dBm Maximum Gain: + 30 dB Equivalent Input Noise: -100 dBm Power Supply: One 9 Volt Battery or External AC Adapter (9V) Dimensions: 124mm (D) x 74mm (W) x 53mm (H) Weight: 570g