The best sounding audio integrated opamps

[Andrea:]

The AD797 is darker than the LT1028... so that's the one I'd blame. Try OPA1612 (no need for singles) buffered by LT1028CS8.

[leeperry]

I'm not going back to dual chips

well sound is nice really, the AD797B alone had hot trebles...now the 1028 tempers them down, but I do think that the ACN8 sounded better than CS8...maybe it's just in my head, time will tell.

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by leeperry

I'm not going back to dual chips

Why, oh why??
You've got one dual opamp per each channel in your card, that is, no L/R crosstalk is involved. You won't lose anything.

well sound is nice really, the AD797B alone had hot trebles...now the 1028 tempers them down, but I do think that the ACN8 sounded better than CS8...maybe it's just in my head, time will tell.

No, it doesn't sound any better at all. I can compare them with the push of a button. And the DAC with the CS8 (powered with less than half the total V) sounds slightly better

[leeperry]

well, the SS is just wider w/ single chips...there's more stuff happening in the center, it's been dead obvious each time I've rolled dual <> single

it's also been dead obvious that all the discrete chips as final buffer give a slight stereo imbalance on my card..maybe due to the low voltage? they are said to require at least ±12V and I feed them a bare ±8.8V.

anyway! the 1028CS8 final buffer increases the bass response but distorts the trebles..don't really like it, I will take them off in a minute. I might just need 6*AD797BN, or maybe an OPA1611/LT1677 final buffer

[Andrea:]

You're talking of the dual opamp that treats both channels, not of the duals that treat one channel each, I guess...

The LT1028 per se doesn't distort any trebles, really... I guess it might oscillate in your card.

[leeperry]

well, it seems that many ppl also agree that 2*singles are better...even on the OPA1612 they emphasise that the separation is better handled. Clearly, it gives more width to the center channel on headphones(better phase control?)

indeed the 1028 doesn't appear to be a drop-in replacement...but Slash47 said the same for the 797B, he told me it's oscillate like mad on my soundcard...it wasn't the case, there's no hard rule in op-amp rolling apparently

[Andrea:]

You keep not understanding... Those two dual opamps in between DAC chip and output buffer [which is supposed to be a dual opamp, funnily enough] are each of them only in one audio channel's signal path. Two channels of a dual opamp are in the left channel's signal path; and two channels of the other dual opamp are in the right channel's signal path.

Therefore, for that stage, you have no reason to worry about stereo crosstalk, phase problems, or anything like that... so a dual version of a given opamp (e.g. OPA1612) will be in no way a compromise as opposed to two singles on Browndog.

Sure, if you want to complicate your life just because you refuse any dual opamp by an uninformed prejudice, you're free to do so...


Whereas, regarding the dual opamp that buffers your card's line out... well, there it makes sense to use an adapter with two singles, because the two channels of the dual chip would be used to buffer the L and R stereo channels respectively.

[calvert73]

OK guys, which is the best op-amp for bass reproduction, I want tight and fast not rounded and full, if you understand. Its for an active filter hence bass reproduction is the main priority.

RC

[leeperry]

Originally Posted by Andrea:

You keep not understanding...[..]
Whereas, regarding the dual opamp that buffers your card's line out... well, there it makes sense to use an adapter with two singles, because the two channels of the dual chip would be used to buffer the L and R stereo channels respectively.

I am well aware of what you're saying...yet, I get much wider center channel w/ singles as DAC LPF...there's obviously much to be gained by processing each polarity on its own.

browndog says : Single-to-dual Op-AMP Adapter - DIP version (p/n 021001)

superior electrical and thermal isolation between channels vs. integrated dual op-amp

Precision Amplifier - Wide Bandwidth - OPA1612 - TI.com

The dual version features completely independent circuitry for lowest crosstalk and freedom from interactions between channels

dual chips are more than likely made of compromises....an IC op-amp is already damn small, so let's not ask for even smaller.

when reading the old AD797BN datasheet, they clearly explain that there's all kind of protections and so on built in...maybe there's a very good reason where there's no AD799

Originally Posted by calvert73

which is the best op-amp for bass reproduction, I want tight and fast not rounded and full, if you understand. Its for an active filter hence bass reproduction is the main priority.

used as what? final buffer? I/V? LPF? at what voltage? which ones did you try already?

[leeperry]

oh yes! so much better w/o a final buffer, pure untouched AD797B goodness