Op-amp specs boil down to two main numbers: slew rate and drive current. Slew rate (measured in V/µs) is how fast the op-amp can adjust its output voltage; higher values mean better handling of transients. Drive current (measured in mA) is how much current the op-amp can deliver to its load, which becomes critical for driving low-impedance or capacitive inputs. For both metrics, bigger is usually better. Here’s how the contenders stack up: LME49720: 20 V/µs, 26 mA NE5532: 9 V/µs, 38 mA Sparkos SS3602: 23 V/µs, 50 mA Oracle II 02: 35 V/µs, 60 mA MUSES02: 10 V/µs, 10 mA AD712: 16 V/µs, 20 mA JRC4580D: 8 V/µs, 50 mA The JRC4580D might seem unremarkable with its slow slew rate of 8 V/µs, but its 50 mA drive current gives it an edge when driving amps that demand more current. For high-impedance amplifier inputs, however, that extra drive current won’t matter much, and faster op-amps like the LME49720 or Oracle II 02 will shine. Where the Sparkos SS3602 and Oracle II 02 stand out is in both speed and current output. These op-amps deliver the best of both worlds, making them ideal for virtually any scenario, whether the load is demanding or not. So while the JRC might be a decent budget choice for amps that need drive current, the Sparkos and Oracle are in a league of their own, designed to handle high-performance audio applications without compromise. Think of the JRC as a workhorse and the Oracle as a racehorse-they both pull weight, but one does it faster and more elegantly.
Really appreciate the detailed OpAmp replacement description and the time you put into it. I'm hearing the same thing with the JRC - a bit colder more space (but not bright or harsh) in the soundstage. It's working for me with my near field speakers (monitors) in my desk setup which probably similar with headphones. I've got the SX53B from Aliexpress that old man hifi recommended and looking forward to trying those out. Cheers!
I received a ZD3 recently and I honestly like it. I also don't find anything groundbreaking about the sound although I will say it's at least as good as the SMSL SU-1, with possibly a slightly larger soundstage, if that makes any sense. I've used the HDMI ARC input and I did notice a jump in sound quality from my LG TV over using the optical option. I haven't tried swapping the op amps as I've never done anything like that before; I've always been a little hesitant to mess with anything on a circuit board. I've just subscribed, though, and wanted to say nice review, Dave.
I would encourage you to try the op amp swap.. if it you have the money to spend. It’s really not difficult just be deliberate and gentle when removing the old and switching in the new. Lots of instructional videos on how to do it, although there may not be any for your specific piece of gear.
my ZD3 is out for delivery :) the ZA3 will be mine in january . but i'm hoping the upcoming ZP3 preamp will have balanced in and out along with RCA in/out and a headphone output . any idea if my wishes will be granted or do you know when it might be released ? ...... NDA probably has you gagged for a while though (: . take care dude :)
I enjoyed your video. I say this tongue in cheek, so don’t be offended, but you seem like the copy writer who is forced to appear on camera after the anchor has a cardiac arrest and keels over. In other words, very human. Now the review. I never thought dacs made any difference, but after sampling various music players/devices I can say unequivocally I am Team Sabre and definitely not team AKM. Not sure about Cirrus dacs, no data yet, Amazon has tempted me with various FIIO stuff… Having said this about dacs I am now very curious about swapping op amps, to the point where I am curious if a product is available that has front-panel switching between various op amps. Anywhoo I’ve liked and subscribed so you are now the new anchor 🫡
@@bonaventura_AKA_ben Thanks for the comment. Glad you enjoy the channel content. I don't know about a product that you can swap OpAmps from the menu but the Douk Q11 has two different DAC chips you can flip between.
Respectfully Dave…. I really didn’t need to watch the first half of this video… I can go to the Fosi website for that info. I am not even sure what point you were making with the op amp section of this video as well other than you like the JRC op amps for more critical listening and the LME is a more fun listen. Why I watch your videos is for an honest review plus comparison of the item you are discussing and you didn’t come near to doing this, in this video. How does the product compare to the DAC/headphone amps you mentioned in this video? How is the DAC section of this device? Can the amp be used with IEM’s? What does the device sound like with a linear power supply or a better switch mode power supply? In short you didn’t show us the screen display, compare the sound quality and did tell us what sounds like. ALL THINGS YOUR VIEWER come to your channel for and can’t do since they don’t have your experience (educated ears), the review unit on hand other devices to compare.
