umbrella , which stands for “ integrated circuit .” An op-amp isn ’ t a magical thing that just “ amplifies .” Each piece has a complicated circuit hiding in its tiny shell — an integrated circuit if you will —
“ monolithic ,” otherwise known as the familiar black package we all know and love . Before the black package , ICs used to come in a metal-can package , looking much like germanium transistors but with many more legs . Some limitededition pedals use the metal-can versions as a selling point .
Because ICs are literally a circuit within a larger circuit , there are many , many more IC types than we will see in stompboxes . Some pedals , like the Death by Audio Robot , use ICs meant for voice changer toys , veering well off the established path . Like transistors and diodes , all ICs have what ’ s called a datasheet , where regular Joes like you and I can look up what each IC does in often excruciating detail .
FIG . E consisting of a vast network of transistors , capacitors , resistors and diodes , all miniaturized and placed in a convenient bundle . Many people refer to this bundle as a “ chip .”
There ’ s much ado these days about “ discrete op-amps .” This term simply means that all the parts that normally comprise the internals of an IC represented and the circuit is built outright , with carefully chosen and finely-tuned parts for optimum sound quality . The opposite of discrete is
Even the larger digital ICs , such as Strymon ’ s SHARC platform and the ubiquitous Spin FV-1 are still ICs all the same , with analog-to-digital ( and vice versa ) converters turning your signal to math and back again .
Hopefully this guide aids you on your component hunt ! These are the building blocks of our world , more or less , and it pays to be familiar with them . Knowing the difference and what each part does dramatically increases your shopping IQ and you can make more informed purchasing decisions as a result . Happy partwatching !
umbrella , which stands for “ integrated circuit .” An op-amp isn ’ t a magical thing that just “ amplifies .” Each piece has a complicated circuit hiding in its tiny shell — an integrated circuit if you will —
“ monolithic ,” otherwise known as the familiar black package we all know and love . Before the black package , ICs used to come in a metal-can package , looking much like germanium transistors but with many more legs . Some limitededition pedals use the metal-can versions as a selling point .
Because ICs are literally a circuit within a larger circuit , there are many , many more IC types than we will see in stompboxes . Some pedals , like the Death by Audio Robot , use ICs meant for voice changer toys , veering well off the established path . Like transistors and diodes , all ICs have what ’ s called a datasheet , where regular Joes like you and I can look up what each IC does in often excruciating detail .
FIG . E consisting of a vast network of transistors , capacitors , resistors and diodes , all miniaturized and placed in a convenient bundle . Many people refer to this bundle as a “ chip .”
There ’ s much ado these days about “ discrete op-amps .” This term simply means that all the parts that normally comprise the internals of an IC represented and the circuit is built outright , with carefully chosen and finely-tuned parts for optimum sound quality . The opposite of discrete is
Even the larger digital ICs , such as Strymon ’ s SHARC platform and the ubiquitous Spin FV-1 are still ICs all the same , with analog-to-digital ( and vice versa ) converters turning your signal to math and back again .
Hopefully this guide aids you on your component hunt ! These are the building blocks of our world , more or less , and it pays to be familiar with them . Knowing the difference and what each part does dramatically increases your shopping IQ and you can make more informed purchasing decisions as a result . Happy partwatching !
48 TONE TALK // A Field Manual for Effect Pedal Componentry