VacuumVoodoo
Well-known member
As the topic title says, at Fairchild:
http://www.fairchildsemi.com/pf/KA/KA5532.html
thought you might like to know
http://www.fairchildsemi.com/pf/KA/KA5532.html
thought you might like to know
5532 opamp in full production
- Thread starter VacuumVoodoo
- Start date
Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:
Yes, and?
It's also in full production here: http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/ne5532a.html
And probably elsewhere also. But everyone here seems to agree that any non-Philips 5532/5534 is crap...
Best regards,
Mikkel C. Simonsen
It's also in full production here: http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/ne5532a.html
And probably elsewhere also. But everyone here seems to agree that any non-Philips 5532/5534 is crap...
Best regards,
Mikkel C. Simonsen
Flatpicker
Well-known member
[quote author="mcs"]But everyone here seems to agree that any non-Philips 5532/5534 is crap...[/quote]Are you sure about that? In another thread (around here somewhere) this subject came up, and if I remember correctly, the overall opinion of the TI version was good. Even Dan Kennedy seemed to like it.
Category 5
Well-known member
Most stuff I have looked inside contained the TI chip, including the AMEK and the Focusrite. The Presonus MP20 has the Phillips, and while I like all 3 pres the Focusrite is the king of tha group.
Doesn't the Sytek use the TI 5532 also?
I read somewhere that Phillips was the best too, but what is that based on? ...subjective sound quality opinions, or specifications?
Shane
Doesn't the Sytek use the TI 5532 also?
I read somewhere that Phillips was the best too, but what is that based on? ...subjective sound quality opinions, or specifications?
Shane
StephenGiles
Well-known member
I would think that one of the reasons for manufacturers using any opamp in production runs is VOLUME DISCOUNT! Bottom line profit has a lot to do with it I think, not whether one performs better than another.
Stephen
Stephen
VacuumVoodoo
Well-known member
One must make a distinction between a "second source" and "alternative source" for any component. Second source is a contracted manufacturer who gets access to original technology and original masks to be used in the fabrication of the chips, alternative source is a manufacturer who designs his version of the original circuit and claims to offer same performance. The internal ciruit can differ from the original in many respects, very often the circuit is simplified and some features changed or omitted in order to save real estate on the wafer and shorten/simplify test procedures to be able to cut the price.
So, when comparing different makes of a specific opamp or any other IC look at the datasheets for naked die version and compare drawings of the top layer mask. You will then know if you have a true second source or an imitation. The perceived differences in sound may well to be found there.
Having said this i would like to point your attention to an unfortunately obsolete ex Harris Semiconductor opamp 5101/2/4 and (single, dual & quad) which was made using the dielectric isolation process (THAT is using this same process today). This process is unique in that there are no parasitic PN junctions and allows true "discrete on a chip" fully complementary design. It was a really exellent audio amp but we (yes, i worked for Harris) never used any of the "audiophile" arguments in marketing this product. And AFAIK none of the other IC amnufacturers ever did.
The datasheets are still available on Intersil's website (they are what's left of Harris), both uncompensated and internally compensated version is worth a study. The internal circuit diagram of this opamp could be used as a blueprint for a discrete DIY design. I still have a bunch of these for special projects...
So, when comparing different makes of a specific opamp or any other IC look at the datasheets for naked die version and compare drawings of the top layer mask. You will then know if you have a true second source or an imitation. The perceived differences in sound may well to be found there.
Having said this i would like to point your attention to an unfortunately obsolete ex Harris Semiconductor opamp 5101/2/4 and (single, dual & quad) which was made using the dielectric isolation process (THAT is using this same process today). This process is unique in that there are no parasitic PN junctions and allows true "discrete on a chip" fully complementary design. It was a really exellent audio amp but we (yes, i worked for Harris) never used any of the "audiophile" arguments in marketing this product. And AFAIK none of the other IC amnufacturers ever did.
The datasheets are still available on Intersil's website (they are what's left of Harris), both uncompensated and internally compensated version is worth a study. The internal circuit diagram of this opamp could be used as a blueprint for a discrete DIY design. I still have a bunch of these for special projects...
Flatpicker
Well-known member
Good info Alex. I'll to download the datasheets and have a look.
Just my quick input here....
choice of devices like the NE5532 are not just down to price... believe me... listening tests are done to see which sounds better in the unit.
The difference in price between various 5532's is probably negligable.
The only swaying factor that I haven't heard from anyone yet is the 3rd party assembly arguement... where the majority of 3rd party board stuffing houses will happily replace Standard Linear and logic parts with whatever they have in stock (i.e. replace TI NE5532's with whatever they have in stock)
Believe me, there is nothing more annoying that spending time working with a customer to design in as much as possible (even down to opamps and logic) then finding out a few months later that the most of it was replaced by the frikken subcontractor....
</vent finished>
Cheers
R
choice of devices like the NE5532 are not just down to price... believe me... listening tests are done to see which sounds better in the unit.
The difference in price between various 5532's is probably negligable.
The only swaying factor that I haven't heard from anyone yet is the 3rd party assembly arguement... where the majority of 3rd party board stuffing houses will happily replace Standard Linear and logic parts with whatever they have in stock (i.e. replace TI NE5532's with whatever they have in stock)
Believe me, there is nothing more annoying that spending time working with a customer to design in as much as possible (even down to opamps and logic) then finding out a few months later that the most of it was replaced by the frikken subcontractor....
</vent finished>
Cheers
R
Category 5
Well-known member
So just how much better are the Phillips chips than the TI 5534s? I had Phillips in my MP20 and replaced them with Analog Devices AD797. I like those much better. I also liked the OPA627 Burr Browns better too, but settled on the AD797.
Can I replace the 5534/5532 with OPA627/OPA2604 (respectively) in most circuits? for instance, the AMEK 9098 has TI 5532/5534 chips. an I replace those with the Burr Browns or will I get oscillation and other problems. How about switching the for Phillips chips? DO you think I'll percieve an increase in sound quality? The AMEK isn't all that exciting to me right now, although it does seem to be pretty clean.
Shane
Can I replace the 5534/5532 with OPA627/OPA2604 (respectively) in most circuits? for instance, the AMEK 9098 has TI 5532/5534 chips. an I replace those with the Burr Browns or will I get oscillation and other problems. How about switching the for Phillips chips? DO you think I'll percieve an increase in sound quality? The AMEK isn't all that exciting to me right now, although it does seem to be pretty clean.
Shane
You can replace any 5534 with another 5534 - otherwise the replacements wouldn't be 5534s...
The OPA604/2604 should be quite safe too, as it's an audio op. amp. But always check using a scope, and read the datasheets! The OPA627 could cause problems. As far as I remember it's not an audio op. amp., but made for something that needs "faster" amps. So that will be more likely to cause problems. But if the original board has good power supply decoupling and a good layout it should work. But don't just replace all the op. amps. at once...
Best regards,
Mikkel C. Simonsen
The OPA604/2604 should be quite safe too, as it's an audio op. amp. But always check using a scope, and read the datasheets! The OPA627 could cause problems. As far as I remember it's not an audio op. amp., but made for something that needs "faster" amps. So that will be more likely to cause problems. But if the original board has good power supply decoupling and a good layout it should work. But don't just replace all the op. amps. at once...
Best regards,
Mikkel C. Simonsen
Svart
Well-known member
I prefer the Signetics versions over most others however, my console also has TI parts and Phillips parts too which both sound good to me also. Most of what I track is rock-ish music so there isn't a big need for pure/perfect sound but i do have a few channel strips outfitted with nothing but good caps/resistors/op-amps for very clean tracks.
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