[sdiy] Op amp slew in audio circuits - sims vs. real life

[Tom Wiltshire]

I've used genuine comparator chips sometimes when required (DCO designs), but mostly for the open-drain output it has to be said, rather than any clever high speed malarkey.

Other that than, no fancy op-amps. I go cheap-n-cheerful for op-amps. The modern ones are good enough it never matters, at least to someone with my standards. Call it "character" and be done with it. If you've read as many 1970's stomp box schematics as I have, you'll think we're living in component wonderland as it is. Who could possibly ask for more??! Better than the 4558? How is that possible?!

Mostly I regard a limited slew rate as a benefit rather than a problem. Who wants high-speed sharp edges chucking RF interference all over their circuit anyway? Much better to keep everything slowed down and audio frequency…but then I blew my hearing listening to Hendrix when I was a teenager, and I don't care above 13KHz, and only design stuff to work to 20KHz, like they did back in the 70s. This idea that we should all have every detail to 25KHz is fairly new. I don't think it's necessarily an improvement.

Hoping I win you over to my out-dated mode of working,
Tom


On 8 Apr 2014, at 13:19, Justin Owen <juzowen at gmail.com> wrote:

> A general question...
> 
> I'm assuming most of us throw the TL072 or similar at most of our audio circuit op-amp requirements right?
> 
> Can any of you give some examples of where you specified an op amp with better/faster slew specs because standard op-amps weren't fast enough?
> 
> Asking because I'm working on a pulse output circuit (frequency up to 20KHz) that I'd like to shave every last µSec out of in order to get the sharpest response - but I'd also like a reality check on how much to worry about the slew and slight imperfections I'm seeing in sim (using Universal Op Amp 2) and how that will translate to real life.
> 
> Yes, at some point I will breadboard/protoboard it - just be good to get a general consensus before that.
> 
> Ta!
> 
> - J 
> 
> 
> 
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