Awful Waffle LM741/UA741

[Kroars]

Hello all,

Putting together an Awful Waffle (hot cake) and as I’m inserting the UA741 into the socket I think “hmm, I haven’t heard much about this particular IC” so I start to read through the forums. Turns out a lot of the fine folks here with highly respectable opinions have mentioned that LM741 maybe isn’t the greatest IC ever created (to speak mildly).
I’m curious if there is a better alternative to this circuit? Has anyone tried LM308?
Many thanks!

 

[benny_profane]

The 741 is a single op amp. It’s a very old design and doesn’t have great specs. However, you’re making an overdrive that using op amp clipping. High fidelity op amps can sound pretty sterile and the clipping can be harsh. So, it’s not necessarily a mark against it. (It’s the same chip the 250 / distortion+ uses.) For possible replacements, you’d have to use another pin-compatible single op amp (e.g., TL071). You could try an LM308, but I’d recommend saving that for a Rat. In terms of spec improvements, the LM308 is a pretty garbage chip too. (But hey, it sounds great!)

 

[Kroars]

The 741 is a single op amp. It’s a very old design and doesn’t have great specs. However, you’re making an overdrive that using op amp clipping. High fidelity op amps can sound pretty sterile and the clipping can be harsh. So, it’s not necessarily a mark against it. (It’s the same chip the 250 / distortion+ uses.) For possible replacements, you’d have to use another pin-compatible single op amp (e.g., TL071). You could try an LM308, but I’d recommend saving that for a Rat. In terms of spec improvements, the LM308 is a pretty garbage chip too. (But hey, it sounds great!)

Gotcha. Thanks for clearing that up for me!

 

[benny_profane]

Gotcha. Thanks for clearing that up for me!

Definitely experiment. But don’t write off the 741 without giving it a try.

 

[benny_profane]

One concern with the LM308: you’ll have to solder a 30pf compensation cap between pins 1 and 8.