Guitar Pedals · owner-verdict comparison

Electro-Harmonix Soul Food vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 72% of 61 Electro-Harmonix Soul Food owners recommend it, vs 73% of 52 for the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer.

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

Electro-Harmonix Soul Food

72%of 61 owners recommend

72% recommend · 15% neutral · 13% don't

Owners praise

Widely trusted as an always-on clean boost and gain stage
Stacks well in front of tube screamers, SD-1s, OCDs and fuzzes, adding definition instead of mud
Loud, with a drive range owners find musical and easy to keep subtle

Owners complain about

A mid-forward color, described as honk or boxiness, that fights the amp's own voice and thins single coils as the drive comes up
Divisive as a standalone overdrive, with several owners using it only as a boost or taking it off the board
Hardware gripes vary unit to unit: hiss, a loud pop on switching, and one that would not pass signal in bypass

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 Electro-Harmonix Soul Food if

✓Players who want an always-on gain stage sitting under their main drive
✓Anyone stacking overdrives or fuzzes and looking for a lead push with more definition
✓Blues rock and humbucker players who want subtle grit that roars when the drive is cranked
✓First klon-style pedal for someone curious about the circuit without boutique money

Skip it if

Players who want a boost that leaves the amp's midrange untouched
Single-coil strat players who need the low end intact at higher drive settings

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 Electro-Harmonix Soul Food owners say

“This pedal really shines when you stack it with something like a tube screamer or OCD. It produces this super “chewy” (best way I can describe it) sound that I love. Great pedal”
— BackcountryAZ on Reddit

“It’s a great pedal especially for that price. Nice lead boost tone.”
— DuckDouble2690 on Reddit

“Sounds great but I could not tame the loud click it made turning on and off. Tried a bunch of recommendations but nothing worked.”
— Shirtarm 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

Electro-Harmonix Soul Food vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer: frequently asked questions

Is the Electro-Harmonix Soul Food or the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 72% of 61 Electro-Harmonix Soul Food owners recommend it, vs 73% of 52 for the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer.

Who should get the Electro-Harmonix Soul Food?

Owners point the Electro-Harmonix Soul Food at players who want an always-on gain stage sitting under their main drive, and anyone stacking overdrives or fuzzes and looking for a lead push with more definition.

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 Electro-Harmonix Soul Food is a mid-forward color, described as honk or boxiness, that fights the amp's own voice and thins single coils as the drive comes up. For the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, it's mid-heavy voicing that cuts low-end and suits some styles more than others.