The best sounding audio integrated opamps

[Andrea:]

Formerly I had compared the SVDAC05 with two single OPA-Sun V2, to my older Super Pro with an AD8022. Well... they sounded pretty much identical It took some very careful listening to realize the little tonal differences. On the whole they were on the same quality level.


On head-fi they keep singing odes to the OPA827, when in my testing both the OPA211AID and the OPA2211AID were more transparent in an apparent way.

And, again, the LT1028CS8 is, when used properly, smooth and fluid like a bipolar yet more detailed than an OPA827.

I would like to try OPA211ID and OPA1611.

[Andrea:]

And I'd like to retry the THS4051 (I used this a few years ago).

[Joachim Gerhard]

you could also say that the OPA211 is a bit brighter. carefull !!! it does not like output loading less the 2kOhms.

[Andrea:]

Yup it's a bit brighter, but the OPA2211 was clearly more resolving in the mids (bit like the LT1028) than the OPA827. Instead the LT1028 didn't sound brighter than the OPA827 when compared directly.


The OPA1611, BTW, has a linear output current of 45 mA, (while the OPA211 has 30 mA at most) so it should overcome the OPA(2)211's limitation regarding output loading. That's why I said before I'd like to give it a try in the cmoy, where the AD845K is performing very satisfactorily anyway.

BTW, if there's an "old school" opamp I'd still use (not only in cmoy), it's just the AD845! Better the KN version. It's fine sounding...and given that it sounds better than AD8610, OPA627, it's obviously been overlooked by the forum gurus.

[Andrea:]

I remember how the OPA2211 brought out some expressive shades in Leonard Cohen's voice that the OPA827 just hid.


I believe that the better choice from BB would be the OPA1611. I'm pretty stunned that it isn't more popular.

[Andrea:]

leeperry,

you might want to download the latest (october 2009) update to the famous pdf

http://www.sg-acoustics.ch/analogue_...distortion.pdf

and read/see what he says/displays about the Burson Mk II

[leeperry]

well, the first burson is the exact same as Earth...but the new one is clearly different, I dunno what he calls "Mk II"...maybe he was given an old one for tests purposes and didn't pay attention.

well, yeah THD is not low...it doesn't sound "flat", it's aimed at sounding tubey after all. I've watched a couple of movies on headphones(using the 5.1>stereo Logic7 binaural downmix matrix)....the SS on the Earth is just out of this world!

in "District 9", there was many helicopters going around...and holy smoke, what a totally mind blowing 360 degrees SS!

and same goes for the famous "barbershop" binaural demo, when the guy is at the back of your head w/ his trimmer....no IC *whatsoever* will give such a tremendous SS experience. bar none.

[Andrea:]

Nice movie, District 9, ain't it? But it's a movie


Hmm, the guy seems to know what he's doing, if he says Mk II it must be the Burson's latest version. Maybe there was just a change in parts choice that doesn't influence the measurements.

[leeperry]

well yeah, a good SS is great in music...but fantastic in movies, especially on headphones w/ a 5.1>binaural downmix...that gives out-of-head experience w/ inverted phase sounds.

maybe they made several versions of the old chip, I don't know...but I'm sure the new one and Earth are not the exact same. I'll find out soon enough anyway

[Andrea:]

I don't hear problems (especially nothing unnatural...) in the 'soundstage' reproduced by the better opamps!

OK, if you say the OPA2134 or the OPA2132P, those will indeed show a slightly shut in sound.


The OPA-Earth, if I still remember well, made vocals sound kind of distant compared to the chips in general.. Not so (luckily) the OPA-Sun V2