The Opamp thread
Dec 24, 2016 at 12:30 PM Post #5,478 of 7,416
  Unless you anger the almighty Zeus :p

 
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Dec 24, 2016 at 2:26 PM Post #5,481 of 7,416
Like igytech said, stay away of eBay, because all most sellers are selling fake MUSES only. Better get 8820/8920 if you don't want to spend money on 01/02 right now. 8820 is having a good price for a wire with gain chip, same applies for 8920 if you need a decent opamp for I/V stage.
 
BTW, I purchased 10 x MUSES (8x01 & 2x02) directly from the UK NJR supplier PROFUSION PLC; a little bit cheaper than Mouser. I also got some 8820 & 8920 from them and I was pleased with their services.
 
Dec 24, 2016 at 7:06 PM Post #5,483 of 7,416
  Like igytech said, stay away of eBay, because all sellers are selling fake MUSES only. Better get 8820/8920 if you don't want to spend money on 01/02 right now. 8820 is having a good price for a wire with gain chip, same applies for 8920 if you need a decent opamp for I/V stage.
 
BTW, I purchased 10 x MUSES (8x01 & 2x02) directly from the UK NJR supplier PROFUSION PLC; a little bit cheaper than Mouser. I also got some 8820 & 8920 from them and I was pleased with their services.

 
I was also trying to decipher which ones on ebay are fake. Haven't brought an 02 yet (since the V5i is too tall for my portable amp). Will probably get one from Mouser to be on the safe side (too bad they don't sell on ebay).
 
Thanks for the help! I'll just wait until either one of them drops in price or until the release of the MUSES03, I'm not in a hurry to get them.

 
That was my thinking as well until someone pointed out the 03 will be single channel only, not a dual opamp like the 02.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/826344/muses03#post_13024829
 
 
Dec 25, 2016 at 12:17 AM Post #5,484 of 7,416
Thanks for the help! I'll just wait until either one of them drops in price or until the release of the MUSES03, I'm not in a hurry to get them.

I believe MUSES03 would be single opamp, not dual like MUSES01. Anyway, MUSES03 was designed for I/V convertors, so it should be perfect for DAC's I/V stages.
 
   
I was also trying to decipher which ones on ebay are fake. Haven't brought an 02 yet (since the V5i is too tall for my portable amp). Will probably get one from Mouser to be on the safe side (too bad they don't sell on ebay).
 
 
That was my thinking as well until someone pointed out the 03 will be single channel only, not a dual opamp like the 02.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/826344/muses03#post_13024829
 

I believe it was a thread here on Head-Fi, but usually you need to analyze the picture with front of the opamp. Also, see the edges, should be a bit rounded and not sharp; they usually take the cheapest opamp, polish the surface and laser/print the MUSES on front, this is why from the polish the edges become a bit sharp...like 90 degrees sharp. Also, the final test would be their legs, that are way much softer than a regular opamp, perhaps too much copper inside (perhaps silver too?). Last one: now most eBay sellers are using original MUSES pictures, so you can't even identify that they're selling fakes anymore. :frowning2:
 
Dec 25, 2016 at 12:57 AM Post #5,485 of 7,416
I believe MUSES03 would be single opamp, not dual like MUSES01. Anyway, MUSES03 was designed for I/V convertors, so it should be perfect for DAC's I/V stages.

I believe it was a thread here on Head-Fi, but usually you need to analyze the picture with front of the opamp. Also, see the edges, should be a bit rounded and not sharp; they usually take the cheapest opamp, polish the surface and laser/print the MUSES on front, this is why from the polish the edges become a bit sharp...like 90 degrees sharp. Also, the final test would be their legs, that are way much softer than a regular opamp, perhaps too much copper inside (perhaps silver too?). Last one: now most eBay sellers are using original MUSES pictures, so you can't even identify that they're selling fakes anymore. :frowning2:


Thanks for that I guess I have to wait for it to drop in price at mouser, it's currently at $49. It was $30 a couple of weeks ago.
 
Dec 27, 2016 at 6:44 AM Post #5,486 of 7,416
Hi all,

I have XTA 446 sound management module. It has 15 opamps (NE5532) inside. I never replace opamp before and have been reading forum like crazy to find the best opamp for me.

Some people mention Sonic Imagery 994Enh-Ticha Dual Discrete Opamp to be the best one but why no one discuss it here?

Hope someone can give some feedback.

So far im thinking to use 6 discrete opamps in the output and use Burson V5i for the rest. Replacing all with discrete will certainly kill the power supply. Here is the xta board hope someone can give me some guides as im new to this. According to XTA, the unit supplies -15v -+15v but i have no idea the current for each opamp.

Thanks.

 
Dec 27, 2016 at 7:33 AM Post #5,488 of 7,416
Sonic Imagery 994Enh-Ticha costs almost 100 USD/each, so its all about how much money do you really want to spend here. There are posts about this opamp on HeadFi, some use these in I/V, some in LPF with great success.
 
V5i needs to be tested first, hope you can find a couple to borrow or purchase just 2-3 firstly, so you can test'em for compatibility, then purchase the rest. If SS V5 fits the case and the bill, then you might want to give'em a try too.
 
MUSES8820 is also a good upgrade for NE5532 (8820 is a low noise wire with gain opamp); MUSES02 too, if money's not a problem.
 
Usually MUSES8820 and MUSES02 are not prone to oscillations, so you can purchase all quantity you need without worries.
 
Dec 27, 2016 at 9:14 AM Post #5,489 of 7,416
Hi,
 
Money is not a problem here as I want the best possible upgrade.
 
I found only a few Sonic review but it is pretty vague. Can you link me more?
 
Replacing all 15 opamp will not be possible because it will put strain in the PSU and possibly will damage it, so I need to mix some opamp.
 
The manufacture does recommend Muse 8920 but all the review here states that V5i / V5 is better than any Muse.
 
I will replace all the caps with Audinote Note Kaisei or Slimic II or Nichicon KZ where it fits as well.
 
Thanks
 
Dec 27, 2016 at 10:53 AM Post #5,490 of 7,416
The original NE5532 is a bipolar-input opamp, like with MUSES8220, this is why I think this might be a good upgrade. Anyway, per manufacturer recommendation, MUSES8920 are low noise and very good opamps and for their price you can easily upgrade all 15 opamps. No worries about the PSU, as long as opamps are not oscillating you should be just fine.
 
Your picture is not very clear, can you please do another picture so we can all see all the opamps (what's written on them) and how devices are arranged?
Right now, if I see correctly, on the left side there are 3xPCM1794 DACs, each one followed by 2 x opamps used in I/V (the soldered on the PCB, SO8 opamps, perhaps singles not duals), 1 x opamp for LowPassFilter (NE5532 I believe) and 2 x opamps as buffers (aren't these NE5534?).
On the right side there might be the ADC part, right?
 
P.S.: You might also want to google-translate this: http://forum.audiofanatyk.pl/index.php?/topic/18-sonic-imagery-labs-994enh-ticha/.
 

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