I've been designing hobby analog projects with the venerableLM324 for longer than I care to think. My most recent databook is 1989.But it's running out of steam. Power supply voltages are gettinglower etc. And I've lasted longer than my lifetime supply of 'em.What's the reigning jellybean quad op amp of the day?Looking for something like the LM324. Stable, low power,dirt cheap, available everywhere, wide power supply voltagerange, but usable with a 3V single ended power supply,rail to rail output and wide input common mode range thatincludes ground.And be available in a package that a geezerwith a hand held soldering iron can hook up...dip/soic etc.maybe a single-amp sot23 variant.Seems like everything in the trade mags today is so small a gnatcould eat more than one. I'm not building cellphones, I'm hangingtogether hobby stuff with real wires and low density home brewsingle-sided circuit boards. Real designers need leaded packages...not to be confused with packages containing lead...although I'd ratherhave lead coated lead frames. ;-)Wide bandwidth is sometimes good...but the thing I liked bestabout the LM324 is that you could just hook it up and it worked.Pick any spec and it was good enough. Rarely even looked at the spec sheet.I don't remember ever having one oscillate on me...even with capshanging directly on the inputs and/or outputs. A small amp is nouse if it takes a dozen passives to keep it stable.Would be nice to pick something that has a chance of being available a decade from now. Hate to waste the few brain cells I have left learning the idiosyncrasies of a new chip on every design.Recommendations for a LM324 replacement?Thanks, mike-- Return address is VALID!

It's the LM324 :)I don't think there are any.Unfortunately I find I have to pick the particular parameter(s) thatare important, and find the part that matches and has a good price.You *can* get opamps that "do everything", but they always seem to be3x the cost of one that only does just what you need and no more, fora given application.-- John Devereux

What's the LM324 of the day?

Jan 30, 2008 48 Replies

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Jim Thompson 18 years ago

[snip]

capable

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Joerg 18 years ago

capable

Same here, lots of TL084 used. But that's a very different beast with JFET inputs. The MC34074 is not a JFET part.

Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Jim Thompson 18 years ago

capable

IIRC the only difference is that a "super-beta" front-end was replaced with JFET's.

...Jim Thompson

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Joerg 18 years ago

capable

... causing major differences in input common mode voltage range. Also, the process doesn't quite offer the supply abs max of the MC34074. The TL074/084 is not at all a form-fit-function replacement for the MC34074.

Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Phil Hobbs 18 years ago

LMC6034 is a good possibility.

Cheers,

Phil Hobbs

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Phil Hobbs 18 years ago

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Joerg 18 years ago

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Tim Shoppa 18 years ago

has

le.

I had the same complaint in the 1970's... then the 1980's... then the

1990's... :-).

I don't complain anymore about that. And I can still buy LM324's, and LM723's too! (But, goddamn it, not the CA3046!)

Tim.

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Ross Herbert 18 years ago

: :I don't complain anymore about that. And I can still buy LM324's, and :LM723's too! (But, goddamn it, not the CA3046!) : :Tim.

If you can get by with a 16 pin package the CA3083 is still active. I haven't checked other parameters though.

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