[sdiy] New TI 5532

[mskala at northcoastsynthesis.com]

On Thu, 7 May 2026, Sean Ellis via Synth-diy wrote:

> Just saw this thread, not sure if it was shared here.https://groupdiy.com/threads/the-new-ti-5532-chips-are-not-5532s-weve-used-
> for-decades.93707/

Sounds like the TL074H story over again.

It is a genuine problem that obsolete processes can't be kept running
indefinitely.  They can't necessarily keep making a chip that they've been
making for decades, and keep making it exactly the same way, especially
not with the commercial reality of dwindling demand for old analog parts.

If only one tech knows how to run the machine, and the output of that
machine already doesn't sell enough to pay his salary, then when that guy
retires it's not reasonable to expect them to have another one trained,
and keep doing so forever.  And there can be plenty of little gotchas like
"Oh, that old analog process involved washing the die in X solvent, which
we're no longer allowed to use for environmental reasons."  At some point
they may really have to pull the plug.

But I don't understand why they can't admit that they're outright ending
production of a given part, and assign a new part number (not just a
suffix!) for the "better" replacement.  Make it clear that it's a new part
and not just the evolution of the old one.  The supply of few-digit part
numbers isn't infinite, but it's big enough; and keeping the reputation
for dealing with customers honestly instead of jerking us around breaking
our designs, ought to be worth something.

-- 
Matthew Skala
North Coast Synthesis Ltd.