[sdiy] Linearized 2164 VCA Warning

David G. Dixon dixon at interchange.ubc.ca
Wed Dec 29 09:15:37 CET 2010


Hey Andre, I was just finishing up some work for my Parisian client when I
got your message (coincidence?)...

> > Given the exact nature of the problem, I'd rather add a
> > two-cent resistor and a couple of traces than replace a
> > one-dollar opamp with a five-dollar one to achieve exactly the
> > same end.
> 
> Precision op amps also have lower tempcos and lower long-term
> drift. Whether that matters in this circuit, I don't know.

It doesn't.  It's a VCA!

> They don't have to be expensive either. The LT1013 and OP07 are
> pretty cheap. But the cheap ones have low slew rates that might
> limit audio-rate modulation.

The one and only time I ever tried to replace a TL072 with an OP07, it got
so hot I had to shut the synth off (this was the current servo in my 2164
Expo VCO, and the current was bloody small).  I pried it out of the socket,
put the cheap-ass TL072 back in, and it's been oscillating happily ever
since (in tune and rock steady, I might add)!

I'll stick with the cheapos, thanks!




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