[Welly Wu]

I fully burned in my AD8065 mounted on a Brown Dog Adaptor. It still is the best op-amp in my reference system with which to enjoy classical music. It is like that particular op-amp and classical music go hand in hand.

I just installed the LT1028 op-amp. It will take a full five days before it is fully burned in. Already, I can notice a very significant difference between the AD8065 and LT1028. The LT1028 is much more liquid and smoother with a sweet fullness in the midrange. There is greater extension in the bass and especially in the upper midrange -> treble. This makes it sound like tonally richer and fuller; it also seems to enhance the sense of air surrounding instruments. So far, I like how it mates well with vocalists, opera, and showtunes. It makes human voices seem to come alive and more realistic sounding. I'm totally loving it!

I might spring for the OPA627 op-amp. I read that it is uber expensive (for op-amps at least) but it goes well with female voices. Hmmm...I got to check that one out in a few more weeks.

I'm going to collect as many op-amps for my beloved Emmeline HR-2 as possible. This one is a keeper for sure.

 

[Sean H]

I recently rolled opamps in my PPA and have plans to maybe try the 8065 one day myself. Wasn't a huge fan of 8610's in a XP-7 I briefly owned so not sure. In my PPA I started out with OPA627's in the left, right and ground channels and loved the sound. I recently picked up a pair of LT1122's and they sound pretty much just like your description of the 1028, definitely very nice through the midrange for sure. I like the 1122's a lot. I also tried OPA637's as well and I'm not a huge fan of them, I really don't know how to elaborate on that. I don't know, they just seem kind of dry and not that stellar through the mids. So I put OPA627's back in and it everything just felt "right" again. They have a great midrange, great extension and detail, great dynamics, smooth and are really quiet (blacker). So, I say go for it, they are not cheap but you might give them a shot. They are probably going to sound a bit like a AD797 and 8065 hybrid is my guess.

 

[bobjew]

Don't know if this is directly translatable to the HP-2, ( I think that it probably isn't) but in the XP-7 the combination of 797 and 8065 is dark and overwhelming. Attributes of the 797 are obscured and don't come through.

 

[Welly Wu]

I got a good 72 hours of burn in time for the LT1028. THIS OP-AMP IS BEAUTIFUL! It's got lots of heart and soul. Bass has body, weight, and slam.

Midrange is very clear, organic, and warm. Furthermore, there is a tremendous spacious sound surrounding each note: this makes everything sound very natural, realistic, and convincing. Vocals have breathing room to sound just absolutely real, natural, and spectacular. Treble extension is clear, extended, and articulated. Moreover, tympanis, cymbals, and sopranos sound so crystal clear and precise that it is just uncanny. I find that the LT1028 has greater detail retrieval than the AD797 and AD8065. I can simply hear fine nuances and details in all of my music that I never noticed with those op-amps installed. It is like I am on a treasure hunt! I am rediscovering how those little sounds make music all the more enjoyable and realistic, natural, and organic. I am amazed by the fact that it all sounds well balanced and articulated; everything just sounds so real and live. Is this what real tubes sound like? If so, then sign me up for the Emmeline II The Stealth!

I now think I get why people simply fall in love with tubes. The sound is so natural, real, and live. There is this lush bloom in the midrange that gives the sound big heart and soul. Bass simply thumps, thwacks, and booms like nothing else. Oh my God!

This is a beautiful sounding op-amp!

 

[KShaft]

hey, have you tried the LT 1363's?

Just wonderin...

k.s.

 

[Welly Wu]

I don't know if I can use the LT1363. Maybe Mr. Samuels can shed some light on this particular op-amp?

 

[Ray Samuels]

This op-amp is like having sugar all around your music, it has the best specs in input noise, .9 nano volt, which matches with that of the AD797, I like it very much it has very tube like sound , some times just too sweet for me.
But it is a great op-amp.
As to the one mentioned by KSHAFT, LT1363, it will work in the Emmeline HR-2 but it's input nois is 9 nano volts, while the LT1028 is less than one nano volt.
Ray Samuels

 

[Welly Wu]

In the LT family of op-amps, what will work?

