What affects the gain sound more in a TS clone...the diodes or the op amp?

[skiraly017]

I'm probably asking this the wrong way but I'm trying to figure out what determines the overall gain sound in a TS. You can round up five different TS clones and one will fizzy, another flabby, another farty, another smooth, another grainy and so on. Is it the choice of diodes, because they can all be using a 4558 op amp. I know that diferrent op amps will produce different gain sounds as well, but is there a component or components that really affect the gain sound?

[acromarty]

Changing the opamp made the biggest difference to my TS9.
Mine now has a CMOS rail-to-rail opamp in it, and one red/one green LED for the clippers.
Transformed its sound from the original.

[The Tone God]

Opamp gain is set by external componants so the gain remains the same just about no matter what opamp you stick in. It is not like with trasistors based circuit when the gain of the indivdual part makes a difference. The difference is in other characteristic factors like frequency response, impedence, etc.

Different diodes have different thresholds which can change the characteristics of the clipping.

So to answer your question different diodes affect gain more then different opamps. Now if you really wanted to ask what affects the tone of the circuit more then you enter into the relem of opinion which I will step away from.

Andrew

[brett]

The TL072 is much quieter than the JRC4558.
My favourite is the NE5532.  Very low noise, and maybe just a touch of better tone (but I might be imagining it).

[markm]

Now if you really wanted to ask what affects the tone of the circuit more then you enter into the relem of opinion which I will step away from.

Andrew

Probably a very wise decision.

[powerplayj]

other opamps to try....

# LM1458
# NJM2043D

[Paul Marossy]

Here's something you can see on a scope but not necessarily hear:

JRC4558 is a BJT opamp - clips much more harshly on the scope.
TL072 is an FET opamp - clips smoother on a scope.

It is my opinion that the type diodes used will make a much larger change in the sound than changing the opamp will.