Hi, Erin, I was contemplating on buying the audio dg discrete opamps, But the height is 40mm as I remember when I asked, And It wont fit in the case.
Then modify the case. Just like putting a bonnet scoop on a car.
The Audio GD discreet op amps will be the audio equivalent of putting a tunnel ram and blower on your car. 😀
Op amp swap is the equivalent of an oil change and different brand of tires. - Nothing much has changed.😉
Please excuse my humor.
Actually, I suspect you could lay the Audio GD amps on their side, bend the pins on one side and insert into the socket and just extend 4 wires to connect to the other side of the socket.
Or perhaps not? I don't have the exact measurements.
Audio GD would be the way to go for a serious improvement to the sound.
The Audio GD discreet op amps will be the audio equivalent of putting a tunnel ram and blower on your car. 😀
Op amp swap is the equivalent of an oil change and different brand of tires. - Nothing much has changed.😉
Please excuse my humor.
Actually, I suspect you could lay the Audio GD amps on their side, bend the pins on one side and insert into the socket and just extend 4 wires to connect to the other side of the socket.
Or perhaps not? I don't have the exact measurements.
Audio GD would be the way to go for a serious improvement to the sound.
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you can actually pull the 2 sides apart and use as a flat single layer device, but need to keep leads as short as possible to avoid oscillations and decouple the power supply pins well
Hi Erin,
Which one do you recommend? Earth, Sun, or Moon? I don't understand the technical differences the website states 🙁
And the $50 you quoted seem to suggest dual op, but the website says to replace OPA134 you should use single, which is $24 to $32 per pair? Who is correct? 😕
Marchel, why not consider a 50mm extension lead for $3 from the same site?
I still haven't touched the output opamps, I might just have to try the audio-gds.
I have been advised by a friend that the Sun is the one to go for - its supposed to be the most detailed and "accurate".
It is meant to be very much like the Burson Discreet op-amps which cost a lot more.
The prices are on the link
OPA-SUN Dual OPA USD30/1 unit (24*24*40)
OPA-SUN Single OPA USD16/1 unit
So if you buy two singles it is 16x2 = $32
+ $13 shipping to Australia or $15 shipping to USA
So either $45 or $47 delivered depending where you live.
Shipping costs are here:
Audio-GD Company
You wont go wrong with either of the Sun, Moon or Earth.
They really are a big step up from op-amps.
Hi Erin, In my opinion the difference in changing opamps is like changing the exhaust system of a car, There is a readily noticeable difference when I changed the opamps in this DAC.
Hi mx2, The problem with the extension cable is that I would have to make a bracket inside the dac, and I don't have the time to do that these days. And I would also have to avoid placing the audio dg opamps near the digital section and the power supply section.
I would be very interested though, If someone can compared the SQ of the audio dg opamps to the 627 and 797.
I would be very interested though, If someone can compared the SQ of the audio dg opamps to the 627 and 797.
Fair enough Marchel, everyones opinion is their own. It was only an analogy.
I have nothing against op-amps. They are the building blocks of modern electronics. But If you want to go up another level from op-amps the HDAM modules are the way to go.
I have nothing against op-amps. They are the building blocks of modern electronics. But If you want to go up another level from op-amps the HDAM modules are the way to go.
Personally I would not worry about such things. Every time I have done something like locate a component near to an AC line or digital line, I have listened expecting the worst and have never heard any of the negative stuff that is expected from doing such "wrongs"
Thanks Erin.
There is also an alternative to audio dg, the newClassd opamps , They're made with smd parts, I don't know the height of their boards though. But it looks like it still won't fit inside .
NewClassD Discrete OPAMPs
There is also an alternative to audio dg, the newClassd opamps , They're made with smd parts, I don't know the height of their boards though. But it looks like it still won't fit inside .
NewClassD Discrete OPAMPs
Thanks for the link. Looks interesting. Bit more expensive than audio GD.
SMD has advantages and disadvantages. It would be really good to see a shoot out between Burson, Audio GD and NewClassD discreet op-amps.
SMD has advantages and disadvantages. It would be really good to see a shoot out between Burson, Audio GD and NewClassD discreet op-amps.
I would also not use them in mission critical apps like regulators. they are a little prone to offset drift and are definitely not a drop in replacement for every opamp. for line level signal apps they can sound quite good, but if distortion specs and input offset worry you, then discrete opamps probably are not for you
Apparently you can zero the output DC offset when using a Burson module
Please clarify what you mean when you comment on the distortion specs?
HDAM modules give so much extra detail and micro detail and realistic tone and improved soundstage when I have heard them for me to believe that the distortion must be very very low. Certainly low enough to be insignificant considering the sonic gains.
Please clarify what you mean when you comment on the distortion specs?
HDAM modules give so much extra detail and micro detail and realistic tone and improved soundstage when I have heard them for me to believe that the distortion must be very very low. Certainly low enough to be insignificant considering the sonic gains.
