[sdiy] LM394 vs MAT-02

[Peter Grenader]

1



mark verbos wrote:

> 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
>> 
>>