Gear compared
Tube Screamer vs Boss SD-1
Updated 7 min read7 sources
All three are overdrives with a drive, a tone and a level knob, and both makers pitch them at the sound of a tube amp. BOSS's SD-1 came out in 1981 on the asymmetrical clipping circuit of BOSS's own OD-1 from 1977. Ibanez's TS808 went on sale in the late 1970s and the TS9 is in Ibanez's 1982 catalogue; both are sold today as reissues. On paper the SD-1 has the higher input impedance, 1M ohm against 500K ohms for the original Tube Screamers, and draws 10 mA against their 8.
Choose the SD-1 for the pedal whose every figure its maker publishes, with a battery life of about 90 hours on an alkaline cell. Choose the TS808 for Ibanez's reissue of the 1970s original with the JRC 4558D chip, or the TS9 for the original's housing and green paint. Every figure on this page comes from BOSS's and Ibanez's own manuals, product pages and catalogues.
Side by side
The SD-1 column is from BOSS's Owner's Manual and product page. Ibanez's current pages for the TS808 and TS9 give only the controls, the power and the current draw, so the impedance, gain, size and weight rows for them come from Ibanez's own 1979 and 1982 catalogues and describe the original pedals; each of those cells names its catalogue. Where a maker gives no figure, the cell says so.
| Ibanez TS808 | Ibanez TS9 | Boss SD-1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First sold | Late 1970s, reissued today | In the 1982 catalogue, reissued today | 1981, still made |
| Controls | Overdrive, Tone, Level | Drive, Tone, Level | Level, Tone, Drive |
| Circuit | JRC 4558D IC chip, analogue circuitry | Not described on Ibanez's page | Asymmetrical clipping, from the 1977 OD-1 |
| Tone control | Not described by Ibanez | Active, hi boost and hi cut (1982 catalogue) | Active; clockwise emphasises the treble, counterclockwise cuts it |
| Input impedance | 500K ohms (1979 catalogue) | 500K ohms (1982 catalogue) | 1M ohm |
| Output impedance | 10K ohms (1979 catalogue) | Less than 10K ohms (1982 catalogue) | 1K ohm |
| Maximum gain | 30 dB (1979 catalogue) | 30 dB (1982 catalogue) | Not given by BOSS |
| Current draw | 8 mA at 9 V | 8 mA at 9 V | 10 mA at 9 V |
| Power | 9 V battery (006P) or 9 V centre-negative adaptor | 9 V battery (006P) or 9 V centre-negative adaptor | 9 V battery (6F22) or BOSS PSA adaptor, sold separately |
| Battery life | Not given by Ibanez | Not given by Ibanez | About 60 hours carbon, 90 hours alkaline |
| Size | 120 by 70 by 55 mm (1979 catalogue) | 124 deep, 74 wide, 53 high, in mm (1982 catalogue) | 73 wide, 129 deep, 59 high, in mm |
| Weight | 300 g (1979 catalogue) | 570 g (1982 catalogue) | 360 g with battery |
Two makers, one idea
BOSS says its OD-1 of 1977 created a new kind of stompbox, natural overdrive in pedal form, with an asymmetric clipping circuit rich in even-order harmonics that copied the sound and feel of a driven tube amp at a volume you could control. Four years later the SD-1 took that circuit and added an active tone control for the treble and, in BOSS's words, subtle enhancements for more low-end body. Its manual calls the result a soft and clear distortion like that of an overdriven tube amp.
Ibanez made the same pitch for the TS9 in its 1982 catalogue: distortion units had always had a problem delivering a warm, tube-type overdrive, and the TS9 provides dynamics that duplicate the way tubes distort. Ibanez's Japanese page says the TS808 first went on sale outside Japan in the late 1970s, and credits it with a midrange that has body and a soft distortion that is never too harsh.
The knobs
BOSS's manual says to set the SD-1's Level so there is no volume difference between the effect and the straight guitar, and that Drive adds overdrive as it turns clockwise. Its Tone gives a sharp sound with the treble emphasised turned clockwise and a soft sound with the treble cut turned the other way. BOSS's product page adds a subtle mid boost that is part of the design.
