Opa1612 vs sparkos sound quality forum. Jul 5, 2006 · IIUC the folks at Sparkos designed the board for Allo or they collaborated on it. • audio·phile: a person with love for, affinity towards or obsession with high-quality playback of sound and music. Burson has nailed it this time with the V5i. The pricing for these options range from $0 for the OPA1656 to $79 per opamp for the Sparkos. Whether you're a seasoned tube aficionado, or just beginning your journey into the world of high-fidelity vacuum tube sound, the Gemini is the ultimate tube headphone amplifier platform for exploring, experiencing, and customizing your very own vacuum tube-based audio experience. WOW! I hate Sabre DAC sound, tried many and they all upset me with their high end and slightly V shaped sound. who builds large PA speaker systems. com/blogs/news/opa2156-hifi-in-cmos. The high bias currents responsible for the high current noise will cause issues in many circuits with offsets too - pretty much every stage needs ac-coupling with that sort of bias. 3, Oct 18, 2019 · Swap them and replace them, because I prefer the Burson sound to the OPA1612. Jun 7, 2016 · Burson Audio is one of the handful audio manufacturers in the world who focus in bringing maximum transparency out of audio device with minimum or none flavor/coloration in sound quality. Sparkos was total disappointment. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. (NOTE: We once owned a recording studio together back in the late 1970's through the early 1980's. Meaning depth. 00-PAIR Sparkos SS2590 Pro Single Discrete OpAmp $ 119. It could sound pretty good, but one could get sound just as good from IC opamp designs. I paid $80 shipped for the thing, but it doesn't have any tube section. In comparison OPA1612 and OPA2134 also have a similar experience. You can say I love the HD6X0 series only with tube May 21, 2023 · The 5532’s sound congested, with a dry “mechanical” sound in which music doesn’t flow quite as well, and doesn’t sound as alive as it will with better op-amps. There is also an option to include sparkos or sonic imagery op amp, but does it really make such a big difference and justify the extra cost? My current setup is: B&W 702 s2 Cambridge Audio Azur840A Denafrips Aries II DAC RPI 4 Aug 18, 2016 · Sparko’s Labs SS3602 Dual Discrete Op Amp review Today I roll the LME49720ha metal cans with Sparko’s Labs SS3602 on my headphone amp. This device comes in a PRO 6 pin package. This was kindly sent to me near a year ago by Audiophonics. We also have socket pins for this device as well as adapters for both single and dual DIP8 applications. I'm not a fan of those stock opamps, they're far too recessed and bassy in the midrange, while the Burson has far more clarity and and is much more natural sounding. 15ppm, intermodulation way below that, 1. I swapped these for several different op amps including OPA1612, Burson V6 Vivid, and OPA627. This feature, in combination. Our primary goal is insightful discussion of home audio equipment, sources, music, and concepts. Simply remove the IC op amps from their sockets, install the discretes in their place, and then prepare yourself for audio bliss. Sound is more "color", and "massive". In terms of drivability, the sparkos offered the same output levels as the LM6172. SQ was about the same as other ESS-based dacs in that class. In my case compared to OPA1656, OPA1612, Muses 8820 and some other cheaper op-amps - V6 added more quality in every aspect: Bass became more pronounced, Vocals became more detailed and more Jun 20, 2023 · The original OPA1612, the Sonic Imagery 990 ENH and the Sparkos SS2590 (which are different to the other Sparkos people buy for this Fosi or Aiyima amps. V6 has distortion of -120db(according to my own measurement). Apr 22, 2024 · Sparkos Labs is a small US company that started out making dedicated audio component parts like high-quality audio op-amps. This is based on my experience with the V5i-D. Dec 25, 2019 · I was getting frustrated as I was reading lots of good thing about Purifi based amps. May 23, 2018 · The first time I did test with opa1642 opa2156 (precision opamp version of opa1656) opa1612. Many people in the thread mentioned switching out the opamps with a boutique number from Sparkos Labs or Burson Audio. ) He talked to me about OPA1611's versus OPA134's as well as the OPA1612's versus OPA2134's. I am currently using 2 purifi amps from March Audio ( 1 mono and 1 stereo). I can whole heartedly recommend the The table below details the superior performance of the Sparkos Labs discrete op amps to an array of audio grade monolithic IC op amps. Which of the two mentioned OP Amps (OPA1612 or OPA1656) is the better one, in a scientific point of view. Aug 23, 2020 · WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Something like that. I did not get paid for saying something good or bad. The lows were nicely rendered with a little bit of smoothness over the clinical sound from the LM6172. Jan 6, 2020 · Alas, I'm an idiot. Feb 11, 2021 · Even AD797 