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yes you can, but only with a fairly rudimentary resistive pot, which is used to feedback some of the DC into the inverting input to zero the offset, this pot will at best have 10% tolerance and not the greatest stability over temperature, so you will get what is called offset drift as the device heats up and with the seasons.
pretty straight forward, regardless of what you hear, the distortion is orders of magnitude worse than even a cheap generic opamp like OPA134, as we all know this doesnt always translate directly to sounding bad, but if you think the bursons or other discrete opamps measure anywhere near an IC you are mistaken, distortion is still quite low dont get me wrong, but its not lower than what you changed from.
the devices in an IC are laser trimmed and all exist on the same die, complementary devices are matched and if they drift they will drift together, none of this happens in a discrete opamp (there may be one I havent tried that does), especially as the burson differential input pair are not bonded together (I dont know why, they are right next to each other, so would make a good mod, silver epoxy anyone?) so there will be distortion caused there too.
they do sound good, no doubt about it, I dont like the audgd ones at all (although I havent heard them all), but the bursons are nice. I wouldnt use them in a power supply though and you will need a buffer if you want to drive headphones, but thats cool.
on a shear numbers game they are most definitely losers
pretty straight forward, regardless of what you hear, the distortion is orders of magnitude worse than even a cheap generic opamp like OPA134, as we all know this doesnt always translate directly to sounding bad, but if you think the bursons or other discrete opamps measure anywhere near an IC you are mistaken, distortion is still quite low dont get me wrong, but its not lower than what you changed from.
the devices in an IC are laser trimmed and all exist on the same die, complementary devices are matched and if they drift they will drift together, none of this happens in a discrete opamp (there may be one I havent tried that does), especially as the burson differential input pair are not bonded together (I dont know why, they are right next to each other, so would make a good mod, silver epoxy anyone?) so there will be distortion caused there too.
they do sound good, no doubt about it, I dont like the audgd ones at all (although I havent heard them all), but the bursons are nice. I wouldnt use them in a power supply though and you will need a buffer if you want to drive headphones, but thats cool.
on a shear numbers game they are most definitely losers
I am well aware of this, and for all these reasons avoided these like the plague - and have argued the same as you in favour of op-amps.
Then I actually heard HDAM modules (burson) and (raindrop-hui) and they kill op-amps so badly in sound quality, as for me to not even bother worrying about specs.
But take it or leave it. It doesnt matter to me what anyone else chooses to use.😎
well aware of it?? then why did you need me to clarify? I have better things to do than explain things to people who already know everything......
its really a matter of horses for courses. I have 8 x burson modules, 2 are in use and I enjoy them here (in a PCM1794A based dac line stage), but the rest have been replaced again with ICs; instrumentation opamps to be exact in IV for other current mode dacs and here they are IMO a much better choice. if I wish to build a discrete stage, I will build it rather than slotting in an OPAMP replacement. a good example is opc's version of the D1 class A mosfet IV and ackos upcoming JFET IV, great discrete designs that sound better than any opamp discrete or not. the good thing about discrete designs for me is the ability to tweak the design, not possible with any of these modules
its really a matter of horses for courses. I have 8 x burson modules, 2 are in use and I enjoy them here (in a PCM1794A based dac line stage), but the rest have been replaced again with ICs; instrumentation opamps to be exact in IV for other current mode dacs and here they are IMO a much better choice. if I wish to build a discrete stage, I will build it rather than slotting in an OPAMP replacement. a good example is opc's version of the D1 class A mosfet IV and ackos upcoming JFET IV, great discrete designs that sound better than any opamp discrete or not. the good thing about discrete designs for me is the ability to tweak the design, not possible with any of these modules
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To clarify why I asked you to clarify....
Here you say distortion is orders of magnitude worse
And here you say the distortion is not lower than an op-amp. Not higher either?
Well which is it. Considerably worse distortion, or approximately equivalent distortion?
If the distortion is about the same, then the subjective sound quality is what counts. Which you would agree with anyway.
The part about op-amp dies etc was what I already know..
Here you say distortion is orders of magnitude worse
And here you say the distortion is not lower than an op-amp. Not higher either?
Well which is it. Considerably worse distortion, or approximately equivalent distortion?
If the distortion is about the same, then the subjective sound quality is what counts. Which you would agree with anyway.
The part about op-amp dies etc was what I already know..
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I'm well aware that was directed at me.
Chill out mate! I never said I know everything.
I did not have a personal quip at you.
Settle down would you please.
The aggressive tone is not required here.
I agree with Erin it is not a place to try and show how smart you think are and brag how you can design I/V stages and the likes it is also not a p***ing contest here so please leave your ego at the door people want to exchange ideas and knowledge and all I have seen from quite a few of your posts is you trying to cut people down. He has actually heard the Op-Amps he has recommended as I have been the person to loan him these items and you can clearly hear the differences between an IC and Discrete Op-Amp's and it is my opinion also that Discrete Op-Amp's win hands down .
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