Ibanez names the TS808 reissue's knobs Overdrive, Tone and Level; its 1979 catalogue listed the original's as Overdrive, Balance and Tone. The TS9 has Drive, Tone and Level, and Ibanez's 1982 catalogue calls its tone control active, giving complete control over the brightness of the distorted sound, from hi cut to hi boost.
What only one of them has
Only the SD-1 has published figures for the pedal on sale today. BOSS's manual gives its impedances, its 10 mA current draw, its size, a weight of 360 g with the battery and about 60 hours from a carbon battery or 90 from an alkaline one. BOSS's product page also says it stacks well with boost, overdrive and distortion pedals.
Only the TS808 names its chip: Ibanez's page says the reissue includes the JRC 4558D IC chip and analogue circuitry, and it comes with a converter cable. Only the TS9's page says it keeps the original's housing and its green paint.
The same starting points on all three
These are Tonelify's starting settings from each pedal's gear page, not Ibanez's or BOSS's numbers, on a 0 to 10 scale with 5 at twelve o'clock. Level at unity means as loud with the pedal on as off.
| Sound | Ibanez TS808 | Ibanez TS9 | Boss SD-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boost for a high-gain amp | Overdrive 0 to 2, Tone 5 to 6, Level 7 to 10 | Drive 0 to 2, Tone 5 to 6, Level 7 to 10 | Level 7 to 9, Tone 5, Drive 0 to 2 |
| Blues and classic rock crunch | Overdrive 4 to 6, Tone 5 to 6, Level unity | Drive 4 to 6, Tone 5 to 6, Level unity | Level unity, Tone 5, Drive 3 to 5 |
| Lead | Overdrive 6 to 7, Tone 5 to 6, Level above unity | Drive 6 to 7, Tone 5 to 6, Level above unity | Level above unity, Tone 5 to 6, Drive 7 to 8 |
Settings for a song, on any of them
A style setting gets you close. A particular record needs its own numbers, and the amp behind an overdrive matters as much as the pedal. Tonelify gives song settings for the pedal and the amp you own together, using only the knobs each of them has.
Common questions
Is the Boss SD-1 a copy of the Tube Screamer?
BOSS does not describe it that way. Its product page says the SD-1 came out in 1981 and is based on the asymmetrical clipping circuit of BOSS's own OD-1 from 1977. Ibanez's Japanese page says the TS808 went on sale outside Japan in the late 1970s. Neither maker's pages compare the two circuits.
What is the difference between the TS808 and the TS9?
Ibanez publishes few figures for either. Its 1979 and 1982 catalogues gave the original TS-808 and TS9 the same 500K ohm input impedance, 30 dB of maximum gain and 0 dBm of maximum output, and both reissues draw 8 mA at 9 V on Ibanez's pages today. Ibanez names the JRC 4558D IC chip only on the TS808 reissue's page, and the TS808's first knob is called Overdrive where the TS9's is Drive.
Which has the higher input impedance, the SD-1 or a Tube Screamer?
The SD-1, at 1M ohm in BOSS's manual. Ibanez's 1979 and 1982 catalogues gave 500K ohms for the original TS-808 and TS9; Ibanez's current pages give no impedance for the reissues.
Which uses less power?
The Tube Screamers, at 8 mA at 9 V on Ibanez's pages, against 10 mA for the SD-1 in BOSS's manual. BOSS gives the SD-1's battery life as about 60 hours on a carbon battery and 90 on an alkaline one; Ibanez gives none for its pedals.
Which is smallest, the TS808, TS9 or SD-1?
BOSS's manual gives the SD-1 as 73 mm wide, 129 mm deep and 59 mm high, and 360 g with its battery. Ibanez's current pages give no size. Its catalogues gave the original TS-808 as 120 by 70 by 55 mm and 300 g, and the original TS9 as 124 mm deep, 74 mm wide and 53 mm high, and 570 g.
Can you use any of them as a boost for a high-gain amp?
Yes. BOSS's product page says the SD-1 shines as a booster for high-gain amps and other drive pedals. Tonelify's starting point for a boost is the same idea on all three: drive at 0 to 2, tone near the middle and level at 7 or above, so the amp makes the distortion.
Sources
Gear in this guide
Settings for your own amp
This guide covers what is true of every rig. For a specific song on a specific amp, Tonelify reads the documented chain behind the recording and returns gain, bass, middle, treble and presence values for the controls your amp actually has. A first plan starts with 7 days free, $0 today.
