Op-Amps 4558 vs TL072 vs OPA2134 vs 5532 vs LM741 vs LM833 vs LF353 vs OP07

moonlightpedalbuilds

Well-known member
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of these opamps?

Let's start with the RAT.

Original uses LM308/OP07. The EHX Flatiron used LM741.
 
JHS will tell you it doesn't matter.
Some people will tell you some are inherently noisy, some will ramble about slew rates, some will go on and on about input impedance.

At the end of the day it's mostly down to personal preference and the specific circuit. Just because one op amp sounds great in a Rat, it doesn't mean it will sound great in just any other circuit. For the Rat I'd prefer an LM741 over an OP07 but a genuine LM308AN sounds best to me. And TL071 sound like thin and bright garbage. But also it's not the only deciding factor. In my experience the quality of the JFET buffer matters more than it's given credit for.

I like JRC4558DDs in Tubescreamers but hate them in something like a Guvnor or Crunchbox. OPA2134 is great for buffer and clean applications but I never liked it for overdrive/distortion. TL072 works most of the time but I almost always find a better substitute in dirt pedals. And without mentioning every op amp in existence, I'll close with I yet have to find a circuit where an NE5532 is the best possible option.
 
TL072, cheap, high input impedance, quiet.
NE5532/LM833, good for low noise in EQ/Filter jobs, don't stick them everywhere unless you've got an idea what you're doing, high current draw, low input impedance and have some quirks in certain situations.
4558, fair overall op amp, not as good spec wise as the TL072, but sometimes you don't want pristine.
OPA2134, TL072 for people who like to make their builds more expensive.
LM308, pretty much only applicable for the rat, reams of discussion on this out there, it's about its speed and bandwidth, it's crappyness turns out to be a bit desirable (to most but not all people).
LM358 LFO opamp for when you want to swing closer to ground.
LM1458, TL062 every other LFO.
 
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