mikaelmark
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2011
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I´ve now evaluated the following dual discrete OpAmps: Burson V6, SparkoS SS3602, NewClassD Ultimate Performance and Orange.
The test equipment was a Lovely Black Cube headphone amp and a AK4399 DAC paired with Pioneer SE-A1000/Sennheiser HD 800 headphones and B&W 683 S2 speakers with Yamaha RX-V771 receiver.
They have retail price in following order (rising, to most expensive last): Orange, V6, SS3602 and NewClassD UP.
For Power consumption, they will draw following: V6 = 14mA, Orange = 18mA, NewClassD UP = 20mA and SS3602 = 27,5mA.
Regarding specifications, the THD % levels and Open Loop Gain db are (from worst to best): V6 = 0,03% and 73 OLG (for prev. generation V5), Orange = 0,02% and 112db OLG, NewClassD = <0,0003% and SS3602 = 0,0003% and OLG at outstanding 140db.
Also, the SS3602 and NewClassD UP are pure Class A (where SS3602 can reach a higher Class A current level) while I think V6 and Orange will always work in Class AB.
About customer service and their technical knowledge, the Orange would just helped me with the specs, while Burson are quite good. SparkoS and has an outstanding support!
If we have size in mind, then the SS3602 and Orange are the smallest (altough Orange are vertical positioned and taller), while the V6 are thinnest but very tall and the NewClassD UP are hugely sized.
Now, let´s talk about their sound; The V6 has two models; Vivid and Classic. Vivid are the most detailed and has a bigger sound stage while the Classic are warmer and a closer sound stage. I mostly tested the Vivid, as I think this better was up to my taste and had better synergy with my equipment than Classic.
NewClassD UP did very well in my DAC (altough I used the single version here) and when I used some small bipolar caps from each rail to ground (as recommended by Lars Clausen), it´s has a fantastic sound. In my headphone amp, the SS3602 performed best, with a very big, detailed and spectacular sound.
Orange´s sound reminds a bit of SS3602, altough it maybe not reached similar all the way (maybe due to the lack of Class A).
So, the conclusions are: If you´re wallet/budget are slim, then go for the Orange, as it´s about half the price but will perform better for audio equipment than any other standard monolithic IC operational amplifier in the market and as I experienced in my amp, also better than V6.
If you have narrow space around the OpAmp socket at the PCB or if small current draw consumtion are important, then the V6 will be for you.
If one has rather big space around the PCB socket and the budget are not critical and for the right equipment that care for some Class A (such as DACs or maybe some amps) and need a fast and stable OpAmp, then you will have an outstanding sound with the NewClassD.
But if the vertical space are slim to the enclosure, want high current and value the many technical benefits (such as two pole compensation) and also enjoy pure Class A, the SS3602 should be the best for you.
When everything´s right and the synergy are matching, one will enjoy an experience to be right in the sound - just not listening to some headphones/speakers!
Finally, I want to thank´s Lars Clausen at the Danish company, Andrew Sparks at the US company SparkoS, Charles at the Australian company Burson Audio and Neil Mitchell at the UK company Orange a lot for providing me with those discrete OpAmps to evaluate and made this test possible and also for the help and support you bringed me!
The test equipment was a Lovely Black Cube headphone amp and a AK4399 DAC paired with Pioneer SE-A1000/Sennheiser HD 800 headphones and B&W 683 S2 speakers with Yamaha RX-V771 receiver.
They have retail price in following order (rising, to most expensive last): Orange, V6, SS3602 and NewClassD UP.
For Power consumption, they will draw following: V6 = 14mA, Orange = 18mA, NewClassD UP = 20mA and SS3602 = 27,5mA.
Regarding specifications, the THD % levels and Open Loop Gain db are (from worst to best): V6 = 0,03% and 73 OLG (for prev. generation V5), Orange = 0,02% and 112db OLG, NewClassD = <0,0003% and SS3602 = 0,0003% and OLG at outstanding 140db.
Also, the SS3602 and NewClassD UP are pure Class A (where SS3602 can reach a higher Class A current level) while I think V6 and Orange will always work in Class AB.
About customer service and their technical knowledge, the Orange would just helped me with the specs, while Burson are quite good. SparkoS and has an outstanding support!
If we have size in mind, then the SS3602 and Orange are the smallest (altough Orange are vertical positioned and taller), while the V6 are thinnest but very tall and the NewClassD UP are hugely sized.
Now, let´s talk about their sound; The V6 has two models; Vivid and Classic. Vivid are the most detailed and has a bigger sound stage while the Classic are warmer and a closer sound stage. I mostly tested the Vivid, as I think this better was up to my taste and had better synergy with my equipment than Classic.
NewClassD UP did very well in my DAC (altough I used the single version here) and when I used some small bipolar caps from each rail to ground (as recommended by Lars Clausen), it´s has a fantastic sound. In my headphone amp, the SS3602 performed best, with a very big, detailed and spectacular sound.
Orange´s sound reminds a bit of SS3602, altough it maybe not reached similar all the way (maybe due to the lack of Class A).
So, the conclusions are: If you´re wallet/budget are slim, then go for the Orange, as it´s about half the price but will perform better for audio equipment than any other standard monolithic IC operational amplifier in the market and as I experienced in my amp, also better than V6.
If you have narrow space around the OpAmp socket at the PCB or if small current draw consumtion are important, then the V6 will be for you.
If one has rather big space around the PCB socket and the budget are not critical and for the right equipment that care for some Class A (such as DACs or maybe some amps) and need a fast and stable OpAmp, then you will have an outstanding sound with the NewClassD.
But if the vertical space are slim to the enclosure, want high current and value the many technical benefits (such as two pole compensation) and also enjoy pure Class A, the SS3602 should be the best for you.
When everything´s right and the synergy are matching, one will enjoy an experience to be right in the sound - just not listening to some headphones/speakers!
Finally, I want to thank´s Lars Clausen at the Danish company, Andrew Sparks at the US company SparkoS, Charles at the Australian company Burson Audio and Neil Mitchell at the UK company Orange a lot for providing me with those discrete OpAmps to evaluate and made this test possible and also for the help and support you bringed me!
opa are they good for Rock/Metal/Accoustic/instrumental stuff and live recordings?
