Most common op amps?

[WoundUp]

Hey all. I've got a question. What are the most common op amps used in pedals? LM324? 4558? Pt2399? TL072? Others?

I had come across a list on here of common chips that included things like the 4558, TL071/2/4, 1458 & more but I can't find it now so that's why I'm asking. I just ordered a simple assorted kit with the following chips so that's why I was wondering. Thanks!


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[Gargaman]

Buy some LM741 (single op amp) and make DOD250 and similar. Some TL072 (dual opamp) and male Marshall Guvnor and other stuff. Some LM386 to make small amps and also distortion pedals. And make yourself a metronome with 555.

[bowanderror]

Many of those aren't opamps. For example,  the LM386 is a power amp, the PT2399 is a delay IC, and the ULN2003 is a darlington array.

In my experience, the most common opamps are the 4558 and TL072 dual opamps. Keep in mind that opamps can come in single, dual or quad packages, but the dual opamp tends to be the most common.

You may want to use different types of opamps depending on what you need it to do:
- Bog-standard BJT input opamps - e.g. 4558, 741, 1458 - These work for most applications, with the 4558 being newer and better spec'd than the 741.
- JFET input opamps - e.g. TL072, TL074, LF353 - These have JFET transistors rather than BJTs for the input, meaning they more easily support a high-impedance input. There are also low-power (TL062) and low-offset (TL082) versions.
- High-Performance/Low-Noise/R2R opamps - e.g. OPA2134, NE552 - These are common in pro audio circuits, and may allow you to run signal closer the power rail voltage (rail-to-rail opamps)

Keep an eye on the data sheets as you may end up needing an opamp with a certain  supply voltage, gain bandwidth, or slew rate for a certain circuit.

[Chillums]

I only see 4 op-amps in there.  My goto is the LF353 but thats prob because I have a full reel of them. 

[ElectricDruid]

It's an interesting little mixed bagful, for sure! And there's plenty of stompbox-friendly bits in there.

Among the op-amps you've got the JRC4558 is a bit of a Japanese classic. Those turn up all over in "Made in Japan" consumer electronics from the 1980s or so, and would stand in for any other dual op-amp in most pedal situations. The NE5532 is used a lot for low noise applications and turns up in mixers and such like. It can also drive low impedance loads better than most, so you also see it used for headphone amps.

+1 agree with bowanderror that the commonest op-amps are probably 4558 and TL072. LF353 has also been mentioned. Going back into history a bit further and the 741 single op-amp was ubiquitous, but they're really not that good and you don't see them much any longer.
I buy TL072s by the tubeful and use them for basically everything. Occasionally there's some specific job which requires something else (like accurate pitch control voltage handling, for example) but for pretty much all audio jobs, they're fine.

[garcho]

Ye olde LM358/324 can be a good, quick & dirty, rough & ready, cheap & cheerful LFO op amp.

It's extremely important to know the difference between "IC" and "op amp".

[WoundUp]

Ye olde LM358/324 can be a good, quick & dirty, rough & ready, cheap & cheerful LFO op amp.

It's extremely important to know the difference between "IC" and "op amp".

Sorry. I know that isn't a case full of op amps. An op amp is an integrated circuit. I didn't intend to imply that I thought everything in that case was op amps.

I bought it because I could get more usable ones in that kit for less than I can buy them separate. It's $10 for TL072s including shipping. I paid 16 for 3 4558s, plus the other few that are in there. In addition to those, I also get the other things: the 555s and the 2399s.

Sorry if I wasn't clear that I didn't think those were all op amps. I know they aren't. I assumed everybody would understand I was referring to the ones that actually are and that I didn't think that entire thing was all op amps when I referred to them as "chips". And I was asking in general what are the most common. That's all.

I never said I just bought an entire thing of op amps, though. Only that I had bought some chips and I was wondering what the most common op amps were. Chips =IC in this case. And pt2399 was an accident in that initial list. I didn't mean to include that when I asked about common ones. I had it on my mind because it's in the case I bought.

[antonis]

@WoundUp: Nobody accused you for wrong terminology implementation..
(as nobody is absolutely sure for what you mean by using "op-amp" term..)

Believe me, here is a "peace brother" forum..

[Gargaman]

Right, even because there are sockets (not opamps neither chips) on the list. Keep it simple. Pardon my english.

[edvard]

And with that TDA2030, you can make yourself a decent power amp.   
Don't forget the heat sink.  Those and TDA2050s have been discontinued for a while now, even though they were still quite popular in the DIY audio community.

[iainpunk]

i think its fine to get some random/obscure/cool/old opamps as well, just for the mojo factor. they might not sound that different than most but (probably not at all), but it gives people a placebo effect and thus might like the pedal more than they would with generic chips in them.

you can also select chips by specs. the LM308 is super sought after due to its low slew-rate and other opamps are praised for other specs like input impedance or output power, ease of biasing and even a chip's unstable behavior can be sought after to get a specific effect.

cheers