Burr Brown op-amps...worth ordering or save my money?

[skiraly017]

The Burr Brown op-amps are supposed to the bee's knees. I'd like to hear from people who have tried it. Is it worth buying one for my TS clone or no? Thanks.

[alteredsounds]

Easiest way is to get samples from TI, see if you like them.  Search the forum for previous posts regarding samples.

Cheers,
Nick,

[skiraly017]

Unfortuantely, TI is no longer offering samples of the OPA2134P and the OPA2604AP.

[alteredsounds]

Shame, system was prob getting abused on certain chips.  I certainly like the Burr Brown chips but actually use NJR4559's in the ts I like the most.  TBH I've sat there and swapped out op-amp after op-amp and in my ts build and really dont know if I can hear any difference.  Maybe I've done too many gigs on 11 or maybe the choice of op-amp in a ts style circuit doesnt make anywhere as much difference as the choice of the rest of the components does?

Cheers,
Nick,

[dv8]

Burr Brown chips are good for hi-fidelity.  Sometimes hi-fidelity is not the goal of the effect.

I have a burr brown chip in my modified Boss SD-1, which I use.  I didn't like the Burr Brown in TS-808 clone, and went with a 4558.

I thought the Orange Squeezer sounded good with the Burr Brown chip, I built another one with a 4558 and it did not sound so clear and clean, but in a good way

Socket and try, search here for some options, from my memory NJM4558, RC4558, RC4559, TLC2282, NE5532, KA4558, NJM14558, TL072.

Test drive some different ones, let your ears be the judge.  Some of these might suprise you.

-brian

[spudulike]

Or even do the Barber trick ...

Socket the chip and try the singles, then try soldering a TL072 on top of a 4558 (run them in parallel  ). I wouldnt say the change is earth-shattering but that combo sounds nice in a ts clone ...

There's a thread about it around here somewhere ....

[MR COFFEE]

Hey Spudulike,

Wild idea!
Even connecting the outputs together?

And just parallel *all* the pins?

What does piggy-backing a TL072 on top of a 4558 do for the current consumption? Does it get hot?

[spudulike]

Hey Spudulike,

Wild idea!
Even connecting the outputs together?

And just parallel *all* the pins?

What does piggy-backing a TL072 on top of a 4558 do for the current consumption? Does it get hot?

Yep, just solder one to the other (once you know that the pinouts match). They dont get hot but yes current consumption goes up a tad. Ive tried this on a ts, dist+ and a few others with NE5532/TL072/TL082 and some wierdo matches with LFxxx (and tried single opamps as well).  Fattens up the sound and the pedal seems to "breathe" if you know what I mean. I think a few people round here have tried it (I think Mark Hammer experimented with it). Its fun !!

[dv8]

I didn't say earlier, but to me , the most changing part to mod on the tube screamer to affect the sound is clipping diodes.

There's lots of articles on clipping diodes for tube screamer and variants.  Socket them and have fun, leds ,si, ge, in any combo and format to get the sound you want