The best sounding audio integrated opamps

[leeperry]

Originally Posted by Andrea:

if they don't want to give it as a free sample, then all the more so I believe it's worth trying

49720 has replaced 4562, it's a legacy product..but yes, I also wanted to try it at some point.

[jacco vermeulen]

Originally Posted by leeperry

the ones amongst us

Randomly swap-tweaking, based on mod articles in mags and a couple of general specs, was already the rage twenty years ago.
I'm guilty of a lot of that myself, including exchanging opamps in CD-players by LT1028 the very first moment it hit the market, and paying top dollar for it.
At the same time i was taking amp design classes, talking to guys as vdHull on a regular basis, participating in audio DIY clubs with the likes of Guido Tent.
Can you F believe it ?

Today you can download complete datasheets by the click of a button, there's lots of books and application notes to read, entire threads with both theory and practice of experienced ones.
H Boy, you can even talk straight hermano to hermano with the gents who develop the tweaking gadgets.

It's your prerogative to experiment the oldfashioned way, without having the slightest clue.
The moment it becomes embarassing is when an advertising campaign on the subtle flavor differences of CS8 versus ACN drags on for dozens and dozens of posts on several audio forums.

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by jacco vermeulen

Randomly swap-tweaking, based on mod articles in mags and a couple of general specs, was already the rage twenty years ago.
I'm guilty of a lot of that myself, including exchanging opamps in CD-players by LT1028 the very first moment it hit the market, and paying top dollar for it.
At the same time i was taking amp design classes, talking to guys as vdHull on a regular basis, participating in audio DIY clubs with the likes of Guido Tent.
Can you F believe it ?

Today you can download complete datasheets by the click of a button, there's lots of books and application notes to read, entire threads with both theory and practice of experienced ones.
H Boy, you can even talk straight hermano to hermano with the gents who develop the tweaking gadgets.

It's your prerogative to experiment the oldfashioned way, without having the slightest clue.
The moment it becomes embarassing is when an advertising campaign on the subtle flavor differences of CS8 versus ACN drags on for dozens and dozens of posts on several audio forums.

I don't really understand you. If you have a specific knowledge, then you should use it to support the subjective and admittedly naive (not completely naive though) finding of us amateurs, not to detract from it in such an intolerant (and I'd say old-fashioned, as such) way.


I hear no difference between LT1028 ACN8 and CS8. What would seem to sound a little different, at least according to majkel on head-fi, since I haven't been comparing myself, are the ACN8 and the CN8. If you have convincing arguments against his finding... please, share. I certainly don't take majkel of head-fi as gospel... he's not even a particularly clever guy

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by leeperry

49720 has replaced 4562, it's a legacy product..but yes, I also wanted to try it at some point.

No it hasn't replaced anything, because they're both available as different parts.

Proof is the fact that on their site they give the LME49720HA as a free sample, while the LM4562HA can only be purchased from distributors.

I do find this a little mysterious... but, whatever the reason behind, the simple fact that you can't have the 4562HA for free makes me really want to hear it. It must be the fascination of the forbidden

[leeperry]

majokel has a very wild imagination...there's no question that your emotions can lead your honest thinking: 2007 November 09 « The Situationist

well, they're soooo cool, they can read datasheets! but that's really not what we do here, thanks for passing by.

coz they don't want to see 4562 in new designs? 49720 replaces it, it's a legacy product IMO.

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by leeperry

majokel has a very wild imagination...there's no question that your emotions can lead your honest thinking: 2007 November 09 « The Situationist

well, they're soooo cool, they can read datasheets! but that's really not what we do here, thanks for passing by.

coz they don't want to see 4562 in new designs? 49720 replaces it, it's a legacy product IMO.

I believe the production lines of the 4562 and 49720, whether metal or plastic, are not the same. Otherwise, they would really sound the same.


Having appreciated the "5" tonal quality in the 4562NA, which the 49720NA doesn't possess... I'd like to hear how the 4562HA improves on the plastic DIP 4562.

BTW, I must have mentioned before that numbers/colors "3" and "5" are my favorites sonically. It's not casual that I really like the LME49723.

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by jacco vermeulen

Randomly swap-tweaking, based on mod articles in mags and a couple of general specs, was already the rage twenty years ago.
I'm guilty of a lot of that myself, including exchanging opamps in CD-players by LT1028 the very first moment it hit the market, and paying top dollar for it.
At the same time i was taking amp design classes, talking to guys as vdHull on a regular basis, participating in audio DIY clubs with the likes of Guido Tent.
Can you F believe it ?

Today you can download complete datasheets by the click of a button, there's lots of books and application notes to read, entire threads with both theory and practice of experienced ones.
H Boy, you can even talk straight hermano to hermano with the gents who develop the tweaking gadgets.

It's your prerogative to experiment the oldfashioned way, without having the slightest clue.
The moment it becomes embarassing is when an advertising campaign on the subtle flavor differences of CS8 versus ACN drags on for dozens and dozens of posts on several audio forums.

I think you may very well be an expert technically, but you sound very much childish as far as the aesthetic/sensitive understanding of reality goes...