or OP627 cant hold a candle vs OPA1612 in terms of SQ - the difference is HUGE! My preamp sounds best with OPA1612 for gain and OPA2192 as buffer. I preferred the Sparkos for having the smoothest and most natural treble without loss of detail. I have quite a lot experience with op-amp rolling, and have settled for LM4562 for chips, Sparkos SS3602 for normal discrete and Sparkos SS2590 for Pro op-amps. You can feel the position of each instrument and musicians in front and behind the line of the speakers and this makes the listen experience more emotional Nov 30, 2021 · Stability should be considered especially with the wider bandwidth of the OPA1656. And this preamp sounds MUCH better than Audio Research, Burmester and Accuphase preamps costing above €10. Mar 22, 2022 · OPA1612 (soic on dil adapter board), bi-polar from input to output, again a very good opamp, which to me "sounds more balanced" top to bottom than the LME, it is just as dynamic, but just a little less obvious in the bass leading edge because the mid-range seems a little more fleshed out rich and full bodied, highs are just as good as the LME. Edit: US price Jan 10, 2016 · I talked yesterday to my buddy Greg B. The OPA827 for example has superior load drive,much lower distortion and miniscule DC offset. Unfortunately, it also comes at a hefty price and so fraudsters seem to have found it another moneyspinning target. Opa1642 sounds a bit smoother and silky at top end but a little bit fat in the mids. The OPA1612 is more neutral than the SS3602 but also more clinical. Jun 2, 2019 · Of course. Definitely recommended! Then I rolled in Sparkos SS3602 and the whole thing became more effortless and organic. I haven't had the opportunity to test v7 Feb 28, 2021 · The new breed of TI J-Fet opamps offer superior performance to that old soldier the OPA2134. The DAC I-Sabre ES9038Q2M cost 129 Euros from Audiophonics direct. Op amps do differ in their distortion profiles. Other than that, it seems almost identical to the Maverick Audio D1. For example, Aol for the OPA1656 with a 600 ohm load will have a linear output swing that is 1. Both fet based opamps sounds a little bit more solid in the bass (not quantity but the imaging and the texture). A comprehensive comparison between OPA1612 and OPA2156 (and other opamps) could be read here: https://quantasylum. With these upgrades, the Sparkos SS3602 op-amps undoubtedly exemplify a terrific enhancement in audio performance, making them a commendable choice for upgrades or sound customization. r/audiophile is a subreddit for the pursuit of quality audio reproduction of all forms, budgets, and sizes of speakers. Feb 1, 2024 · The sound is warm and full with nice low frequencies, for sure due to the neutral frequency response I saw on graphs available on some forums, and the soundstage is large and detailed. They make a huge improvement over an already outstanding opamp in the nu audio sound card. May 19, 2017 · maybe modern production 3886 are all above average? the designs seem to take the 'typical' GBW spec as the effective minimum My guesstimate puts the safe with production variation margin local closed loop gain corner as low as 100kHz for LM3886 with a greater than 4:1 range designing for stable extra loop gain from the nice input op amp really doesn't give much 20 kHz added safe composite loop Sep 29, 2023 · Additionally, their robust build quality ensures a hassle-free installation process, further affirming their worthiness as a valuable addition to any audio setup. Overview: All of Sparkos Labs discrete op amps are based on Lin 3 Stage topology consisting of an input stage differential pair, a gain (VAS) stage, and an output stage all biased in class A mode with two pole Dec 11, 2019 · For LCDs, IPS panels have great viewing angles but poor contrast and so-so response times, TN panels have poor color range (often using temporal dithering to simulate 8-bits per channel) and poor viewing angles but good response time, while VA panels have very good contrast ratios but compromise on the color gamut and viewing angles while being ok on response time. Jan 15, 2022 · So have to ask for the common wisdom of the forum and current owners. This is a present to myself, more or less, so I'll spend the money. Jul 1, 2018 · In my honest opinion V6 will be really great addition to any audio system, it uplifts sound quality in every aspect compared to other cheaper Op-Amps. Musical. Nov 21, 2019 · Not great current noise alas, probably unsuitable for MM phono amps as a result, but look decent performers otherwise. Bass is also fairly one-note and lacks a bit of impact, and each instrument sounds less distinct in the 5532’s congested stage than they do with better op-amps. Initial impression is very satisfactory, the background is dead quiet. PAIR OPA1612 Opamp in DIP8 adapter for VTV Amplifier Custom Buffer $ 48. Jun 7, 2016 · Sound Quality Disclaimer: 1. The xlr input and the trigger are two great additional features, as is the nice and efficient enclosure, however the