Difference between Ibanez/Maxon FL9?

[bobbyatomic]

Apart from the name and the price, whats the difference between the:

and the:

?

 

[Bucksears]

True-bypass on the Maxon, but that's about all I know of.

 

[the fat one]

$100-200 bucks U.S. is one difference

the Ibanez is my 2nd favorite flanger in the world after my ADA -- I have never tried the Maxon variant and I don't know the difference between them except that last time I looked the Maxon was twice the price of the Ibanez


edit: I wish they would reissue the orange 9 series phaser since they did this one. Not the Pro, not the Pro +, just the plain ol' PT-9. Actually, all 3, why not. But the plain old PT-9 from the '80s was killer. I remember it as being very unique sounding.

 

[triviani]

Maxon uses good mojo chips, for what I know.

 

[the fat one]

Ibanez doesn't?

 

[triviani]

Nope, although don't know if it's a big deal

 

[Flight1311]

I don't know the difference between them except that last time I looked the Maxon was twice the price of the Ibanez.

It's more than twice as much now. Going by the PGS price, the Ibanez is $115 and the Maxon is $281.25.

 

[the fat one]

Nope, although don't know if it's a big deal

what is meant by "good mojo" chips?

is that just for the yellow one, or the whole 9 series RIs regarding Ibanez vs. Maxon and the "good mojo" chips?

 

[Sol]

BBD chips in the original Ibanez FL9, something else in the reissue, so if you want the tone of the original you need the Maxon which uses all the original components, but comes at a price.

Ive got an original Ibanez, and in comparison the new Ibanez are not bad at all, just not the same.

 

[in_sherman]

if you want this sound i've seen a lot of 80's fl-9's listed for <$100. incredible and absolutely worth it. i own quite a few maxons but i don't think i could ever swallow paying for them new. thank god for the emporium heheh

ps. the fat one- i bought a ibanez ri ad-9 and hated it and returned it. i got a maxon ad-9 with proper quality bbd chips used for less $ than the ib ri and it's my favorite delay now! i think in some circumstances the difference between maxon/ib is less (drives?) but for the time-based effects its pretty substantial (to me)

 

[meterman]

I bought an 80s FL9 a few years ago and loved the way it sounded but the bypass was terrible, I could hear a slight flanging effect even with the pedal turned off so I got rid of it...

I've got an AD900 delay and have played a few more of the Maxon pedals, they are very nice sounding, quiet, well made. I'm surprised they are that much though last I looked the small pedals were more like $150 but that was before Ibanez RI'd much besides the TS9. Basically the same company AFAIK, I've seen old Ibanez pedals with Maxon branded circuit boards...

 

[SeicheNZ]

if you can spare the money, i'd go with the maxon. after all they produced the original ibanez pedals.

here's a comparison of the AD-9 reissues (especially the second page is interesting):
http://www.analogman.com/IbanezMaxonAD91.htm

I expect the FL9s to be similar.

 

[the fat one]

okay, cool. It's always been hard for me to get straight answers on this. Some folks think the price difference between Maxon and Ibanez has to do with branding and distribution - the old "Japan keeps the good **** for themselves and ships the rest to the West" thing. Further confusing due to parent co. used to be-isms and the fact that Maxon and Ibanez were the same thing for a time. Or Maxon made Ibanez or whatever. Goldurned soap opera is what it is, without subtitles. Hai!

Some BBDs are no longer made. I seriously doubt the Maxon unit has any of those inside. So, if not old stock, then why are the chips magical in the Maxon and not the Ibanez. Built to a higher spec? Maybe.

I agree about the old '80s Ibanez AD-9 (yum) versus the new Ibanez AD-9 (yuck).

I don't see why they won't re-issue the PT-9.

I've never seen a Maxon in the USA with my own eyes. Who buys them? From where? I've been under a rock.

But really I don't think anyone here knows what the difference is between the FL-9s Maxon & Ibanez, old or new, and I don't think we will ever know without mad science and reverse engineering.

We have a Maxon distribution rep here don't we? Is this person capable of a straight answer?

 

[bobbyatomic]

Fantastic link, thank you. So it's really just the casing that's the same, I guess that old saying about judging books by their covers is true.

 

[the fat one]

from the link. When you guys say the Maxons have "better" chips, are you sure you are talking about the *limited production run* that had them inside? Are there any others that say "Maxon" on them?

If I was holding a Maxon Flanger in my hands, and I could somehow verify it was one of the limited production runs that has old stock BBDs inside, sure I would pay twice as much as the Ibanez. I did the same thing for the same reason when I bought my ADA 3 times.

Assuming the below is true for the FL-9 as well. Who really knows?



The Maxon AD-9 &#8211; at least in this form &#8211; will be limited in production because it uses the original Panasonic MN3205 BBD and MN3101 Clock Driver IC&#8217;s that are no longer being produced (these were the same chips as used in the vintage Boss, Ibanez, Maxon, and EH designs from the late 70&#8217;s on). According to Maxon, the company also initially looked into using the Shanghais Belling chips, but decided they were not suitable enough in quality for their requirements for the AD-9 design.

 

[triviani]

From Godlyke.

"The analog signal path of the Maxon FL-9 Flanger pedal uses the Panasonic MN3207 BBD IC"

http://www.godlyke.com/maxon-guitar-effects/maxon-nine-series-effects/flanger-fl-9

 

[SeicheNZ]

the maxon website says the FL-9 is out of stock and uses the vintage MN3207.

i guess it's the same as with the delay. the delay is hard to get now.

Some BBDs are no longer made. I seriously doubt the Maxon unit has any of those inside.

why? the delay shows that they do use the old types. one reason for them to make them limited.

 

[the fat one]

^ yeah I know I stand corrected and now I want one of every Maxon esp. the yellow one

heck I loved my yellow Ibanez; I would dearly love it again AND a Maxon just to compare them for a week or so

 

[meterman]

wow that link is interesting! So Maxon no longer makes the Ibanez pedals, Ibanez is making them somewhere else with identical enclosures but sounds like some corners cut on the circuit and part quality. I'd stick with the Maxon personally, they made the original Ibanez and now make the one closest to the original. The Maxons that I have played have all been very nice!