3 ms·

Is the cost delta really 12×? Looking at Mouser Canada, it looks like the cheapest 071 is the TL071CDR, at $0.138/each (Canadian) in quantities of 5k. The OPA

Is the cost delta really 12×? Looking at Mouser Canada, it looks like the cheapest 071 is the TL071CDR, at $0.138/each (Canadian) in quantities of 5k. The OPA2323IDDFR is $0.49 in the same quantity. > In the end, a 12x cost bump is a lot to swallow for a feature that most consumers are physically incapable of distinguishing between. I think that the performance of an op-amp should very rarely have user-visible effects. The more interesting question is whether the more expensive chip can make for a simpler design elsewhere. For example, can a rail-to-rail amplifier save the extra cost of needing charge pumps and split-rail design elsewhere? Also, not all domains should be cost-optimized. Hobbyist or prototyping work might best benefit from using a more expensive but more capable amplifier as a first choice, saving on the number of components that might need to be stocked in the home lab.

peteforde 2y ago
All good points! And I am no expert. FWIW, here is what I was going off of, price wise: https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/TL071HIDBVR/14835784 https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/... https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/OPA2323IDR/22147099 https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/... In other words, the cheapest TL071 variant and the cheapest OPA2323 variant on Digikey Canada, in a quantity of 1 (ie wildly expensive). $0.31 vs $2.70 means that I shouldn't attempt math before coffee; 8.7x is still a big bump, although I acknowledge it's not the 12x I disinformationed earlier, with apologies to anyone reading.
- rasz 2y ago
  If you are making a one-off $3 is laughable non issue, you will spend more for a lunch drink. If you are manufacturing something in the thousands the difference goes down to 0.252 vs 0.067 so merely $0.2 BOM bump. Also a no brainer if performance is on the line.
stephen_g 2y ago
Yes, and if you are actually buying in that kind of quantity you should be able to do even better. TI’s budgetary pricing estimate is US$0.252 per 1K for the OPA2323IDDFR and US$0.067 per 1K for the TL071CDR.

peteforde 2y ago

All good points! And I am no expert. FWIW, here is what I was going off of, price wise: https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/TL071HIDBVR/14835784 https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/... https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/OPA2323IDR/22147099 https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/texas-instruments/... In other words, the cheapest TL071 variant and the cheapest OPA2323 variant on Digikey Canada, in a quantity of 1 (ie wildly expensive). $0.31 vs $2.70 means that I shouldn't attempt math before coffee; 8.7x is still a big bump, although I acknowledge it's not the 12x I disinformationed earlier, with apologies to anyone reading.

rasz 2y ago
If you are making a one-off $3 is laughable non issue, you will spend more for a lunch drink. If you are manufacturing something in the thousands the difference goes down to 0.252 vs 0.067 so merely $0.2 BOM bump. Also a no brainer if performance is on the line.

stephen_g 2y ago

Yes, and if you are actually buying in that kind of quantity you should be able to do even better. TI’s budgetary pricing estimate is US$0.252 per 1K for the OPA2323IDDFR and US$0.067 per 1K for the TL071CDR.