mono is not true mono, and the 13 db of sinad lost is a bit disappointing, especially given a boost certainly not exceptional in power. their building quality and design are amazing. Low output current would mean the transimpedance gain of the I/V circuit will be high, and the input current noise of the op amp will be a significant contributor. I recently bought a few pieces of this amp from an otherwise reputable UK supplier. This made the vocals sound far more natural, eliminating the perception of sibilance and replacing it with a natural "presence" that was easy to hear as a cohesive part of the vocal sound rather than sounding like an "artifact". Standard opamp for that has pretty much become OPA1612. May 23, 2018 · Sparkos should perform better than v6. Jan 15, 2022 · I bought the VTV buffers with Sparkos SS3602 op amps. Jan 1, 2019 · Their new Pure Multichannel amplifier is just beautiful! From 7 up to 12 channels of Purifi 1ET400A amps, LT3045/LT3094 regulators, OPA1612 or Sonic Imagery 994 opamps. This is a straight-to-the-point review, so don’t expect a long, detailed review on the sound quality. And Sparkos can go -130db or less(according to others measurements). I have a device with OPA1612, but haven´t had the opportunity to try out OPA1656. Dec 5, 2020 · The sound is good: there isn't the stridency of the OPA1612 however there is a slight, overall softness to the sound. Frankly, this product has some points in favor but some against it. I don't know if anyone sells it cheaper or not. Contributors have tried a few different ones (NE5532, LM4562, MUSES02, Sparkos SS3602) with the units. Feels like it opened up more. 1nV/root Hz at 1kHz with a 10Hz 1/f corner and will cheerfully drive 600 ohms. The Sparkos unit just makes it all more warm and musical and deeper bass (which this unit was lacking). Delivery was also flawless. 00-PAIR OPA1656 Opamp in DIP8 adapter for VTV Amplifier Custom Buffer $ 48. 00-PAIR TWO Sonic Imagery Labs 990Enh-Ticha Discrete OpAmp API VTV Amplifier $ 132. The explainer video above illustrates the process and explains why discrete op amps are the best op amp for amplifying audio signals. Dec 9, 2019 · The only device where I really noticed that an expensive opamp might make sense is the Matrix HPA-3B where the difference between SS V6 Classic and the default LME49720 was very obvious with sensitive cans (I'm only referring to background noise here; the audio quality was about the same in an A/B test). Bedroom: Topping D90 MQA + Topping A90D + Mackie MR6Mk3 + Mackie MRS10mk3 , Motu M4 , Focusrite Clarett 2PRE USB Feb 11, 2021 · According to the TI datasheets OPA1612 has less noise than OPA1656. LME49720 sound is boringand too light. Purifi has a good reputation and I assume their amps are already better than human hearing. Oct 25, 2018 · Instrument seperation still good. com In no case did I have too high expectations regarding the sound Mar 9, 2023 · SMSL SU-10 vs M500 MKIII vs DO300 21 vs 9 vs 11 dual op-amps OPA1612 (accoring to the spec from smsl-audio) What is the Op-amps doing in that? M500 SINAD is higher than DO300 with less op-amps. Jun 30, 2016 · A few days ago, I did a comparison for JRC NE5534, Burson V6 Vivid Classic and a Sparko SS3602 installed in a Burson Fun headphone amp, every A/B-test were done with a DIY stereo switch for instantly swapping between the simultaneously powered amps and compairing with my own DIY assembled LBC amp with a V6 Vivid and Sparko discrete voltage regulators SS7815 and SS1117-15, that will replace the Sep 30, 2010 · It is widely used in high end professional audio equipment and quite rightly so. 2. Feb 10, 2024 · Thanks Amir, I was just wondering why the review was taking so long. Harmonic distortion <0. Geshelli offer three options: TI OPA1656, TI OPA1612, or Sparkos Labs 3602. With proper decoupling the 5532 can sound pretty good. They entered the world of headphone amplifiers in 2019 with the rather large and expensive Aries. The SS2590 discrete op amp is designed to be the ultimate op amp for use in studio and pro audio applications. opa1612 opa1656($3) have thd performance better than -140db. A true FET input stage is incorporated to provide excellent sound quality and speed for exceptional audio performance. I don't care about listening tests or something else, just want to use the technical better one in my amp. The top is at least as good as the OPA627; it gives up little or nothing to the OPA1612 in terms of resolution or dynamics. Mar 25, 2017 · In comes the sparkos. Anyway I am finding 1612 much better . Sparkos SS3602: This is still my favorite. Use a simple resistor, or a J-fet with the IDSS trimmed to 3mA~5mA. One S300iu integrated amplifier | Stereophile. ) Your measurements of the OPA1612 and the Sonic Imagery 990 were the same? The OPA1612 are not exactly "cheap" but not so expensive and those discrete opamps Jun 10, 2022 · I just got the JNOG2 AKM version, modified with a Sparkos Pro SS2590 opamp running the RCA outputs. Nov 5, 2021 · I am located in France. The output