Kenwood KA-4006 upgraded with Burson V4 Opamp

[dotneck335]

On “What is wrong with opamps?” thread, in response to 90125 Mike’s posting about opamps:
From billshurv: “Wow I haven't seen so much FUD and stupid in a single paragraph since before I put the offender on my ignore list! Do people seriously believe that sort of stuff?”
From Scott Wurcer : “Just repeating Burson's drivel. As if discrete transistors are not made on the same dirty silicon?”

 

[jwilhelm]

So why then primitive tube amps do sound best whereas there's a plenty of amazing mega-complex microchips?

This statement depends on what you refer to as sounding best. If you want to reproduce a recording exactly as it was made, old tube amps aren't anywhere close to best.

 

[xrk971]

Nobody paid. Moreover, I have no connection with any of op-amp manufacturers, whether it be Sparko's, Burson or DEXA or anything else. Just bought one day a couple of descrete op-amps and made a little upgrade project. That's it.
And if without insults - what is wrong? Do you mean IC's are better for sound than high quality discrete components? Correct me please if I'm wrong.

Technically, the IC op amp (or IC power amp) seems to have the ability to have immeasurably low levels of distortion, and performance typically can be much better than a discrete implementation. This has to do with ability to control everything to the minute detail on an IC. IC's lose out on current carrying ability so bass will not be as snappy or deep. But for low THD, it's tough to beat for example, the modulus 86 amp - based on the lowly LM3886 IC power amp.

Modulus-86 Rev. 2.0: Composite amplifier achieving 0.000067 % THD.

Just look at the measured specs:

Key features of the Modulus-86 Rev. 2.0:

• Vanishingly low 0.000067 % THD (1 W, 8 Ω, 1 kHz).
• Ultra-low 0.00012 % THD (38 W, 8 Ω, 1 kHz).
• Ultra-low 0.00034 % THD+N (38 W, 8 Ω, 1 kHz).
• 40+ W output power (8 Ω) when using the Power-86 and recommended transformer.
• Ideally suited for multi-channel amplification.
• Differential input with nearly 90 dB CMRR eliminates hum and ground loop issues.
• Phenomenal power supply rejection ensuring consistent, high performance even with unregulated power supplies.
• Ultra-low -120 dB inter-channel crosstalk greatly simplifies the power supply requirements.

I prefer the sound of discrete amps for bass impact, and for the fact that I can make it from scratch piece by piece as a fun hobby. But I would never put my amp up against a low THD show-down with tomchr's mod86. That's just crusing for a brusing. 🙂