The operational amplifier is a widely used linear integrated circuit. Furthermore, there are numerous varieties. It is called an operational amplifier because it can not only amplify weak signals but also act as an inverting and voltage follower, which can add and subtract electrical signals. It is not only widely utilized in other areas, but it is also the most commonly used in audio. For example, discrete components and electronic tubes are used in pre-amplification, buffering, and headphone amplifiers, while integrated operational amplifiers are used in the majority of them. It’s also sometimes utilized to construct a high-precision voltage stabilizing filter circuit on the voltage stabilizing circuit.
Because different operational amplifiers have distinct distortion components due to varied internal architecture, timbre characteristics change as well. Initially, we were looking for maximum quality. The op-amp should have the lowest distortion, be the best without personality, and be able to truly restore music. However, because it must work with other audio components such as a digital audio source, a power amplifier tube, and so on, it can be paired with a delicate and warm-tone op-amp if it is dry and cold and a cooler and brighter sound if it is too feminine and soft.
The op-amp is meant to work with the rest of the machine and learn from it to achieve the optimal result. As a result, it’s not true that the more expensive the op-amp, the better the effect. The goal is to get the optimum sound, thus matching is crucial. If it’s going to be utilized in a low-voltage analog filter circuit, an operational amplifier with good low-voltage performance is also required. There are at least 500 or 600 different types of op-amps on the market, with more than 300 of them having a GBW bandwidth of more than 5M. The highest frequency is 300MHz, and the conversion rate is hundreds of times higher than 5V/us, up to 3000V/us.
The types of audiophiles outlined above have been quite popular among audiophiles. In truth, a big number of high-quality products are still unknown to the general public. You are not limited to the types listed above. Gold seal, ceramic seal, and plastic seal are three different types of op-amp packages. The quality of gold and ceramic seals is generally higher, whereas the quality of plastic seals is slightly lower. There are fakes in everything, even op-amps because they are driven by profit. On the market, there are a lot of fakes. You must be astute if you wish to select good ones at a minimal cost. I’d rather pay a few cents more and purchase it from a reliable retailer.
JRC4558 is a low-end operational amplifier. Low-end computers use this type of op-amp the most. It is now considered to be extremely terrible since its sound is overly bright and has a strong sense of burrs, making it the worst type of audio op-amp in comparison to others. It is, nevertheless, still frequently employed in our country temporarily. Many power amplifiers costing four or five hundred Yuan still utilize it because, given the cost and practical effects, an op-amp with a quality of more than 5532 is not necessary.
