Hairball has recordings made with some of their products, including the JE-990 and the BA512. Sound Skulptor also has a "listen" menu option. They all sound good, but they bring their own sound with them, and in some cases the difference is not subtle at all. If you are trying to build a HiFi preamp, you should probably stick with op amps that try to be clean and clear, and not those trying to recapture the "classic 70's sound".
They are in no particular order, other than my favorite one is first. If you know of more, please send me a URL from the contact page.
| Op Amp | Maker | ~Price | Power Supply | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990C+ | John Hardy Co. | $54.95 | ±15V to ±24V | Improved Jensen 990, Ein -133.7dBu, THD 0.005% @20kHz @+24dBu, Class A with RL ≥1.5kΩ |
| SL-2520 Red Dot | Scott Liebers Labs | $65.00 | ±24V | Matches the sound of the 1970's era API® 2520. |
| SL-2520 Blue Dot | Scott Liebers Labs | $65.00 | ±24V | Clean, like the newer API® 2520. |
| DIY-990 Op Amp Kit | Hairball Audio | $32.00 | ±12V to ±24V | Jensen 990 DIY kit w/SSM2212, caps and pins soldered |
| JE-990 | Hairball Audio | $60.00 | ±12V to ±24V | Improved Jensen 990 |
| BA512 | Hairball Audio | $50.00 | ±12V to ±20V | Upgraded BBC BA440 |
| DOA-17 | Five Fish Audio | $22.00 | ±18V | Kit, remake of an old design, THD+N less than 0.0034% |
| 995FET-Ticha | Sonic Imagery Labs | $69.00 | ±10V to ±24V | 0.00048 THD+N @ 1kHz, 1.1nV/√Hz, Class-A output |
| 990Enh-Ticha | Sonic Imagery Labs | $69.00 | ±9V to ±24V | 0.00045 THD+N @1kHz, 0.89nV/√Hz, Class-A output |
| SK25/SK99① | Sound Skulptor | $24.87 Kit ($95.05 assembled) | ±15V to ±24V | Kit, DC to 290KHz, Ein -131dBu, 100% Class A with RL ≥ 600Ω |
| 990A+② | JLM Audio | $45.16 | ±12V to ±28V | Improved Jensen 990, THD 0.00205%. Has the "A" modification, doesn't need the "C" modification. |
| Hybrid SMDv2③ | JLM Audio | $33.28 | ±12V to ±30V | FET input IC op-amp with high current output drive transistors. Class A or A/B selectable. |
| Twenty 5 Twenty | JLM Audio | $30.56 | ±12V to ±25V | Extreme precision version of the old original 2520 opamp, THD 0.0019% |
| FLICK535 SMD | JLM Audio | $33.52 | ±15V to ±28V | Their modern take on the FLICKinger op-amp |
| RED-25 Kit | DIY Recording Equipment | $25.00 | ±12V to ±18V | Mostly SMD kit (SMD soldered) '70s 2520 sound alike |
| M2 | Iron Age Audioworks | $25.00 | ±12V to ±24V | Cascode amp stage and quasi-complimentary outputs |
| Flick | Iron Age Audioworks | $25.00 | ±12V to ±24V | Inspired by the Flickinger 290-3 pre card |
| ROGUE FIVE | louderthanliftoff | $39.00 | ±12V to ±18V | "Mid-forward with low-end transient punch" |
| ROGUE SIX | louderthanliftoff | $45.00 | ±12V to ±18V | "Slightly slower and darker top end than the FIVE" |
| GAR AM10 | Barnett Industries | $49.75 | ±12V to ±28V | AM10 clone in 2520 footprint |
NOTES:
① The SK25 and SK99 are the same kit. You get the parts and docs to build either one.
② Circuit modifications, including current mirror biasing, eliminate the need for the "C" modification.
③ The JLM Hybrid SMD op-amp may be used as a headphone amplifier if the load is ≥50Ω.
You can get pin sockets for these from Sonic Imagery Labs, or from Mouser.com.
I get my 990C+ DOAs from ZenPro Audio. They also have a thing called the Clip-A-Lator, where you can listen to instruments and vocals, then hear them combined, through many preamps.
Modified: 2024-09-10
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