Mod your Beresford 7520

[sum1]

Just curious, what spec data should i look for in the opamp datasheet to know if an opamp will work in a stable manner the 7520? i'm guessing supply voltage is one of them.

[marscay]

I will order a couple of AD826 & OPA2107 and see how they fare in the Caiman, i have a feeling they will both suit me just perfectly - detailed yet slightly laidback is what i am craving with my system.

[Codifus]

How many have messed around with opamp swaps on the Caiman?

After some heavy listening throughout the week i started to get the feeling i had lost some emotion or 'fun factor' with the stock Caiman versus my 7520+TH4032.

The WM8716 is a good upgrade but i just don't enjoy the 4562NA with my gear, on the Caiman nor the 7520. Although more thansparent than the 5532 (which sounds ok in a Caiman actually) i just find the 4562NA too sterile and a tad bright partnered with the 8716.

Enter the fabled TH4032 on the Caiman which was my preference opamp on my 7520, my initial response was WOW but after testing a few albums as others have found out it is just too strong on the upper freqs and gets tiring very quickly ....but amazing resolution for acoustic tracks.

I have settled on the LT1364 for now, much less fatiguing than the 4032 but with around the same amount of resolution ...i don't know if it's a keeper but it is sounding very good and this particular opamp doesn't have many hours on it so it may actually improve some yet.

Would like to try the AD827 next as these sound like they be the perfect opamp for me going by Trailers findings. The 8716 is really nice though, even the NE5532 with it sounds quite detailed but it is just a little muddy i've found.

Try the OPA2132 and enjoy

CD

[Covenant]

Try the OPA2132 and enjoy

CD

How exactly do you use this David-single or both replaced, additional capacitor, MC5/6 removed?

[StanleyB]

Isn't the OPA2132 FET input?

[marscay]

I will order a couple of AD826 & OPA2107 and see how they fare in the Caiman, i have a feeling they will both suit me just perfectly - detailed yet slightly laidback is what i am craving with my system.

Well the AD826 + Caiman are a great match indeed, think i'll put the case back on

[Codifus]

How exactly do you use this David-single or both replaced, additional capacitor, MC5/6 removed?

I have the OPA2132 in the line-out side. ML5/6 caps clipped. The caps are still there, but the circuit is not complete, so to speak. I'm not sure which chip is on the headphone side anymore, you need magnifying glasses to read these tiny chips, but I either have the LM4562NA or the original NE5532 chip on the headphone side.

I am totally loving it. Very tuneful, lots of rhythm, deep bass. These are my speaker system observations, mind you, not headphones. I've actually never used the headphone side.

Stan, yes it is an FET opamp and it sounds really nice in your 7520.

The LM4562NA I tried before had the advantage of being cleaner as in less distortion for a given volume, but the OPA2132 is so full bodied, rhythmic, and really likes to dance


CD

[Covenant]

Thanks David. Its not an expensive op-amp so I think I will give it a try.

[marscay]

The LM4562NA I tried before had the advantage of being cleaner as in less distortion for a given volume, but the OPA2132 is so full bodied, rhythmic, and really likes to dance

Do i take this to mean that you find the OPA2132 is a bit brighter than the 4562NA? or just more mid-range and bass energy which is where i found the 4562NA a bit lacking with my system.

[Codifus]

Do i take this to mean that you find the OPA2132 is a bit brighter than the 4562NA? or just more mid-range and bass energy which is where i found the 4562NA a bit lacking with my system.

Comparing the OPA2132 to the LM4562NA, the 4562 was brighter. In fact, I'd go so far to say that the LM4562NA was nearly perfect. From 50Hz and up that chip sounded great. In my system, however, I found the bass wanting. Where did the deep bass go? It was there, of course, but not strong enough to really enjoy. My feet wanted to tap but they just weren't feeling it.


Enter the OPA2132. Better balance. Deep, strong bass. A rhythmic tunefullness that I hadn't noticed before. Something about this chip with percussion and timing. Very intoxicating. Could be a touch warm, though. The top end is a bit more subdued when compared to the 4562. Others have described this chip as "laid back" and I guess that would apply to an extent.

Oh, and now I recall the logic with my switching chips in the headphone socket. With the OPA2132 in the line-out and the 4562 in the headphone socket, the system was definitely a bit too warm. I remembered reading on this forum that the chips in each socket have a influence on the chip in the other socket, so I decided to put the NE5532 chip in the headphone socket to hopefully balance out the sound. Initially I found that NE5532 chip had a tendency to have a "cold" mid-range, and hopefully that tendency would reign in the "warmth" of the OP2132 in the line out socket.

It seems to have worked but I must admitt that it could be in my head as this kind of change is very subtle.

Neither chip is perfect, but the OPA2132 advantages handily outweigh its faults in my setup. Bottom line is that I really, really, like listening to it. I turn on my system and listen for hours again.

CD