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OPamps still inferior to discrete circuits?

Do the current OPamps sound good? Are they comparable to the best "discrete OPamp" designs? If you have two identical DAC's. One DAC has world's best OPamps and the other DAC has a state of the art discrete analog section: which will sound better? Of course: the unit with the OPamps will be (much) cheaper than the one with the discrete analog section, but that's another discussion.

Chris
dazzdax
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Yes - quality op amp packages can have outstanding performance. The only reason to use discrete components is for building output side of power amps. This is because of the high heat.
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
Is the Burr Brown OPA627 better than the Burson discrete OPamp?

Chris
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shadorne
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I have not seen the data to compare the above two - but generally it is accepted that a high quality OP amp can achieve better measured performance (S/N etc.) than discrete. Whether you like the sound of it or not is another matter -as measured performance is not the holy grail for many.
tobias
1,534 posts
 
To take a slightly more concrete example rather than a theoretical one, I have not yet heard a phono stage based on op amps that could equal a discrete-component design for refinement and sonic magic. I'm thinking of the best phono stages I've heard, the Audiomat 1.5, the Ensemble Fonovivo, the SimAudio Moon LP5.3. The op amp designs cost less, and it shows in their sound.

I haven't heard the Burson, though. It certainly intrigues me, and it's not too high-priced.
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