The best sounding audio integrated opamps

[Andrea:]

It's just that the LT1028 is obviously enough the best sounding of all LT opamps, I tried others but... always came back. If the Burson is a transparent and accurate (err...low distortion) opamp, it should...

[Andrea:]

Given how good chip opamps can sound today, I'm nothing less than amazed that the Burson & Co. "seem" to sell so well. For me (and others) the best of the chips leave nothing to be desired.

[leeperry]

hehe, well it's another dimension altogether...sound is mushy as hell on IC's in comparison.

Earth told some part of the story...far wider SS than IC's(majkel couldn't deny), but too distorted/too colored and not very natural.

but it was a trade...some color/distortion for 360 degrees SS

the new burson + mundorf cap gets it all right

it takes the good sides of Sun V2 and of Earth...very clear and undistorted sound, but very natural SS and so emotional/grasping...ahhhhhhhhhhh

but well, I feed it w/ LT1124 which is a great chip in its own right...it basically allows it to blossom like on a good spring day

[Andrea:]

At any rate...


In the end I took the courage, and I desoldered the LME49710NA's in the SVDAC05 and soldered the LT1028ACN8. Risky... can't quite believe that I managed not to do any damage!

Anyway, well... the two DAC's now sound -exactly- the same, even with the difference in supply voltage to the opamps, 30V total vs. just 12V, and the Super Pro having the LT1028CS8 not ACN8.

I guess this proves that the LT1028CS8 sounds absolutely indistinguishable from the ACN8, just like I thought before (without having directly compared).


Ah, and definitely the SVDAC05 sounds better now. I looooooove this opamp (and/or this DAC chip + opamp combination).

[Andrea:]

Ah BTW if the Burson Mk II measures identical to the OPA-Earth, then it has the same amount of harmonic distortion. Maybe it's just hidden better

[leeperry]

well, what that "MkII" denomination is remains to be found out.

sound is definitely clearer than Earth, and also less distorted...w/ far more texture and it's also far less colored.

hopefully I'll receive the 1028ACN8/1363 and OPA227/228 on monday..the AD797B are coming from HK so it'll take longer.

and it's funny when you talk about op-amps rolling to "normal" ppl how much they think that you're a complete nutcase, that's spoiled and will remain unsatisfied until the end of days ^^

this is definitely wrong, I could definitely live w/ the Burson+1124..as much as you could apparently live w/ the 1028(for now )

but I think you'd be better off putting high quality gold plated sockets, so you could roll to some crappy parts from time to time...just so your brain doesn't get bored and tells you that you need a better part in there

[leeperry]

BTW, I just rolled the LT1213 for fun...sound is very different from LT1124, need to listen more carefully.

also right now I've got 2*1028ACN8 and 2*1363CN8...could I use one of each on each channel?

can you do tricks like this? one different op-amp per DAC polarity? ahhhhhhhh, this opens tons of new possibilities

[Andrea:]

Ha ha, tons of new possibilities of messing things up.


No, anyway, if there's one thing I know, it's that those LT1028ACN8 will stay there for the eternity.

I'm just planning to change two lytics, two bypasses, and put some high quality output caps (now there's a bit of DC offset though just 11 mV).


I've restored my SVDAC05 that I didn't listen to anymore just because of those LME49710's.

[leeperry]

hehe ok, I really don't wanna kill my soundcard..I guess sending very different(like AD797BN/LT1028ACN8) outputs for each polarity might screw things up...maybe, I'm not sure

I will ask a few EE's, anyway LT1213 has a major lack of definition compared to LT1124....the burson is starved.

[leeperry]

humm LT1469 is not staying...I'll put back 1124 in a few, SQ is much higher...and tomorrow I'll replace it by 4*1028ACN8