What's going on with LM3886 availability?

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#2
LM3886 were made in the Greenock fab in Scotland, which TI sold a couple of years back and were moving manufacturing to another site. They dumped a lot of the analogue range made there. Guessing this move along with general supply shortages has made it tricky to make enough. see https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/lm3886-availability.376520/ for some history. Would appear at least one member has a limited stock they would sell a few of.
 
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#8
donovas said:
All the major vendors have listed lm3886 as nonstocked and their prices have almost doubled. Yet nothing like that indicated on the texas instrument page.

Anybody have details on whats going on?
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I'd been watching the TI store like a cat watching a mouse hole. For several months, ~February thru April, they were showing LM3886TF as more being expected the following week; they kept pushing it back from week to week and you didn't need to log in to see that. But now you have to log in just to see that they're out of stock, and no word on when more are expected.
 
#9
I think Bill is over-complicating the story. I expect that the LM3886's transfer from the Greenock fab to the new fab is over and done with. I think we're seeing here just another evidence of the 'semiconductor shortage'. Lately I can't find anything, whether LM3886 or normal op-amps or voltage regulators from TI or any of the leading semiconductor companies. EnjoyTheMusic.com had an interesting article a few days ago. The bottom line is that efforts to build more semiconductor fab capacity is hampered by long lead times on the equipment ('tools') needed to equip the fabs, and that is hampered by long lead times on the various materials and components needed to build the tools.

The news media keeps projecting 'improvements in the second half of 2022' but my daily experience at work (electronics) and at home (audio hobby projects, not to mention groceries, hardware store,...) says differently.
 
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#10
Another thing is that the volumes may be low, as the assembled amp (factory made) market has shifted to Class D.
Now the users of amps above 20W/channel may not need the quality offered by the 3886.
So it is a commercial decision also, there may not be enough orders to justify a production run.
Don't hold your breath, shift to a different device which you can buy now, and in the future.

As for the tools, those would have gone to the new fab.
Materials, yes, may be an issue.
 
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#15
BrianL said:
I think Bill is over-complicating the story. I expect that the LM3886's transfer from the Greenock fab to the new fab is over and done with. I think we're seeing here just another evidence of the 'semiconductor shortage'. Lately I can't find anything, whether LM3886 or normal op-amps or voltage regulators from TI or any of the leading semiconductor companies. EnjoyTheMusic.com had an interesting article a few days ago. The bottom line is that efforts to build more semiconductor fab capacity is hampered by long lead times on the equipment ('tools') needed to equip the fabs, and that is hampered by long lead times on the various materials and components needed to build the tools.

The news media keeps projecting 'improvements in the second half of 2022' but my daily experience at work (electronics) and at home (audio hobby projects, not to mention groceries, hardware store,...) says differently.
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That doesnt seem likely. The minerals responsible for semiconductor shortages are not the same materials that are used in making the tools. If whats happening around me among small time manufacturers are any indication i would guess that the chip makers are using the excuse of semiconductor shortages to drive up the prices and unload their warehouse stocks at a massive profit.

Lm3886 is a classic product thats probably become a staple component in countless commercial designs. I can see the buyers having no choice but to submit to the price hike. And why change the design if the price is hinted to come down next week, or the next week? We'll keep paying the premium until it does.

In short the big corporation wins, as usual 😆
 
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#17
Too bad there weren't a large group of well capitalized speculators participating in the worldwide trading of LM3886 ICs with factory traceability. "Large specs" (as they're called in commodity futures markets) could have smoothed out some of the uncomfortable peaks and valleys in the price-versus-time roller coaster ride. Maybe they're paying attention now and thinking of entering well before "next time" . . . . ?
 
#18
The 3886 has been succeeded by Class D products, and TI wants a 500K - or whatever - MOQ, which has not been achieved.

So they use the same wafers for products more in demand.

And if there is sufficient demand, the good fakes will start from China, they make the 2030 / 2050 / 1875 anyway, so I don't think there is much change from that metallurgy to make 3886 copies.

Or similar, easier to use chips, the 3886 can be cranky?
Have not checked for those either...
 
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