Ummm it's a DAC only and doesn't have a headphone output. Also I covered how it sounds with the different OpAmps because that is how it produces the sound. I gave my honest opinion about the device and how it functions and sounds. Display is extremely hard to show on camera with my editing skills. The specs are mentioned because not everyone wants to look them up. Also as with all my reviews, I review I stock form so power supply changes will not be covered unless a secondary option is provided by the mfg as part of the package. Chapters are available so you can skip around if you so choose: 06:55 OpAmp Swapping 08:05 Testing Omissions/Admissions 09:45 Sonic Impressions/OpAmp Differences 16:55 PreAmp Abilities 18:05 Conclusion
You need to assess it for the price tag it is selling. In the future, you need to give it a rating for the price range each piece of equipment is selling for. Some reviewers have already done that; it is a FAIRER way of reviewing a piece of equipment. My assessment summary(I bought one with my own money), for what it is worth and selling for it is a steal. The consumer is getting a lot for the price. You cannot compare it against those selling at sub par US$1000. At the end of the day, it is a little too clinical, not enough musicality but plenty of clarity and enough soundstage for most applications. a 41/2 stars for price and 31/2 stars for sound and musicality.
Here's a link to my terms and definitions: www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/the-honest-audiophile-s-terms-and-definitions-guide Cozy isn't defined in the list but it's a stage presentation that is small and intimate, gives a warm, close vibe
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Op-amp specs boil down to two main numbers: slew rate and drive current. Slew rate (measured in V/µs) is how fast the op-amp can adjust its output voltage; higher values mean better handling of transients. Drive current (measured in mA) is how much current the op-amp can deliver to its load, which becomes critical for driving low-impedance or capacitive inputs. For both metrics, bigger is usually better.
Here’s how the contenders stack up:
LME49720: 20 V/µs, 26 mA
NE5532: 9 V/µs, 38 mA
Sparkos SS3602: 23 V/µs, 50 mA
Oracle II 02: 35 V/µs, 60 mA
MUSES02: 10 V/µs, 10 mA
AD712: 16 V/µs, 20 mA
JRC4580D: 8 V/µs, 50 mA
The JRC4580D might seem unremarkable with its slow slew rate of 8 V/µs, but its 50 mA drive current gives it an edge when driving amps that demand more current. For high-impedance amplifier inputs, however, that extra drive current won’t matter much, and faster op-amps like the LME49720 or Oracle II 02 will shine.
Where the Sparkos SS3602 and Oracle II 02 stand out is in both speed and current output. These op-amps deliver the best of both worlds, making them ideal for virtually any scenario, whether the load is demanding or not. So while the JRC might be a decent budget choice for amps that need drive current, the Sparkos and Oracle are in a league of their own, designed to handle high-performance audio applications without compromise. Think of the JRC as a workhorse and the Oracle as a racehorse-they both pull weight, but one does it faster and more elegantly.
Thanks for the information, very helpful.
@ you’re welcome
Really appreciate the detailed OpAmp replacement description and the time you put into it. I'm hearing the same thing with the JRC - a bit colder more space (but not bright or harsh) in the soundstage. It's working for me with my near field speakers (monitors) in my desk setup which probably similar with headphones. I've got the SX53B from Aliexpress that old man hifi recommended and looking forward to trying those out. Cheers!
Awesome 😎
Good morning Dave thank you for keeping me company on my drive in. Hope you have a great Halloween coming up and take care.
My pleasure, you're welcome. Have an amazing day!
Hey Dave, cheers for another excellent review. I was looking at this unit as a pre amp for the xduoo mt604 xx
Ohh interesting, that would probably be a good pairing. I've not heard it.
I received a ZD3 recently and I honestly like it. I also don't find anything groundbreaking about the sound although I will say it's at least as good as the SMSL SU-1, with possibly a slightly larger soundstage, if that makes any sense. I've used the HDMI ARC input and I did notice a jump in sound quality from my LG TV over using the optical option. I haven't tried swapping the op amps as I've never done anything like that before; I've always been a little hesitant to mess with anything on a circuit board. I've just subscribed, though, and wanted to say nice review, Dave.
