Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference

Hi,

>There seems to be no systematic approach other than to try
>the 3 or 4 op amps that everyone seems to favor for audio
>applications and listen for the results.

This is plainly and patently untrue. My original work on Op-Amp replacements after trying some that where recommended lead me to resaerch (again) feedack mechnisms, feedback induced and other transient and steady state distortion mechnisms and to research what is available in terms of high speed op-amp's.

Walt Jung has done similar work and published quite a bit of background in his Columns for EDN. Jon has done extesive work on the more normal Audio Op-Amp's, as has Ben Duncan. Only because you could not be botherd to look for information does not mean it does not exist.

My results lead me to the same kind of Devices Mr. Eliott recently "discovered", as offering specifications (and also sound) that is superior to any conventional "Audio" Op-Amp.

My recent experiments with the BB OPA 627/637 have not shown them superior (though very good), subjecively speaking, but easier to apply than superfast devices. I also found the Burr Brown BUF634 to be excellent for unity gain buffer stages and for unity gain filter stages (like, I believe, used in your active X-Over).

So if you want simple sawpping use OPA627 for circuits with gain < 5 and OPA637 for circuits with gain > 5, with the outputs biased into class A via a FET current source.

As long as the circuit is just a unity gain buffer use the BUF634 in wide bandwidth mode. Not only has it enough drive to allow the use of two pieces of wet string as interconnetcs, it also operates without loop feedback and offers superior specs in this application to any Op-Amp I have encountered.

You see, specs do matter, but one has to be able to interpret them in the context of audio applications.

Ciao T

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - ccd 07:47:54 08/07/01 (13)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Jon Risch 18:08:39 08/07/01 (8)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - ccd 20:26:52 08/07/01 (7)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Ehien 18:51:48 08/08/01 (0)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Thorsten 03:35:15 08/08/01 (5)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Jon Risch 19:38:45 08/08/01 (0)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - ccd 04:34:14 08/08/01 (3)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Thorsten 05:50:41 08/08/01 (2)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - KlausB 14:26:22 08/08/01 (0)

PS..... - Thorsten 05:52:54 08/08/01 (0)

Yes!!!! (NT) - Thorsten 10:49:04 08/07/01 (0)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - jts 10:27:13 08/07/01 (0)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - RonS 08:15:37 08/07/01 (1)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - ccd 10:02:32 08/07/01 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Thorsten 03:35:15 08/08/01 (5)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Jon Risch 19:38:45 08/08/01 (0)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - ccd 04:34:14 08/08/01 (3)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - Thorsten 05:50:41 08/08/01 (2)

Re: Op Amp Upgrades-Does It Really Make Much of a Difference - KlausB 14:26:22 08/08/01 (0)

PS..... - Thorsten 05:52:54 08/08/01 (0)

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