True Tube Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal

The Maxon TOD-9 Overdrive Pedal doesn't just sound like a real tube amp-it gets as close as you can to that sound with real tube, making this the True Tube Overdrive. The TOD-9 pedal features a US Military spec subminiature tube at its core. Subminiatures are the final frontier of vacuum tubes, as the supply of quality vintage tubes is rapidly dwindling. Used extensively during World War II, subminiatures were largely abandoned by 1955 in favor of transistor technology, leaving a healthy stock of quality NOS product behind.

To create its lush overdrive tone, the TOD-9 overdrive pedal blends this subminiature tube stage with a solid-state distortion circuit. Unlike other tube overdrives, the TOD-9 employs a unique "pre-tube" circuit configuration, where the tube comes before the solid-state distortion circuit in the signal chain. By cascading the tube stage into the distortion stage, a more realistic tube-amp tone is achieved. The result is a warm yet powerful guitar tone that is extremely interactive with the player's performance and responds exactly like a hard-working tube-amp.

Both the tube and solid-state sections of the circuit are fed with 30 volts DC thanks to the TOD-9's internal voltage regulators. Running the circuit at higher voltages provides a more consistent tone with increased headroom and dynamic response.

The performance of the tube is kept stable and reliable thanks to Maxon's unique heater inrush current control, which feeds the tube with a lower startup voltage to extend tube life. The complex multi-voltage operation of the TOD-9 overdrive prompted Maxon to develop a unique power supply for this model-the AC2009. The AC2009 provides very consistent high current that is regulated and filtered to provide stable, noise-free power to the TOD-9's circuit. The AC2009 is auto-sensing, so it can be used anywhere in the world by simply changing out the detachable plug cord on the output side of the power supply.

Like all Maxon Nine Series models, the TOD-9 guitar pedal features mechanical true bypass switching for direct, unaltered signal in bypass.