[turretslug]

Originally Posted by Synchrodyne

Attached the HA12017 page from Ambit Catalogue #4. Note the “purple prose”: “At risk of being contradicted, the HA12017 is the best audio preamp IC yet. Certainly it has no peer at the price – and even when compared to the NE5534 series devices, the HA12017 is no worse - and by virtue of its low price and 10v output capability - probably a lot better.”

Certainly, Bill Poel was refreshingly iconoclastic, but in this case he seems to have overlooked the adage that one should choose one’s target wisely.

As far as I know, the HA12017 was more-or-less an improved version of the widely-used Toshiba TA7122 (which I think had a Hitachi counterpart with a four-digit number). This was essentially the three-transistor circuit in integrated form, intended primarily for the MM/RIAA job. I somehow doubt that it would or even could have done better than the NE5534 in that role, or even better than the erstwhile LM381, which was also included on the same Ambit page. The LM381 was also more versatile. But these low-noise preamplifier ICs were effectively made obsolete by the NE5534/2, which delivered about the best realizable MM/RIAA performance via an industry standard, multi-use opamp that could also be deployed for most other functions in a domestic audio control unit. Nonetheless the 1979 Signetics Applications, under stereo preamplifiers, referred not only to the NE5534, but also the NE542 and LM381 family.


Cheers,

Thanks- that's refreshed me on the article and how it sounded somewhat defensive in nature. Whenever debate turns toward uncalled-for trench-digging, hyperbole and ad hominem, I start to smell a whiff of brass (short a).