The Best Sounding DUAL opamps

Jump to Latest
#262
Could someone recommend me an Opamp for my modded Marantz CD53? LME49720 sounds amazing, though I'd like more lows (100-500Hz range I'd say, bass is good). The only other Opamp I've tried is OPA2132 and it sounds boring, has overblown bass and worse lows than the LME49720.
 
#266
Do the capacitors at the power pins have a big influence on those frequencies as well? I haven't replaced those yet (they're 4x Elna 220uf). Might be worth replacing with 470uf Nichicon FG caps? I really want to avoid long break-in times though.

Anyway, I'll order a bunch of Opamps (the one you recommended, OPA2604, OP275, NE5532) and compare. Any other suggestions (less than $5) are welcome.
 
#268
check power supply V of the circuit

opa2604 is unusual in working up to +/-24 Vsupply - higher V than most monolithic op amps

and ad8610/20 is odd for its low +/-13 Vsupply max

if the circuit uses the opa2604 at its high Vsupply limit then you have few possible substitutes
 
#269
geraldfryjr said:
Excellent I love the LME49860's!!!

TI has a new one I am going to order and try out, the OPA172 or the quad OPA4172.

OPA172 | Precision Amplifier | Operational Amplifier (Op Amp) | Description & parametrics

I don't see a dual version yet.

Cheers!!!

jer 🙂
Click to expand...

The OPA172 family wasn't originally designed for audio, but it has some nice features for certain audio applications. Specifically, it makes a nice little headphone amplifier. The output stage is very linear into lower impedances (MUCH better than the OPA2604 and OPA2134). Also the capacitive load drive capability is pretty darn good which can be a factor in headphone applications. Most headphones I've tested have a high-frequency resonance around 1MHz, above which they look capacitive, right where the loop gain of the amplifier is approaching 0dB. The OPA172 hasn't had any trouble driving headphones in low gains and no isolation resistor. And the 1.5mA/channel power supply current is nice as well.

Yes it's on CMOS, but that CMOS process is a bit of a different animal. Notice the 1/f noise corner doesn't start at 100kHz like the CMOS of old. Also, the input common-mode capacitance stays flat vs. input common mode range on CMOS, so the OPA172 won't generate distortion with high source impedances.
 
#270
hi

yah... I love lme49860 too🙂
I like this method is opa2604 after dac (D/A) and lme49860 preamp output and muses01 input power amp ... all other op amp for filtering and buffer in my amp opa627 (23pice)... my system is active network 3 way ... cross cutting and all opa627
for low Frequency and hi frequency and mid and all...

... it method is very Silent ... Black background and high end ... sound stage wide and deep ...Light in the dark 🙂 ... I really enjoy the silence and the distance between the instruments and the music is important for me.😉

I thank you for having me of comments
You've used this arrangement. Especially my good friend Jar.

I've got a chip on my mind ... It opa 172...
Where you place the chip in the series?

I thank all kinds of comments and tips on better hayout.

thanks.

afshin
 
#272
Hi All,

Thanks for the advises and suggestion, I managed to get a OPA2107AP and had it installed. The first thing I notice is the increase in details and sound stage. So far i'm happy with the swap.
I am still burning the new Chip in will do a listening test again and update you guys of the results.
 
#273
Hi All,
I had been more then a week since I swap the OPA2134Ap to OPA2107AP. The listening result is fantastic.. The sound stage became wider and there was much more "depth".
There were details produced which I never heard before.
I will be trying another OP amp.. the AD8620 which I heard is fantastic too.
Will keep you fantastic people updated again.
By the way just to paint a a clearer picture, it is my DA converter unit 's op amp which
I had swapped.


Thanks and have a great weekend ahead.

Leon
 
#274
Well, the worse they spec, the better they sound i guess 😀

But also notice that sound will change as they burn-in and in the end you may not get as much of a difference...

And it's good idea to measure opamps for oscillations and other nasty stuff...Actually a big soundstage with reverb-like effect may be indication of problem

I learned a lot about what is true and what is "effect" when i got balanced amplifier and could compare pure balanced output from discrete stage directly before opamp and single ended which passed through opamp...
 
#275
AlexanderTD said:
Well, the worse they spec, the better they sound i guess 😀

But also notice that sound will change as they burn-in and in the end you may not get as much of a difference...

And it's good idea to measure opamps for oscillations and other nasty stuff...Actually a big soundstage with reverb-like effect may be indication of problem

I learned a lot about what is true and what is "effect" when i got balanced amplifier and could compare pure balanced output from discrete stage directly before opamp and single ended which passed through opamp...
Click to expand...

Hi
thanks for the tips..
when u say worst spec which one are u refering and comparing to?
there is no reverb like sound after the swap just better details and wider sound stage. .
I will definately try with a balanced source and amp when i get my hands on them .
 
#276
hschaser said:
twhen u say worst spec which one are u refering and comparing to?
Click to expand...
I think all of them are average at best, some consider GBW (bandwidth) an important parameter which is only 4.5Mhz (most LME have 100 for example). The CMRR is not exactly great with only 80... The rest look average at best..
Just compare them to other dual opamps and especially single ones at texas instruments for example.

But in any case - if it measures well and sounds good and there's no oscillations and stuff - why not? I myself had times when OPA2604 sounded best to my ears (being worst technically) and only when PSU and rest of the chain became top-level i could hear it's limitations and more advanced opamps finally began to sound as smooth and nice while keeping all their transparency and detail.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom