Hi people,
Perhaps this is my OCD reassurance seeking but... I'm wondering people's thoughts on two things...
1. IC sockets - good or bad? I have heard that IC sockets increase parasitic weirdness and other such unpleasant side effects (not that I can say I have ever heard it my self). But... hot solder can damage ICs. Is there a consensus as to which is better - direct solder on the IC (be quick) or socket?
2. In an active summing stage (into the inverting input of the opamp) the output from that opamp results in inverted polarity. Should I run it through a second a DOA (inverting input) to flip it (about $20 with a DIY opamp) or use an output transformer to flip it (similarly about $20ish from Classicapi.com). Or, I guess... a cheaper IC at unity gain. I gather it matters a little bit if the output is going outside of the unit to another unity. The transformer there acts as a balancing stage. But if the signal needs to remain unbalanced which is best?
THanks.
CC
Perhaps this is my OCD reassurance seeking but... I'm wondering people's thoughts on two things...
1. IC sockets - good or bad? I have heard that IC sockets increase parasitic weirdness and other such unpleasant side effects (not that I can say I have ever heard it my self). But... hot solder can damage ICs. Is there a consensus as to which is better - direct solder on the IC (be quick) or socket?
2. In an active summing stage (into the inverting input of the opamp) the output from that opamp results in inverted polarity. Should I run it through a second a DOA (inverting input) to flip it (about $20 with a DIY opamp) or use an output transformer to flip it (similarly about $20ish from Classicapi.com). Or, I guess... a cheaper IC at unity gain. I gather it matters a little bit if the output is going outside of the unit to another unity. The transformer there acts as a balancing stage. But if the signal needs to remain unbalanced which is best?
THanks.
CC