Is the TL072 the best op amp for "metal zone" distortion?

[bleach_dave]

hello dude or dudette,

I was making a distortion pedal for guitar and was wondering which op amp to use. The TL072 appears to be a popular one for that. Has there been any newer op amps that are "metallier" (not a word, but made it one)

Thanks to all for your time.

bleach_dave

[Crazyyellowfox]

If you can find one... they're not made any more because the fab process is way oudated, but there are still a few stockpiles available a Harris CA3240AE or an Intersil CA3240EZ. NTE also relabels the same chip as NTE7141. These are fully CMOS Op Amps and in a circuit like the Metal Zone really can't get any "metallier"
Don't try this chip in anything but a Metal Zone, tho or you'll be dissapointed. They ruin the transparency of clean boosts and overdrives.

[bleach_dave]

thanks Crazy yellow fox. another thing I was wondering. I did the research that guitar pickups are .1V RMS to as high a 4V RMS. I don't see any specs for the lowest input voltage for an op amp. Can I assume that any op amp or the NTE7141 can go that low, since there's no spec for it???

Thanks again,

bleach_dave

[bleach_dave]

If your saying that the CMOS op amps aren't spun anymore, how are Boss still making their pedals? Someone's got to be making a current run of those....

[phostenix]

Boss service manual shows they're using M5218AL chips. Single in-line package, IIRC.

[maarten]

Yes David, they all can go that low.

As to the M5218AL: seems to me that these are very fine op amps, from what I can make of the specs. I was quite surprised to see Boss use them in pedals with so much distortion that you won't hear the quality of these op amps at all...

It sure is nice that they are single in line, makes it much easier to figure out a lay out. All together, I would like to be able to buy more M5218AL's!
Maarten

[bleach_dave]

thanx maarten...that info was helpful too!!!

[phostenix]

And, as it turns out, Boss has used several op amps in the Metal Zone over the years.

http://www.bossarea.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7383

[stevethebeeline44]

Hi,

This is for CrazyYellowFox... you said in relation to the TL072..."Don't try this chip in anything but a Metal Zone or you'll be dissapointed. They ruin the transparency of clean boosts and overdrives"

I came across this thread because I was looking for a mod for my Voodoo Labs Overdrive (original - two knob (Vol & Gain) version).  When I looked inside it has a TL072CN.  Is there much of a difference between the TL072 and the TL072CN???

Was mainly wondering about it "ruining the transparency of clean boosts and overdrives".  Could you shed any more light on this?

Thanks in advance!

Steve

[Ben N]

I thiink he was talking about the CMOS opamps, not the TL072.