What's so special about the Burr-Brown Op-Amp and which one for a TS clone?

[skiraly017]

I hear/read a lot about how great the Burr-Brown Op-Amps are and I was wondering what makes them so great. Also, I may try ordering a few. Any recommendations for a TS clone? Thanks.

[cd]

I hear/read a lot about how great the Burr-Brown Op-Amps are and I was wondering what makes them so great. Also, I may try ordering a few. Any recommendations for a TS clone? Thanks.

They're expensive audiophile tomfoolery, and the usual high price = greatness ideas apply.  Save your $ for new strings, they'll make a much larger difference in your tone.

[MartyMart]

cd is 100% correct, I used to think that i needed "the best" op-amps, and for a "very
clean" boost, that may still stand ..... but when your going to build an overdrive or
distortion, which is going to plug into a serverly restricted "guitar amp" ( bandwidth wise compared to a HiFi)
the quality of the opamp will make "zero" difference.
There may be slight tonal changes, but usualy I prefer the "cheap and nasty" ones for
that job !!
4558's 4559's NE5532's will get you great sounds 99% of the time
and they only cost as much as a stick of gum !

Marty.

[goosonique]

There is a slight diff if you play them loud ... to my ears i prefer TL072 for bite and nice tone : JRC4558 warm and wolly with lots hair and the NE5532 gives a bit more gain ...and if you can find the 17458 will be nice for that vintage feel ...eg muff fuzz ... to my ears that is.  Actually there are lots more ....

Wasted money on the Burr Browns ...

[Bernardduur]

A bit OT, but can persons take a look at this post;

I wanna know if swapping of opamps in a bass amp make the sound better..... Now it has a lot of 4558 in it and I feel there is something lacking.....

[WGTP]

IMHO the op amps have slightly different "flavors" that will vary in noticeability depending on the circuit.

A number of part changes will have much more significant impact on the tone.  The diodes used, the cap values and resistor values are probably all more significant.  I have struggled to hear the differences in op amps.  The BB's are nice, but so are the 4558, 072, 5532, etc.  Some of the differences in op amps can be approximated with cap or resistor changes using the same op amp.  More high's, less bass, higher gain, etc. are parameters that can be controlled by means other than changing op amp.  There doesn't seem to be a "Magic" one.  Might try 4559.  My board currently has a TL052 on it.

Some peoples ears may be more sensitive to the differences than others.  Mine aren't very sensitive to anything anymore.  

[mojotron]

IMHO the op amps have slightly different "flavors" that will vary in noticeability depending on the circuit.

A number of part changes will have much more significant impact on the tone.  The diodes used, the cap values and resistor values are probably all more significant.  I have struggled to hear the differences in op amps.  The BB's are nice, but so are the 4558, 072, 5532, etc.  Some of the differences in op amps can be approximated with cap or resistor changes using the same op amp.  More high's, less bass, higher gain, etc. are parameters that can be controlled by means other than changing op amp.  There doesn't seem to be a "Magic" one.  Might try 4559.  My board currently has a TL052 on it.

Some peoples ears may be more sensitive to the differences than others.  Mine aren't very sensitive to anything anymore.  

Swapping opamps is the last thing I ussually do on a circuit. I have a few of just about all of the more common opamps and I give all types a try when I build a new circuit. After swapping diodes, caps.... to shape the sound a bit, then by swapping opamps typically I can get the sound just the way I want it. I always start with a 4558

I really like what Fulltone did with the LM308H on the Distortion Pro, when I cloned the DP (which is a lot like an Overdrive Pro) one problem I had was that an LM308H is tough to find, and most of the single opamp designs don't sound as good as the dual opamp designs. Because the dual packages don't have the compensation connections like the LM308 does - one thing I did recently was to take a NE5532A (I think??) and increase the size of the (-) feedback cap by 60pF - and that nailed the LM 308 sound exactly. I am really happy with what I ended up with - getting the right opamp and feedback cap took the sound of my DP clone to the next level.