I personally don't really like 5532, and I know it's all about the taste, but 5534 is still one of my all the time favorite opamp along with LME49990 and OPA627. Original 5534 has a very attractive sound character with a lot of energy, while I understand that its coloration (distortion) would be a little too much for home DIY audio...
I still remember when I demoed the first Bechmark DAC. I was surprised how "musical" it sounds and I opened the case (shhh...). Then I laughed because I found full of 5534 in it. I don't think they still use 5534 because DAC market and requirement have changed, but even 10-15 years ago, 5534 was still the best choice for good designers like them. It has a good old analog sound like API.
I was told that the NJM2114 was just two NE5534 in the same package, but have yet to look at them under the scope to verify that. Is a very common part nowadays inside consumer gear where one might expect to find the 5532.
2114 is better than ne5534 and is actually 4 ne5534in one package as it has double the output current, unity gain stable and higher slew rate. NJM2114 datasheet
The 5532 isn't as good when used non inverted. Especially if fed from high Rsource. Due to high enough common mode distortion.
Now you say ebay, I have ten "5532" which measure slower V/uS and lower mA draw than spec while their large signal square wave has the same edge traits as other spot on 5532 I got. There are not only fake 5532 out there but also B grade or inferior copy 5532 I guess.
Neve is using it in its famous RNHP in diferential mode before TPA6120 and it sounds very well on the best headphones out there.
@Salas
i know, i have the full book since 2015, yet i suspect that what we hear wrong is in lower quality ne5532/4 launched on the market with insuficient quality check by unknown companies or sellers.I had the possibility to both measure and listen some new chinese TI ne5534 on AP and they measured very well but sounded really poor in noninverted topology even when applied all D Self tricks on it...lm4562 with no supply bootstrap was audibly better.
i know, i have the full book since 2015, yet i suspect that what we hear wrong is in lower quality ne5532/4 launched on the market with insuficient quality check by unknown companies or sellers.I had the possibility to both measure and listen some new chinese TI ne5534 on AP and they measured very well but sounded really poor in noninverted topology even when applied all D Self tricks on it...lm4562 with no supply bootstrap was audibly better.
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@dreamth
Interestingly LM833 did not give rise to non inverted mode THD spikes vs inverted in my simple 2VRMS output tests. But 5532 did. Especially the lower bias and slower slew rate samples.
Interestingly LM833 did not give rise to non inverted mode THD spikes vs inverted in my simple 2VRMS output tests. But 5532 did. Especially the lower bias and slower slew rate samples.
@salas
I know.You are the first one i saw talking about lm833 benefits in the past and there must be a reason why Philips used it extensively after ithe DAC in their cd-players instead of ne5532.I have a friend who looked at improving some of his cd players and in the end he realized that lm833 sounds very well and there was no need to change them although he's hearing very well up to 17500kz.I can only hear 13800hz...One other thing that is really interesting with lm833 is that he's louder with the same feedback network and input than every other op-amp i tried as i/v converter.
I know.You are the first one i saw talking about lm833 benefits in the past and there must be a reason why Philips used it extensively after ithe DAC in their cd-players instead of ne5532.I have a friend who looked at improving some of his cd players and in the end he realized that lm833 sounds very well and there was no need to change them although he's hearing very well up to 17500kz.I can only hear 13800hz...One other thing that is really interesting with lm833 is that he's louder with the same feedback network and input than every other op-amp i tried as i/v converter.
you might find this Nakamichi headphones amp used in NAK Cr-4 really interesting.Actually is the only headpnones amp that sounds well in all nakamichi cassette players as they used class b output in all the others:
Attachments
1. With a mid price CD player, a €300 amp and a pair of small good speakers like Monitor-Audio, KEF or Triangle one must be either totally ignorant or deaf not the hear a difference between a NE5532 and let's say an OPA2189.
2. True, your sentence also works the other way round. What my be apparent to the ear is not always apparent on the spectrum analyzer.
3. Simply not true, there are many studios around the world where consoles and other stuff being modified and opamps changed. There are even studios who buy high-end boutique cables.
Wow, in the year of the lord 1988, I heard the CR-4 over headphones with my test cassette and thought that it sounded very good but was convinced that the drive mechanics were not responsible cos it was not really better than the old ones.
Thank you clearing up an old mystery for me.
I enjoy reading both audiosciencereview.com and capacitor test of humblehomemadehifi.com.
I agree with Nelson Pass, this is an entertainment. 🙂
PS: I don't read the review part of Stereophile, though.
I agree with Nelson Pass, this is an entertainment. 🙂
PS: I don't read the review part of Stereophile, though.
more cleanup done. The mod team is losing patience.