LM386 alternatives?

[ainami]

Hi All,

I'm looking at a headphone amplifier kit which uses an LM386 as the chipamp. Could anyone suggest a better quality amp that could be swapped in the same circuit?

For reference, the circuit is shown in this document:

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/dow...nuals/SHA1.pdf

Thanks!

[carlmart]

Originally posted by ainami


I'm looking at a headphone amplifier kit which uses an LM386 as the chipamp. Could anyone suggest a better quality amp that could be swapped in the same circuit?

The best alternative would be to ditch the LM386 and find a circuit that doesn't use an output capacitor.

Why did you choose that project?

If it's for sound quality, something like the buffer combo we usually talk about here, with OPA627 + BUF637, will sound a lot better than this circuit.


Carlos

[motherone]

I'd recommend looking at Tangent's mint or pimeta boards.

http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/mint
http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/pimeta

Both of these are reasonably low cost and fairly high-end compared to the "single op-amp" based headphone amplifiers.

I don't have any association with tangent other than having bought his products and being a satisfied customer.

[ainami]

Originally posted by motherone
I'd recommend looking at Tangent's mint or pimeta boards.

http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/mint
http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/pimeta

Both of these are reasonably low cost and fairly high-end compared to the "single op-amp" based headphone amplifiers.

I don't have any association with tangent other than having bought his products and being a satisfied customer.

Thanks! This is exactly what I'm looking for. I did find another kit, but it's probably overkill:

http://www.audiokits.com/products.asp?prodid=395

Thoughts?

[azira]

The LM386 isn't an easily swappable chip. It has the gain internally set and the pinout isn't "standard". You won't be able to drop in a replacement directly without changing the circuit.

[carlmart]

Originally posted by ainami

Thanks! This is exactly what I'm looking for. I did find another kit, but it's probably overkill:

http://www.audiokits.com/products.asp?prodid=395

It looks interesting indeed. Probably an Erno Borbely design. You will have to spend something more on the supply, which on the other can be a battery one.

Tangent's or Audiokits' are probably the way you should go for serious headphone amps.


Carlos

[ppfred]

I'm looking at a headphone amplifier kit

Take a look here.
http://headwize.com/index.htm

bye

[motherone]

Originally posted by ppfred


Take a look here.
http://headwize.com/index.htm

bye

I agree. You can build quite a few different types of amps from there. If you're sure you want to go with an op-amp based headphone amplifier, check out the "chu moy" .. You can probably build one for less than $20, including the enclosure (the ever popular altoid mint tins).

[wim]

Í build a headphone-amp with OPA2134's (from www.raymondaudio.nl. Project 7.

Amazing sinpele and good !!!!

For what i reed about it is the OPA 2134 better than the one you intent to use.

succes