[sdiy] LM394 vs MAT-02

[mark verbos]

what are their minimum order requirements?


mark




Peter Grenader wrote:
> I was originally using the LS312 (it's slightly more tightly matched -
> spec'd at .2mV, but the units I got were much better than that).
> 
> I found the LS site while I was looking for ua726's once.  Didn't think
> anything of them, bookmarked the site, blah --  but didn't try them until a
> few months later as the LS312 was recommended by a tech named Julie
> Yarlborough as a replacement for the AD811 when I was putting together a the
> parts to build a Buchla 259 kit for Guido (which I was VERY fortunate to
> squeak out of). 
> 
> The 312's were great, but it was Linear System's Don Howland (GREAT guy) who
> then recommended  the higher gain 318 as he felt it was better suited for
> VCO stability due to having half the sheet resistively of the 312 (basically
> it turns on easier) which would make for better tracking across the audio
> range.
> 
> Did it make a difference?  Honestly...I'm not  sure as any gains were
> deluded by a major error found about that time in my expo converter -- I was
> starving it's current which had my tracking at 2.7 octaves max.  Three
> resistor value changes later, I was up to 7 octaves. In any event, I
> continue to use 318 for a plethora of reasons, mostly due to a "if it works
> don't screw with it" mentality but above that the guys at Linear Systems are
> really terrific.  They're a low volume foundry themselves and therefore
> really support the small guys.
> 
> Now, until recently when the VCO backlog was finally blown out, i WAS using
> MAT's on my own VCOs - not because I felt they were better, because I got
> them as samples and I was saving the LS devices for customer's units.  When
> I finally switched them I did notice a sonic difference between the two,
> particularly with expo FM.  The LS sounded a lot smoother than the MAT.
> 
> I apologize for the (for me, typically) non technical response here.  I'm a
> hack as you know and in lea of technical chops I use my ears more than
> anything else in component selection.
> 
> hope this helps -
> 
> - P
> 
>