Opa1656 and opa1612 without tweaking have better performance than almost any discrete solution. Dual customzied solution will give unmeasurable distortion (possibly -180db).
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Test performance of AOP Burson/SPARKOS/SONIC994/1612, .....
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Veri
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Dual customized means what?
Composite of both individual opamps in opa1656 or opa1622. Extra 20-40db open loop gain. There is some paper have measured different configuration that has less than -180db distortion measured(noise floor).https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b96c/62efa54d464b7fbb7c5bf61906e3cbb9b830.pdfDual customized means what?
ReAlien
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Taking into account cheapness of these opamps I would like to test them before going for discrete, could you reply to the following?
1. Did you personally compare the sound of V6s/SS3602 to OPA1612/1656 in any audio gear?
2. Are OPA1612/1656 better (as per specs or on listening tests) than OPA627 I have now?
3. Are OPA1612/1656 directly compatible with dual OPA627s I have in my DAC (like these https://www.mav-audio.com/base/archives/643 )?
4. What are your thoughts on OPA1622 vs OPA1612?
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Sorry I can't compare the sound of these opamps. For several reasons: Firstly I don't think that would be difference in sound quality. Even when it would it is really small and you can't say which is better.
The main reason I can't perform the test is because the current setups of mine are all soic8 package. I may compare opa1612 and opa1656 but can't do burson v6(which I have) and sparkos(which I don't have).
I did sever tests during past months. The results aren't consistent. So don't take it too seriously.
The first time I did test with opa1642 opa2156(precision opamp version of opa1656) opa1612. Both fet based opamps sounds a little bit more solid in the bass(not quantity but the imaging and the texture). Opa1642 sounds a bit smoother and silky at top end but a little bit fat in the mids. Opa2156 sounds a little more "detailed" and a little "grainy" in comparison. Opa1612 is generally slightly light weighted but very balanced otherwise. Smooth and natural. But just the bass sounds a bit far away in comparison. And opa1642 has a bit better soundstage I don't know why.
The second time I did test with opa1656 and opa1612. I can't really hear difference this time. Probably the circuit is better than the first one or something went wrong or I was just imaging all of those. I can't say for sure. The opa1656 this time is smoother than the opa2156 in previous test and opa1612 has better bass than previous.
The third time I added in njm4585 very cheap but pretty good opamp in the comparison. There is basically no difference between njm4585 opa1612 and opa1656. If I'd imagine, the njm4585 is a tiny little sticky sounding in the highs and less clean. And opa1656 and opa1612 doesn't sound any different.
Well, if I was imaging all those above, then i was. If If I wasn't imaging all of those, the possible change is the circuit layout and the final performance, including crosstalk, distortion, PS noise etc. A good peripheral design is crucial. The opamp itself is only part of the equation. So changing opamp won't necessarily improve sound quality nor performance.
Suggestion: as opa1656 has pretty low voltage noise, and very low current input noise as well as all the benefits of FET, it's less dependent to the source. And the high output current capacity makes it suitable for much more applications. So I suggest just getting opa1656 and enjoy music. Otherwise I think a overall better design complete equipment would be a better choice.
Side note: opa1622, my experiences with opa1622 wasn't all happy. The stability is hard to achieve on my end because the pole zero compensation technique utilized. Itself is more stable than without the compensation but it is much more limited for further improvement with supporting circuit. It's an ok drop in opamp for most applications: low noise low distortion, high output current, low output impedance. But I think I prefer opa1656 for the most part.
ReAlien
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Composite means like two chips on one board? Like the duals OPA627 that I have?
ReAlien
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It sounds like you were not able to hear the difference with 1612/1656. But I do hear the difference between OPA627 and V6 Vivid. And it is huge, I hear much more details and nuances with a discrete solution in my favorite music. What is wrong with me?)
EDIT: WRONG WEBSITE THIS WAS COPIED FROM IDK WHEREhttps://www.mav-audio.com/base/archives/643 Something like this. Two opamps to perform as a better single amplifier. It's not necessarily new or old. Just not very often seen on the market, or not seen as necessary for most applications.
THE NEW PAGE IS https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b96c/62efa54d464b7fbb7c5bf61906e3cbb9b830.pdf
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ReAlien
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In this case you probably need to train a little bit better for critical listening. You have to switch off as much as possible of the processing in the brain when doing comparison. Often time the "name" of the device, the physical size of the device, the color of the device etc can affect the perceived sound quality. It's better if you get a friend to help you to perform a blind test. And see if you can still hear "huge" difference. Or probably just a hair of difference. It's also good if you can get it measured which I do measure my stuff but not really accessible for most people.
Sorry no. These are not available as separate opamps for sale. It's often only used in a fixed circuit.
ReAlien
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Hold on, I'm not speaking about blind tests, I say that after switching to V6s I hear new stuff in my favorite records. I do not imagine that as I do not intend to do that, I do that during my work, listening to music in the background — when some detail distracts me, and I like, wow, what a new sound I have now! And you just basically say that I am imagining this because of Burson name?
solderdude
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Have you built something like this and did you get to 0% distortion as the article appears to show.
How does it perform under load ?
This would be a hell of a lot cheaper than THX circuits.
If only it were true any pre-amp could be built by just adding an opamp and compensation.
Hoping to see the first practical applications ... Oh wait... this article is from may 2017 and no practical circuits that exceed Amir's AP.
ReAlien
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You mean that I cannot replace
this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/OPA627AU-D...681188?hash=item285cdd07e4:g:XKkAAOSwmNlbpfkT
with
this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1PCS-TI-OP...477198&hash=item33f070945c:g:Y1QAAOSwWCFbuJDk
?
solderdude
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I get that more often, likewise in movies after watching it more than once.
Don't think this is Burson or any other chip related.
solderdude
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I don't see why not.
There are two things here:
Firstly THX circuit is just off-the-shelf parts + engineer mind. Thx 888 is just opa1612+opa564 in feedback + some compensation techniques that are called feedforward technology where it's actually mainly feedback doing the work.
Secondly, the topology has been done already. That depends on your load/test conditions, neurochome favors this topology modulus series, HP-1 are basically this topology and I believe the new HPA-1 is also off the same root. Often the test condition is with loads. If you remember the hp-1 measurements there was essentially no distortion harmonics visible. On top of that I have designed headphone amplifiers (like I never said before) that has very low distortion -127dB 8ohm, running off battery possible. It's just that I'm more interested in performance with load than ultra low number without a load. 32 ohm it's -136dB(at least I can measure).
I mean as they are both dual opamp. It's mostly fine to do that. It's just that those aren't the composite amplifiers I was talking about.
ReAlien
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Well, If I listened to tracks for half a year on a regular basis and only after switching to V6 I started to hear new things it means something, right?)
ReAlien
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What is a composite amplifier then? Can you give an example from the web?
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