[a1greatdane]

Hi there,
being an Electronics with Acoustic modules Engineer of training, I have to express understanding for Scott Wurcers stance.
It literally took me 3 days to digest the now running 69 pages on this thread, just to discover, that there still only seem to be one 'godly given' LT1028 to do the job...
I have now as a matter of curiosity ordered some samples to see and hear 'what kind of fuss' this is all about, in order to ascertain the to my understanding limited application as a DAC buffer and maybe discover the same 'truth' for a hopefully more universal 'chippy' application(s).
Just tried the OPA2211 and 211 and found them remarkable devices - maybe not decidedly for audio, but I can certainly hear their DC precision abilities and would imagine them to be absolutely stunning for measuring purpose(s).
One of the strong audio abilities of them, is however how they handle the bottom end register... I can't remember anything else in the 'chippy' sector with quite that amount of authority.. - So goodnight National.
I probably own to tell that my current test bed is a 2 stage 'home furcled' RIAA setup with passive HF LP after 1st. and active (in FB loop) Bass enhancement in the 2nd. stage. And so far Ladies and Gentlemen the best universal 'jack of all trades' is the humble 1974? designed NE5532!!! for dual. I currently going through even more elaborate exorcises, by splitting into singles and so far the OPA627 a 1st and OPA211 as 2nd is showing very, very promising results... Now I need to get on to Brown dog or similar again... All good fun I suppose!
I will post my findings when Linear Technology decides to hopefully deliver some samples at some given point. No worries Andrea.:vink:
In the meantime it would be so very nice and I for one would be entirely grateful if one of the big chip manufactures would care to consider an upgrade NE chip - say with fet input for starters and listen to in the development stages and specifically made for Audio!
I for one, would be perfectly happy to rent/lend out my humble little ears with that specific purpose in mind - so maybe over to You Scott Wurcer (don't get me wrong please - I sincerely appreciate Your efforts with the AD797!)???

All the best
a1greatdane aka Sven R. Olsen aka 'Dr' O
Creator
CSW - Chilli Sound Works
London N4

[a1greatdane]

Dear Jacco,
please try and stay calm, collected and cool?
It quite obvious that Andrea is enjoying his experiences and enthusiasticly wishes to share them with others...
I happily confess to be a bit in the same perceived boat as You though...

Best intended regards to all
a1greatdane aka Sven R. Olsen

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by a1greatdane

Hi there,
being an Electronics with Acoustic modules Engineer of training, I have to express understanding for Scott Wurcers stance.
It literally took me 3 days to digest the now running 69 pages on this thread, just to discover, that there still only seem to be one 'godly given' LT1028 to do the job...
I have now as a matter of curiosity ordered some samples to see and hear 'what kind of fuss' this is all about, in order to ascertain the to my understanding limited application as a DAC buffer and maybe discover the same 'truth' for a hopefully more universal 'chippy' application(s).
Just tried the OPA2211 and 211 and found them remarkable devices - maybe not decidedly for audio, but I can certainly hear their DC precision abilities and would imagine them to be absolutely stunning for measuring purpose(s).
One of the strong audio abilities of them, is however how they handle the bottom end register... I can't remember anything else in the 'chippy' sector with quite that amount of authority.. - So goodnight National.
I probably own to tell that my current test bed is a 2 stage 'home furcled' RIAA setup with passive HF LP after 1st. and active (in FB loop) Bass enhancement in the 2nd. stage. And so far Ladies and Gentlemen the best universal 'jack of all trades' is the humble 1974? designed NE5532!!! for dual. I currently going through even more elaborate exorcises, by splitting into singles and so far the OPA627 a 1st and OPA211 as 2nd is showing very, very promising results... Now I need to get on to Brown dog or similar again... All good fun I suppose!
I will post my findings when Linear Technology decides to hopefully deliver some samples at some given point. No worries Andrea.:vink:
In the meantime it would be so very nice and I for one would be entirely grateful if one of the big chip manufactures would care to consider an upgrade NE chip - say with fet input for starters and listen to in the development stages and specifically made for Audio!
I for one, would be perfectly happy to rent/lend out my humble little ears with that specific purpose in mind - so maybe over to You Scott Wurcer (don't get me wrong please - I sincerely appreciate Your efforts with the AD797!)???

All the best
a1greatdane aka Sven R. Olsen aka 'Dr' O
Creator
CSW - Chilli Sound Works
London N4

Hi, thanks for your appreciated contribution to my little thread.


Just a quick reply, as I'm not at my place... the LT1028 has gained all my enthusiastically expressed admiration from beating such very promising chips as the OPA211, OPA827, OPA627, in the field of sheer sound quality. That's the one & simple reason why it's so dear to me... I really think it accomplishes a hard task - that of being faithful and musical contemporarily. In sum, transparent.

I agree that the NE5532 is a timeless jack of all trades, and it's certainly why it's still so widely used. It's really tricky with opamps... what you gain on one side, you often lose on the other. The LME49723 is a today's jack of all trades, if you will. And it's cheap, too.


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