lm386 "no longer manufactured"?

[slashandburn]

just been on farnell.com to compare prices.   One of my favourite new toys the LM386 (n1 through to n4) is showing as no longer manufactured.  Limited stocks of the n-3 still available.  is it time to cry, panic, or find a new hobby?  maybe i'm over reacting.

[bluebunny]

You're overreacting.   

Rapid   Dr Tweek   Bitsbox   RS   . . .

[slashandburn]

Well thats a relief! Thanks.  Sorry if I caused a small wave of panic.

[bluebunny]

No problem.  Go and have a bit of a lie-down in a darkened room with a large alcoholic drink.  You've earned it.   

[slashandburn]

I've not long woke up. I'm definately tempted though! I was trying to think of small silver linings, like perhaps the two spare I have in the shed might rocket up in value and go somewhat towards my currently empty pension fund!

[armdnrdy]

Interesting read about the 386.

http://ludens.cl/Electron/audioamps/AudioAmps.html

[slashandburn]

Very interesting, thanks!  Clears up some of the 386 opamp/power amp debate I've seen and been a little confused with.

[Johan]

You know. When the day comes, you could probably build a discrete one from the schematic in the data sheet. . It's Not that many parts....wouldn't that be cool? ..

[Mark Hammer]

Given the ubiquity of the 386, I suspect that, much like stars that died millions of years ago, whose light only reaches us now, we will continue to see "light" from that product line for quite some time.

[scratch]

thanks to that article I'm now on the hunt to find a quieter headphone amp for my rig ... thought that LM386 noise was just me ...

[PRR]

> thanks to that article ... LM386 noise was just me ...

I thought it odd that that article says '386 has poor powerr-crap rejection--- and he is not using the BYPASS pin which is FOR that problem.

However his other data does seem to show there are differences in THD, hiss, and crossover distortion.

[nate77]

Mark, that is a very elegant statement.

[snap]

hold it, boys: lm386 is currently being manufactured ( = active ) : http://www.ti.com/product/lm386/samplebuy# in SMD though!
don`t worry, but improve your soldering skills!

[greaser_au]

hold it, boys: lm386 is currently being manufactured ( = active ) : http://www.ti.com/product/lm386/samplebuy# in SMD though!
don`t worry, but improve your soldering skills!

Now to dig out the SOT-8 -> DIP8 converters for the breadboard....

[amptramp]

hold it, boys: lm386 is currently being manufactured ( = active ) : http://www.ti.com/product/lm386/samplebuy# in SMD though!
don`t worry, but improve your soldering skills!

Do you need an SMD heatsink for it?  I can imagine a number of parts that have no thermal problems in through-hole mount packages but get close to incandescence in a SOT package.

[ubersam]

hold it, boys: lm386 is currently being manufactured ( = active ) : http://www.ti.com/product/lm386/samplebuy# in SMD though!
don`t worry, but improve your soldering skills!

Looks like the DIP8 is also available. Just looked at mouser to check, yup, still there.

[snap]

hold it, boys: lm386 is currently being manufactured ( = active ) : http://www.ti.com/product/lm386/samplebuy# in SMD though!
don`t worry, but improve your soldering skills!

Do you need an SMD heatsink for it?  I can imagine a number of parts that have no thermal problems in through-hole mount packages but get close to incandescence in a SOT package.

get the answer from the datasheets.

[snap]

hold it, boys: lm386 is currently being manufactured ( = active ) : http://www.ti.com/product/lm386/samplebuy# in SMD though!
don`t worry, but improve your soldering skills!

Looks like the DIP8 is also available. Just looked at mouser to check, yup, still there.

there`s a difference between (still) available and (still) in production.

[ubersam]

hold it, boys: lm386 is currently being manufactured ( = active ) : http://www.ti.com/product/lm386/samplebuy# in SMD though!
don`t worry, but improve your soldering skills!

Looks like the DIP8 is also available. Just looked at mouser to check, yup, still there.

there`s a difference between (still) available and (still) in production.

Correct. But if you look at the table the link directs to, the NOPB versions of the PDIPs are still "Active" under the "Status" heading. I take that as being (still) in production.

[EATyourGuitar]

leave it for the cheapo practice amps. every fuzz I ever tried with an LM386 was mostly shit. The parallel universe for example is prone to create power problems for other pedals. it is basically a power hungry clock running in the same audio range as your guitar. they had to use pcb mounted jacks and ground plane just to make it passable as a noisemaker. lets be honest, its a power amp. when you abuse it you play with fire.