Re: What's the LM324 of the day?

mike wrote:
I've been designing hobby analog projects with the venerable
LM324 for longer than I care to think. My most recent databook is 1989.
But it's running out of steam. Power supply voltages are getting
lower 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 voltage
range, but usable with a 3V single ended power supply,
rail to rail output and wide input common mode range that
includes ground.

And be available in a package that a geezer
with 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 gnat
could eat more than one. I'm not building cellphones, I'm hanging
together hobby stuff with real wires and low density home brew
single-sided circuit boards. Real designers need leaded packages...
not to be confused with packages containing lead...although I'd rather
have lead coated lead frames. ;-)

Wide bandwidth is sometimes good...but the thing I liked best
about 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 ***.
I don't remember ever having one oscillate on me...even with caps
hanging directly on the inputs and/or outputs. A small amp is no
use 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


As John Devereux wrote the LM324 is still very alive and kicking. I use it all the time. If you want a reasonable low voltage performance it has a sibling, the LMV324:

http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lmv324.pdf

Costs a few pennies more though so I always use the LM324 when possible.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
.

Quantcast