Awesome 👍 Thanks for the impressions. Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing.
I would encourage you to try the op amp swap.. if it you have the money to spend. It’s really not difficult just be deliberate and gentle when removing the old and switching in the new. Lots of instructional videos on how to do it, although there may not be any for your specific piece of gear.
@MrAnon-g7m I didn't test with HDMI ARC, sorry.
Burson opamps fit the ZD3, great video 😎👍🏽
Good to know. Thanks for the kind words.
my ZD3 is out for delivery :)
the ZA3 will be mine in january .
but i'm hoping the upcoming ZP3 preamp will have balanced in and out along with RCA in/out and a headphone output .
any idea if my wishes will be granted or do you know when it might be released ?
...... NDA probably has you gagged for a while though (: .
take care dude :)
I enjoyed your video.
I say this tongue in cheek, so don’t be offended, but you seem like the copy writer who is forced to appear on camera after the anchor has a cardiac arrest and keels over. In other words, very human.
Now the review. I never thought dacs made any difference, but after sampling various music players/devices I can say unequivocally I am Team Sabre and definitely not team AKM. Not sure about Cirrus dacs, no data yet, Amazon has tempted me with various FIIO stuff…
Having said this about dacs I am now very curious about swapping op amps, to the point where I am curious if a product is available that has front-panel switching between various op amps.
Anywhoo I’ve liked and subscribed so you are now the new anchor 🫡
@@bonaventura_AKA_ben Thanks for the comment. Glad you enjoy the channel content. I don't know about a product that you can swap OpAmps from the menu but the Douk Q11 has two different DAC chips you can flip between.
@@TheHonestAudiophile thanks I’ll go check it out!
"Very Human" = someone I can respect for their honest opinion....just sayin'
Did anybody tested it in combination with WiiM pro plus?
Sorry haven't heard WiiM Pro Plus.
Respectfully Dave…. I really didn’t need to watch the first half of this video… I can go to the Fosi website for that info. I am not even sure what point you were making with the op amp section of this video as well other than you like the JRC op amps for more critical listening and the LME is a more fun listen.
Why I watch your videos is for an honest review plus comparison of the item you are discussing and you didn’t come near to doing this, in this video.
How does the product compare to the DAC/headphone amps you mentioned in this video? How is the DAC section of this device? Can the amp be used with IEM’s? What does the device sound like with a linear power supply or a better switch mode power supply?
In short you didn’t show us the screen display, compare the sound quality and did tell us what sounds like. ALL THINGS YOUR VIEWER come to your channel for and can’t do since they don’t have your experience (educated ears), the review unit on hand other devices to compare.
Ummm it's a DAC only and doesn't have a headphone output. Also I covered how it sounds with the different OpAmps because that is how it produces the sound. I gave my honest opinion about the device and how it functions and sounds. Display is extremely hard to show on camera with my editing skills. The specs are mentioned because not everyone wants to look them up. Also as with all my reviews, I review I stock form so power supply changes will not be covered unless a secondary option is provided by the mfg as part of the package. Chapters are available so you can skip around if you so choose:
06:55 OpAmp Swapping
08:05 Testing Omissions/Admissions
09:45 Sonic Impressions/OpAmp Differences
16:55 PreAmp Abilities
18:05 Conclusion
You need to assess it for the price tag it is selling. In the future, you need to give it a rating for the price range each piece of equipment is selling for. Some reviewers have already done that; it is a FAIRER way of reviewing a piece of equipment.
My assessment summary(I bought one with my own money), for what it is worth and selling for it is a steal. The consumer is getting a lot for the price. You cannot compare it against those selling at sub par US$1000. At the end of the day, it is a little too clinical, not enough musicality but plenty of clarity and enough soundstage for most applications. a 41/2 stars for price and 31/2 stars for sound and musicality.
@@yttean98 here's a link to my review process.
www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/honest-audiophile-review-process
Thanks for the impressions.
Cosy? analytical?
Here's a link to my terms and definitions:
www.thehonestaudiophile.com/post/the-honest-audiophile-s-terms-and-definitions-guide
Cozy isn't defined in the list but it's a stage presentation that is small and intimate, gives a warm, close vibe
Shite review, Shite reviewer!