What do 4558's sound like?

[Sleeper]

I recall reading here (or at the old TT forum maybe) that the signetics ere the best of the lot. I think the story came from ssltech, so it's not rumor, but it does have my memory factored in which ain't that great :wink:

said that a certain series of ssl boards were made some with signetics 5532's and later with post-signetic 5532s. some clients said the newer ones didn't sound right and modules were returned to the factory. Signetics were placed in them and they went back to clients who thought they sounded fixed...

that's the story.
I got a tube full of signetics from a chip dealer and I like em alot.
You can still get them surplus if your willing to buy the lot size that is available.
try FindChips.com

kelly

 

[StephenGiles]

Emperor's new clothes!!!

 

[Sleeper]

Maybe so Stephen, just passing along info and surely it's sourced with a respectable amount of caveats.
This isn't really a 150 dollar interconnect kind of issue.
I had to buy more than just a couple 5532's
So I bought a surplus tube of signetics and paid less than I would have if had I bought them new from digikey mouser etc. Like I said, I'm happy with em, they sound great I got no issues.

Just a thought....

I know for a fact that I've never bought an NTE transistor that sounded acceptable next to ANY other brand. NTE loses every time. Do you know of any commercial products that don't exhibit differences in quality or attention to detail from brand to brand. Don't forget, these companies are managed by humans, some more greedy, some more attentive than others.
Don't you think there might be some variance in op-amp quality brand to brand?

I'm with you when you say don't go nuts on the thing, I think the test jig is a bit over the top unless you might be designing some commercial product... Maybe socket your chips, use what you have, and go record some music would be really good advice. if you hear a difference you like, go with it.

By even being here and admitting to DIYing stuff you've already more or less gone into the nut bin.


Kelly