autir said:
I would like someone to recommend an operational amplifier IC.
Definitely NOT the 741 with its offset null pins and its dual power supply. I want something with a single V+ and GND and which does not need external adjustments to be calibrated.
All single opamps have offset null pins. Their max input offset voltage is as low as the distorted, noisy, narrow-band old 741 opamp and is only 6mV so doesn't matter in an AC circuit.
All opamps work fine with a single V+ and GND. They just need to be biased correctly when using a single supply. See my sketch.
Of course it has to be popular (easy to find in Europe, even in the future).
Decent quality in audio frequencies, the ability to drive 4 Ohm loads and a reasonable price would be considered a plus.
I don't know about Europe, but the TL071 single, TL072 dual and TL074 quad opamps are popular and inexpensive in Canada. They have very low distortion, fairly low noise and wide bandwidth. They have JFET inputs that are useful when needed in very high impedance circuits. Like most other JFET-input opamps, their output inverts if an input exceeds the negative common-mode range (about 1.5V above the negative supply voltage, or above ground in a single supply circuit). This only happens if you turn-up-the-volume way too high and sounds cool if its gain is low so it doesn't clip. On a 'scope it looks like the output suddenly turns inside-out.
Opamps can't drive 4 ohms, a power amplifier is needed. Most opamps can drive a minimum load of 2k ohms, a few can drive 600 ohms. I try not to load an opamp with less than 10k ohms. ;D
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