swing for Aol should be considered as it is different between the two devices. Thanks in Apr 12, 2022 · The socketed version is designed to let you change out the opamps used for the balanced and unbalanced outputs. Here are the measurements of the dual mono and with different op amps (Sonic Imagery 994, OPA1656, LM4562). The “full version” (2995 USD) is also a pre-amplifier, while the “base version” (2495 USD) is a headphone amp only. Feb 4, 2024 · It's unlikely to make any difference. I purchased the OEM version XiangSheng DAC-01B instead of the DAC01A. All in all it's just a more musically pleasing and engaging sound than the more clinical and distant OPA1612. Nov 2, 2010 · Try a pull-down load to the negative supply rail to force the NE5532 into class A, just a few mA will really make it sound better. The combination sounds weird and off-putting, especially when it comes to the upper mids. Currently, my setup consists of a ZA3 (Stereo) paired with the Burson V7 Classic. I don't know anything about the Purify circuitry but most op-amps used in audio are used in non-critical, low gain, circuits unless we're talking about a microphone preamp or a phono preamp. Aol Feb 13, 2016 · This is a review and detailed measurements of the AUDIOPHONICS DAC I-Sabre ES9038Q2M Raspberry Pi DAC. May 15, 2022 · Now i tested opa1612 with lme49720 and 1612 is better in my opinion. In my system with SMPS1200, Purifi module, VTV input buffer and OPA1612 I am finally getting a decent sound. 3V inside of each supply. Could it be Input buffer quality also. OPA1612 sounds better than any transistor preamp I've ever heard and better then my own 6N6P 2 case -no barrels hold- 36kg monster preamp with a 100% double blind test win rate. Any chance you have some measurements of the OPA1612 compared to the Sparkos SS2590 for the regular dual mono? I was also curious how many of the SS2590 opamps are Our newest product that combines vacuum tube sonics with our SS2590 discrete op amps. Nov 8, 2023 · In the "Klipsch Korner" forum, there's been some discussion about the different audio op amps that can be used in the Aiyima and Fosi amps. With the 2015 HDtracks Sampler, first track cue is Sonata for 2 Violins in G Major, Op. However, what it added was magical. 000. 1 Conclusion: More bass wider sound stage and a more holographic sound. Feb 11, 2021 · No opamp is crazy expensive so something priced like sparkos / staccato / Muse / Burson is fine if that is what would get the best result. It appears that the THD+Noise vs Frequency 3 Description The OPA134, OPA2134, and OPA4134 (OPAx134) series are ultra-low distortion, low-noise operational amplifiers fully specified for audio applications. Jan 5, 2017 · - Vocals: The chest and nasal components of the vocal sound were more evident with the Sparkos. Feb 11, 2021 · looks very similar to the eighth image from post #2 of Bel Canto's S300i/S300iu - driven by dual mono Icepower amplifier modules with switch mode power supply - go to Inside the Bel Canto S300i integrated amplifier | Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums and Bel Canto e. Problem is, i don't buy into the discrete opamps anymore. May 29, 2021 · The dark tone of the HD650 doesn’t go well with the Burson V5i-D. What's not to like with that, and all the other SoundPlus family? Dec 20, 2023 · I wanted to share my experience with the Burson V7 Classic op-amps, as I feel you might be interested based on your post. Replacements: For the 5532 the opa2211A or opa1612 as well as LT1358. Jan 30, 2019 · AB testing OPA1612 against each other. Everything that I wrote here are “IMHO” and as is. Jun 10, 2010 · From my experience these older OP/ OPA op amps all sound vaious degrees of "not-that-great" (cloudy, lacking details, taking away punch/immediateness). 00- Jun 16, 2023 · And the 3e Audio seems to be a more HiFi like implementation too. Moreover, despite the distance with Australia (where March Audio is located), the support I received before and after the purchase of the amps was outstanding. The strings sound wonky and the vocals don’t sound that smooth. It absolutely sounds better than anything else Ive heard or own. May 9, 2023 · Hello together, i want to put one of the mentioned OP Amps in my amp. with just thoses caps changed. Tested with DSD512 and PCM44. There was a very analogy sound from the amp. The TL072 isn't great IMO. But that does not say anything about the SQ. To begin, I'm a big fan of Sparkos SS3602. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Mar 17, 2019 · For a DAC chip with a low output current, I would suggest op amps with FET type inputs, either JFETs or CMOS. Mar 17, 2019 · I'm using the OPA1612 dual opamp in a commercial design. But not as good as with ESS chips. Close to zero DC mv at its output would enable removal of the dreaded electrolytic coupling caps which will definitely lower colouration and improve sound quality. Better than any op-amp in terms of transparency except their own V5 ofcourse. kcg ajlzyd zkkdib sqmbd xiit zspp wmtwrql qkkvo agn fxth