New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - A Replacement For The Op-Amp
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Welcome to the Graham Slee Audio Products Owners Forum

 

Open to all owners plus those contemplating the purchase of a Graham Slee HiFi System Components audio product and wishing to use this forum's loaner program: join here (Rules on posting can be found here)

This website along with trade marks Graham Slee and HiFi System Components are owned by Cadman Enterprises Ltd


A Replacement For The Op-Amp

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
RichW View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 21 Jan 2013
Location: UK
Status: Offline
Points: 1471
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RichW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 2017 at 12:53pm
Interesting topic.
Surface mount component technology has all but taken over the electronics manufacturing
industry with some very small components now around. It must be a headache & a worry to
rely on the continued availability of traditional through-hole ICs.

Majestic/Enigma, Accession MM & MC.
Back to Top
Graham Slee View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Retired

Joined: 11 Jan 2008
Location: South Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 16298
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Oct 2017 at 10:16am
Since changes in electronic component manufacturing techniques started happening circa 2004 because of RoHS I became aware of a change in sound quality when using operational amplifiers in existing products as well as new designs. I initially put this down to the change in chemistry of the interconnections within them, but over the years I have not been able to prove this. Therefore there had to be an alternative explanation. I am now pretty sure it was due to the shrinking of chip size, in particular the use of (sub)miniaturised chips developed for surface mount in leaded (DIP) packages. It tends to make financial sense. I am also pretty sure some of the older DIP op-amps which were inherently RoHS compliant continued unchanged in manufacture but many are now heading for discontinuation in favour of their shrunken counterparts. The shrink alternatives exhibit a rather coarse sound signature, so for the benefit of our hearing I think it time to explore the alternatives to operational amplifiers, which means taking a discrete approach. One of the big problems here is the number of transistors that have been lost to progress, but there is still a healthy supply of some types where transistors must be used, such as in power amplifiers, and also in developing world products.

This topic is about my search for a suitable alternative and how that alternative might change how audio designs are configured, hopefully for the better.
That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.078 seconds.