Guitar Pedals · owner-verdict comparison

Boss RV-6 Reverb vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: 73% of 52 owners recommend it, vs 66% of 68 for the Boss RV-6 Reverb.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Boss RV-6 Reverb

66%of 68 owners recommend
66% recommend · 24% neutral · 10% don't
Owners praise
  • Modulate mode is the standout, and several owners keep the pedal for that setting alone
  • Shimmer turns lush and usable with the tone knob rolled right down
  • Quick to dial in, with no hidden button combos or manual to keep referring back to
Owners complain about
  • A minority hear the algorithms as digital or metallic, competent rather than inspiring
  • Shimmer is abrasive at default settings and needs the tone rolled well back to tame
  • Too conventional for players who want experimental or heavily washed ambient sounds
Full owner report →

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

73%of 52 owners recommend
73% recommend · 14% neutral · 13% don't
Owners praise
  • Classic, great-sounding overdrive tone
  • Excellent boost to overdrive a tube amp
  • Popular, reputable industry-standard pedal
Owners complain about
  • Mid-heavy voicing that cuts low-end and suits some styles more than others
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Boss RV-6 Reverb if
  • ✓Players who want one reverb for standard hall, room, plate and spring sounds and expect to run it always-on
  • ✓Anyone who wants shimmer occasionally and is willing to roll the tone knob back to get it
  • ✓Gigging and travel-board players who need something compact that holds up at volume
  • ✓Boards that already have a weirder ambient reverb and want a dependable base layer under it
Skip it if
  • Players chasing experimental, washy ambient textures as their main sound
  • Anyone who wants a reverb with a strong voice of its own rather than a neutral do-everything one
Get the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer if
  • ✓Tube amp owners wanting to push their amp
  • ✓Blues and classic-rock players
  • ✓Fender Strat and Tele guitarists
  • ✓Anyone needing a lead boost or overdrive platform
Skip it if
  • Players running hot, modern high-output pickups
  • Those who dislike a mid-forward tone

What Boss RV-6 Reverb owners say

“The Reverb is a gem. That pedal has a lot of settings to get some really cool sounds out of it.”
— neverw1ll on Reddit
“Big fan of RV-6. When I got it I thought it was “pretty good” but after a couple of years I love it.”
— ziganaut on Reddit
“Had the RV-6 at one point, but found it too metallic. All Boss reverbs are like that to my ears though. Modulated is the best algo on the RV-6, but it seriously pales in comparison to Mercury7 modulation.”
— KickFragrant7836 on Reddit

What Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer owners say

“I love my TS9 that I've had since the 90s, but I have an EQ pedal after it, which has made all the difference.”
— @DonaldMerand on YouTube
“This really is the greatest distortion pedal I’ve ever owned.”
— @TheDCGuitar13 on YouTube
“Only thing I’d change is the TS for a DS1 or a Boss Super Distortion or an MXR distortion. I was never a fan of the Tube Screamer.”
— _1JackMove on Reddit

Boss RV-6 Reverb vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: frequently asked questions

Is the Boss RV-6 Reverb or the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer better?

Real owners lean toward the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: 73% of 52 owners recommend it, vs 66% of 68 for the Boss RV-6 Reverb.

Who should get the Boss RV-6 Reverb?

Owners point the Boss RV-6 Reverb at players who want one reverb for standard hall, room, plate and spring sounds and expect to run it always-on, and anyone who wants shimmer occasionally and is willing to roll the tone knob back to get it.

Who should get the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer?

Owners point the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer at tube amp owners wanting to push their amp, and blues and classic-rock players.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Boss RV-6 Reverb is a minority hear the algorithms as digital or metallic, competent rather than inspiring. For the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, it's mid-heavy voicing that cuts low-end and suits some styles more than others.