LM3886 vs LM3875

[davidlzimmer]

Ive found very few comments comparing the two chips to each other.

After a few months of blissful enjoyment of my BrianGT LM3875 kit, I just built a pair of P2P LM3886 amps. I've only been able to bench test one side at a time with a crappy source but I am VERY impressed. I used my BrianGT power supply with 33.4V rails. Also. since I was wondering about the difference between 8 and 4 ohm loads, I took my two 8 ohm speakers and parralled them. I was actually astounded by the sound. Deep bass, chest pounding percusion, singing highs. This from a crappy earphone out of a portable CD player.

Since I presently only have one power supply and one set of speakers, it would be pretty much a pain to compare them side by side.

Would enjoy any comments from those of you with experience with both chips. Is the 4 ohm load that much difference? Or was it the fact that I had twice the speaker? The P2P? The chip?

Thanks all.

[glennb]

You can compare the specs at
http://home.pacific.net.au/~gnb/audio/lmcomp.html

Glenn.

[Nuuk]

I have preferred my LM3875 GC's although there is very little in it and other factors, eg type of power supply, component choice, would also have influenced the sound.

I do like P2P over a PCB though!

The bottom line is both the LM chips make good amplifiers and there is little need to worry which one sounds better. More important is the speakers you are using.

[davidlzimmer]

Yup. When I got back to the LM3875 system, it did seem as if it was sweeter sounding. But of course it's been burned in for months.

I have a great deal going with my brother in law. Am building him an LM3875 gainclone (from Peter Danial) in return for which, he is bulding me a pair of 3/4 in. solid cherry speaker boxes!

They will be a "D'appolito array" with a 4 ohm impediance. That's when I'll have some fun comparing!