The best sounding audio integrated opamps

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by leeperry

I've ordered more browndog's, I wanna try AD797B+1028ACN8 combinations

It was about time! Seriously, I don't know, as both chips have a 'civilized' treble..

Maybe you'd have better luck with the AD8599, which is dual too.

[leeperry]

ah well, I don't trust the SOIC8>DIP8 browndog's...all I get is whiney trebles, waste of time and money.

anyway, I'm gonna take off the burson...I wanna hear what the AD797BN has to say on its own w/o a final buffer

and I'll soon have my burson headphones amp, I'd rather avoid double burson coloring tbh.

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by leeperry

ah well, I don't trust the SOIC8>DIP8 browndog's...all I get is whiney trebles, waste of time and money.

Are you so sure? Maybe the only problem is that you used too fast bipolar opamps for your application before. The AD8599 has just 9 MHz of bandwidth, and the LME49723 is a fraction of the speed of the LM4562. I wouldn't exclude them that way

[Andrea:]

Thinking of it, I should have a pair of AD8610BRZ that I might use somewhere, soon... and I've got a few new browndogs too. I'd like to see if I like the BRZ variant more.

[leeperry]

not sure, but soldering is a pain anyway..and AD797BN has great potential! many ppl rave about AD797AN because BN has been long time phased out, but I don't think AN would be better.

ok, currently listening to this: http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/7899/797.jpg

taking out the final buffer is always a relief tbh

4*AD797BN as AK4396 LPF > high gain NJM4580V to drive headphones = end of story

adding a final buffer beefs up the volume to line out level I was told, but well the 4580 is not afraid! I can clearly hear why some ppl avoid op-amps like the plague.

anyway, SS is still very impressive...it might very well be that the AD797BN can put discretes out of business, need to give more in-depth listening

PS: Slash47 on head-fi said: "AD797: Awesome, but not a drop in replacement. Neutral, like a perfectly designed extension of the DAC chip itself which is a very big compliment in my book. Sounds like an intellectual AD8597. The only one that I have heard that is not a compromise in any way is the AD797." I couldn't agree more so far.

[SoNic_real_one]

Your test board sucks big time if any OpAmp installed on it is lacking the bass.

[leeperry]

AudiogoN Forums: Finally got my FUBAR II to sing w/ AD797AN Op-amps

I have had great results using the AD797 in combination with an 811[..]
It was developed by Walt Jung at AD and called a "Composite" opamp.

wow, male U87 vocals keep me speechless...and counterbass is still very much amazing, not overwhelming anymore(the burson was simply bloating the 797B grain )

and xtalk is notoriously BAAAAD on the discretes(I've seen 60dB RMAA figures w/ 3 burson's on the HD2), now SS is wider and there's far more "stuff" in the middle...pretty amazing. Still need to find out whether it's still 3D'ish.

[leeperry]

Originally Posted by SoNic_real_one

Your test board sucks big time if any OpAmp installed on it is lacking the bass.

oh, it's a $100 soundcard, no rocket science here. I can even assert that the stereo balance is slightly off to the right when the final buffer socket is populated(w/ whatever IC/discrete).

[leeperry]

the Snatch OST really makes for a nice benchmark...it's got "02 - Klint - Diamond" w/ a loud counterbass intro+very detailed synthesizer in the break, "05 - The Stranglers - Golden Brown" w/ its very detailed harpsichord(that can easily sound resonant to death) and "10 - Mirwais - Disco Science" that has a very beefy inverted sub bass kick + that uber-resonant stereo synth...they've never sounded so clear

majkel said this chip could present you w/ a SS of whatever shape...holy **** you have to hear it to understand what that means

[leeperry]

sucks you can't edit posts in this forum...I'm freeposting basically

anyway, you can see the SS shape in Ozone's phase scope:



very fun w/ the 797B