In the AD family of op-amps, what will work?

In the OPA family of op-amps, what will work?

Sorry, but the search function is down and there may be a few op-amps that have not been mentioned before. I'd appreciate knowing what are my available options.

I'm loving the LT1028. It's the best sounding op-amp so far. But, I'll get more op-amps!

 

[Ph34rful]

How much does the LT1028 cost?
Sounds like I might have to give it a try...

 

[KShaft]

thank you, thank you!

Im gonna try these in my cdp when I get some cash!

k.s.

 

[Welly Wu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ph34rful How much does the LT1028 cost? Sounds like I might have to give it a try...

$30 USD plus shipping. It's a great op-amp. I highly recommend it to others.

 

[Ph34rful]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welly Wu $30 USD plus shipping. It's a great op-amp. I highly recommend it to others.

Where did you purchase from? Thanks!

 

[Welly Wu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ph34rful Where did you purchase from? Thanks!

I buy all of my op-amps straight from Mr. Samuels himself. Give him a call or send him an e-mail message.

 

[Welly Wu]

I've pretty much burned in my LT1028 operational amplifiers by now. I only have another three more hours before I reach the critical 100 hour mark. I will keep them in my Emmeline HR-2 for the rest of this weekend.

Everything I said before still applies. There are some new comments which I want to make. This op-amp is very liquid and transitions from bass -> midrange -> treble is very smooth like butter. I'm listening to Andrea Bocelli's Sogno Red Book CD and it's just pure heaven. This is probably my favorite album of his corpus of work. His voice takes on a very smooth, delicate, and full sound. When he climbs up or down his vocal range, it isn't "stepped" like with other op-amps but it is totally natural and grain free. His highest notes come across clearly without clipping or distortion. There is a fullness in his voice as if he had taken some additional voice lessons. Tonally, everything is full, rich, and sweet. I've noticed that this op-amp is particularly sensitive as turning up the volume slightly results in significantly higher SPLs. Once again, this op-amp is just perfect for vocals, opera, and broadway. It makes human voices sound so real, so natural, and so smooth it's not even funny anymore. It's like a drug unto itself. I mean, it's so friggin' addictive!

If this is just a prelude as to what REAL TUBES sound like, then I'm going to have to take another job to save up for a Ray Samuels Emmeline II The Stealth!

 

[jude]

I have recently been swapping the AD797's and OPA627BP's in the HR-2 back and forth again, and still find myself preferring the OPA627BP's. I find, with my primary headphones (Sennheiser HD650), that the OPA627BP's have more air, tighter bass, better treble extension (but still smooth, which I require), and less midrange bloom (which the HD650 isn't in need of, in my opinion) than the AD797's. One key aspect of well-executed tube amplification is a wholeness, and organic sense, of grain-free sonic images (assuming a good recording is at the front), and the HR-2 with OPA627BP's does this very well, and notably better than with the AD797's. I am also the type who prefers tube amplification with a more neutral tonal presentation, not the overly romantic, overly bloomy sonic presentation often associated with old tube gear -- again, though still organic and smooth, the HR-2 with OPA627BP's is neutral without being at all dry. The HR-2's presentation of acoustic decay with the OPA627BP's is also more naturally lingering than with AD797's.

Along with the several amps that we've been auctioning off, Jan Meier sent some other goodies, including AD825 opamps on adapters, that we have yet to auction off (and still more amps, too, by the way). I haven't tried the AD825's in the HR-2 yet, but I will soon. I'll also get my hands on more of these other opamps you cats are talking about to try with the HR-2.

Have any of you HR-2 owners tried the OPA637's versus OPA627's? If so, I'd appreciate your feedback. Yes, I did search the forums, and found posts that mentioned the swapping of these opamps in other makes of amps, but not in the HR-2 specifically.