Op Amp Rolling

[Cbdb2]

I admit my perception changes all the time. I have been going back and forth between the Sparkos SS3602 and MUSE02 op-amps in my Fosi P4's in both my systems and I prefer the warmer sound of the MUSE02 (today.)

But I think it is a silkier, warmer sound that has a specialness to it that the Sparkos doesn't have. There is a little bit less dynamics (slightly compressed sound) and detail is presented in more diffuse way.

Sorry for being subjective. Here's a more technical explanation of the specifications of the op-amp. Note the low crosstalk and high bandwidth.

The NE5534 40 year old op amp beats many of the specs of that muse, and the rest are very close, like distortion, or make no difference, like slew rate. Muse is .001% distortion 5534 is .002% thats nothing.
Crosstalk?? If thats your worry use singe OA chips. The rest of the circuit is where your L R crosstalk happens. And the GBW of the 5534 is the same as the muse.

So absolutely nothing special.

 

[Schlippwhip68]

What the MUSE02 does for music is exquisite! I tried the Sparkos again and found that it has a bright edge and bass boom, while the MUSE02 has an incredible musicality to it. The sound is smooth and silky!

Agreed. The Muses 02 is worth every penny. If you are on a tight budget the Muses 8820 comes very close.

How you have described them is true to identity. I also perceived a punchier, better controlled bass, a very dark background allowing much more accuracy to decay and reverb, which may not linger as long as the Muses 01 may allow but it’s just cleaner and again perceivably more precise. The timing (leading edges of notes) is excellent with this chip from JRC. The differences were immediately noticed once rolled straight after a pair of Philips NE5532’s in the Aiyima A70 and Douk Audio A5. I liked the Philips op amp but the Muses 02 exposed their ‘crunchy’ sound in comparison.

More complicated musical arrangements are conveyed with a clean accuracy with the Muses 02, which is also delivered with a degree of warmth and balance that is an welcome find in the small class d bracket and admittedly very hard to resist. The Muses 02 offers an immersive invitation to the music with textured layering that imo even supersedes the SX52B op amp which can sound a touch 2D by comparison, the Muses 02 simply allows a better depth, tight instrument separation while retaining a very cordial musical and or cohesive knitting together of the music. There is nothing jankey, spiked or misplaced with this chip, good stereo imaging and a very focused centre image too.

I will be leaving the Muses 02 in my Aiyima A20 but remain undecided at the moment what I am going to settle on with the T20 as a tube change maybe done further down the line but presently there are a few options to consider here. Great time for poor-ish people in Audio.

 

[Cbdb2]

Agreed. The Muses 02 is worth every penny. If you are on a tight budget the Muses 8820 comes very close.

How you have described them is true to identity. I also perceived a punchier bass, a very dark background allowing much more accuracy to decay and reverb, which may not linger as long as the Muses 01 may allow but it’s just cleaner and again perceivably more precise. The timing (leading edges of notes) is excellent with this chip from JRC. The differences were immediately noticed once rolled straight after a pair of Philips NE5532’s in the Aiyima A70 and Douk Audio A5. I like the accuracy of the Muses 02, which is is delivered with a degree of warmth and balance that is welcome to find in the small class d bracket. I also think they have an more immersive invitation to the music with textured layering that imo supersedes the SX52B which can sound a touch 2D in comparison.

ABX or delusion?

 

[Schlippwhip68]

ABX or delusion?

Alive.

 

[LTig]

Agreed. The Muses 02 is worth every penny. If you are on a tight budget the Muses 8820 comes very close.

How you have described them is true to identity. I also perceived a punchier, better controlled bass, a very dark background allowing much more accuracy to decay and reverb, which may not linger as long as the Muses 01 may allow but it’s just cleaner and again perceivably more precise. The timing (leading edges of notes) is excellent with this chip from JRC. The differences were immediately noticed once rolled straight after a pair of Philips NE5532’s in the Aiyima A70 and Douk Audio A5. I liked the Philips op amp but the Muses 02 exposed their ‘crunchy’ sound in comparison.

More complicated musical arrangements are conveyed with a clean accuracy with the Muses 02, which is also delivered with a degree of warmth and balance that is an welcome find in the small class d bracket and admittedly very hard to resist. The Muses 02 offers an immersive invitation to the music with textured layering that imo even supersedes the SX52B op amp which can sound a touch 2D by comparison, the Muses 02 simply allows a better depth, tight instrument separation while retaining a very cordial musical and or cohesive knitting together of the music. There is nothing jankey, spiked or misplaced with this chip, good stereo imaging and a very focused centre image too.

Uh huh.