[ppl]

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[Moloko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NelsonVandal /img/forum/go_quote.gif Good news, this might be the best portable ever! Will it be possible to bypass the opamps, just using the buffers without too much offset? I almost never need more than unity gain.

Oh my... You sound like you were obsessed with this idea of avoiding opamps at all costs

 

[NelsonVandal]

Oh yes, losing those opamps is almost a religious experiece! Once you tried it you can never go back.

 

[Moloko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NelsonVandal /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh yes, losing those opamps is almost a religious experiece! Once you tried it you can never go back.

If it really were so, by now it would be universally acknowledged and as a result we'd see no trace of opamps in high-end commercial audio (like, say, Burmester). Instead...

 

[NelsonVandal]

I've recommended it before. You really must try it. It's dead cheap (sometimes even free if you already have a buffered amp) to build Sijosae's buffers or even PPA, LISAIII or Steinchen's buffers. You have to build a 3-channel amp though with a high current opamp or a buffered opamp as ground channel. Otherwise there seems to be too much crosstalk with a decreased soundstage. With HD650 and unity gain, 1V from a DAP is a bit on the weak side, but to me enough 95 % of the time. With IEM's or other low impedance phones there's no need for a gain stage. Using a stationary CDP with 2V output, there's absolutely no need for more than unity gain even with HD650.

I'm not the only one with this obsession. Several HeadFiers have come to the same conclusion. For instance ppl wrote some time ago that "the best opamp in PPA is no opamp".

I have yet to try AD744 and AD8099, so I might change my mind about opamps.

 

[Moloko]

Try LT1469 as well. Single version LT1468.

I also seem like the OPA2134s that are singing so sweetly inside my Xenos 1HA-EPC.

Instead I didn't fall in love with the AD746 at all.

Every opamp (cheapest to costliest) has its own little faults, that must make the tradeoff (everything has a tradeoff) for the immense practicalness of these devices. And I guess that's where our mental adaption faculty comes into play.

 

[TzeYang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moloko /img/forum/go_quote.gif If it really were so, by now it would be universally acknowledged and as a result we'd see no trace of opamps in high-end commercial audio (like, say, Burmester). Instead...

Moloko, we have to understand this. Sound is subjective. Reason why most commercial audio companies add in opamps is due to the fact that opamps helps stabilize the output buffers by a significant amount. Besides than that, most people out there actually prefers a gain stage. (some sort of marketing thingy, if i would sell an amp, it would also come with a gain stage despite how much i love open loop buffers on unity gain)

To be frank, open loop buffers isn't easy to maintain. There's no negative feedback to stabilise the circuit in case something happens.

 

[Moloko]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TzeYang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Moloko, we have to understand this. Sound is subjective. Reason why most commercial audio companies add in opamps is due to the fact that opamps helps stabilize the output buffers by a significant amount. Besides than that, most people out there actually prefers a gain stage. (some sort of marketing thingy, if i would sell an amp, it would also come with a gain stage despite how much i love open loop buffers on unity gain) To be frank, open loop buffers isn't easy to maintain. There's no negative feedback to stabilise the circuit in case something happens.

Sure I understand that. Especially the bold part (which of course is valid in both ways in this conversation).


Although, I will say that I had in mind a new upscale Burmester CD player specifically. That one looks full of opamps...when obviously it doesn't have to have gain.

 

[NelsonVandal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moloko /img/forum/go_quote.gif Although, I will say that I had in mind a new upscale Burmester CD player specifically. That one looks full of opamps...when obviously it doesn't have to have gain.

Thats my point Moloko! There's already gain stages in the CDP's. Why would you want a gain stage in the CDP, attenuate the signal with av volume control and then finally amplify it again with a similar gain stage?

 

[TzeYang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moloko /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sure I understand that. Especially the bold part (which of course is valid in both ways in this conversation). Although, I will say that I had in mind a new upscale Burmester CD player specifically. That one looks full of opamps...when obviously it doesn't have to have gain.

point taken. Yes i thought you were talking about external dedicated amplifiers