The Best Sounding DUAL opamps

[BrianL]

Please define "tonal issues"

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by BrianL

Please define "tonal issues"

Monochrome tonality... greenish in the case of both the OPA827 and the OPA211. That's how I hear them. While the LT1028 lets much more color through, but also the LME49720HA did.

[a1greatdane]

Hi there,
for line level purpose please give the AD8599 a go.
It's very neutral, low distortion and has 'an engaging sound stage with very good ambience definition'. Bass is solid without the Nationals chips wobble...
Very top end could have a tad less distortion, but as an overall line level performer very difficult to beat and a definite superior to the good old NE5532AP/N. Still very good, but a tad more resolution would be appreciated these days with higher quality signal source material.
Kind regards
a1greatdane

[rha61]

after many test , THS4032 and AD826 both for input buffer or output stage

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by rha61

after many test , THS4032 and AD826 both for input buffer or output stage

The THS4032 is nice at the first impression, but has poor tonal fidelity, and also it had some kind of issue with coherence over the spectrum, IIRC.

The AD826 isn't bad, but it lacked transparency and an effortless sound in my tests. Try the LT1358... to me it outperformed the AD826 in detail, ambience, and tonal richness, very apparently.

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by a1greatdane

for line level purpose please give the AD8599 a go.
It's very neutral, low distortion and has 'an engaging sound stage with very good ambience definition'. Bass is solid without the Nationals chips wobble...
Very top end could have a tad less distortion, but as an overall line level performer very difficult to beat and a definite superior to the good old NE5532AP/N.

That sounds good. From your description, I would say that the LME49723 and the AD8599 could be brothers separated at birth but I guess they're not

Only (again based on your description) the bass could be somehow different, if the AD8599 resembles the AD797 in any way. At any rate, bass dynamics & fullness with the LME49723 were more convincing than with the LM4562/LME49720 in my testing.


I'd like to try the AD8599 just to see if it challenges the LME49723 as my favorite dual. I'd also like to try the LME49725. Someone needs to hear these three and let us know what they think... because I doubt I'll manage to try AD8599 and LME49725 too soon.

[Andrea:]

WOW, I checked the LME49723's open loop gain, to compare it to the LM4562's...

Well the former has it of 105 dB, the latter of 140 ! 35 dB more feedback for unity gain applications...

I'm not anymore surprised that the LME49723 is a better unity-gain DAC buffer than the 4562/49720; at least comparing apples to apples, i.e. plastic package to plastic package..

[a1greatdane]

Dear mudihan,
just re read Your 1st post and shame on me for missing the point, that You haven't got space for an adaptor - bit of 'a bummer', since that would exclude the AD8599, which is only available in SOIC.
Would an adaptor on tall legs potentially solve your space issues?
Otherwise I like to second other reply's on this thread, in their recommendations of the the OPA2132. This also on the background of Your likeness for OPA627/637. I personally use this myself to great delight, in an active line level speaker x-over. The commonalities for the mentioned OPA chips is their Fet LTP (Long Tailored Pair)/differential input stages.
Going bipolar input stage with say NE's or AD8599, would depend on Your application and surrounding circuit as with regards to optimized performance, not to mention that little nebulous detail, as to what it might sound like.
I would be happy to assist further, if it is wished for.

All the best
a1greatdane
CSW - Chilli Sound Works
London N4, UK

[Andrea:]

Originally Posted by a1greatdane

that little nebulous detail, as to what it might sound like.

...to the individual listener; detail that ends up being decisive

[mudihan]

Originally Posted by a1greatdane

Dear mudihan,
just re read Your 1st post and shame on me for missing the point, that You haven't got space for an adaptor - bit of 'a bummer', since that would exclude the AD8599, which is only available in SOIC.
Would an adaptor on tall legs potentially solve your space issues?
Otherwise I like to second other reply's on this thread, in their recommendations of the the OPA2132. This also on the background of Your likeness for OPA627/637. I personally use this myself to great delight, in an active line level speaker x-over. The commonalities for the mentioned OPA chips is their Fet LTP (Long Tailored Pair)/differential input stages.
Going bipolar input stage with say NE's or AD8599, would depend on Your application and surrounding circuit as with regards to optimized performance, not to mention that little nebulous detail, as to what it might sound like.
I would be happy to assist further, if it is wished for.

All the best
a1greatdane
CSW - Chilli Sound Works
London N4, UK

The OPA2132 is a good opamp. But it is, in my opinion, just shy of 627/827's greatness.

By the way, I just compared 627 with 827 carefully in the output stage of a CD player. I found that 827 to be more organic sounding while 627 still has that un-matched cleanness.