IC or opamp? What is the difference?

[kristoffereide]

I was just wondering what the difference between an IC and an opamp is... If any

thanks for any answers

[WLS]

The Op-Amp is an IC.

Some IC's are just an Op-amp like the (TL-071) 1 Op-amp in the IC, (TL-072) 2 Op-amps in the IC,(TL-074) 4 Op-amps in the IC, etc...

Some IC's that perform other functions may have an Op-Amp included it depends on the chip. The Data Sheet tells all in most respects.

Hope this helps! 

[kristoffereide]

So "op-amp" is a function of the IC? o.k

Thanks!!!

[raulgrell]

Well, not really...

IC stands for integrated circuit. In essence, a "chip"... Op-Amps come in chip form, but not every chip is an op-amp...

So anything that looks like this:



is an IC, but not necessarily an op-amp...

[kristoffereide]

o.k so it's not given that all IC have an op-amp?
But do IC get used for anything else than op-amps in stompboxes?

[km-r]

there are lots of different non-opamp IC that are used in stompboxes... some common chips used are the delay chips, BBD chips commonly used as modulation effects, etc etc...

hey, have they ever thought of germanium chips? that'd be uber mojo! 

[anchovie]

o.k so it's not given that all IC have an op-amp?
But do IC get used for anything else than op-amps in stompboxes?

An Integrated Circuit can be any circuit that's contained within a chip. The processor in the PC you used to start this topic with is an IC.

There are plenty of ICs used in stompboxes that aren't just op-amps. The heart of a delay would be a fine example.

Edit: Looks like km-r was thinking of the same example as me - we just had a bit of delay between us!

[km-r]

Edit: Looks like km-r was thinking of the same example as me - we just had a bit of delay between us!

PT2399 is an IC

[kristoffereide]

Thanks guys. I took electronics in school, but many years have passed since I saw anything but 240V circuits. I need to fresh up my old skills Actually made a 50W tube-amp for a schoolproject! Made the layout and everything myself. Looks cool, sounds horrible, hahhaa

[Mark Hammer]

Op-amps are most often found packaged into an IC, but they don't need to be.  If you look at the schematic for the Boss Blues Driver, or Boss ROD-10, what you'll see are several cascaded operational amplifiers based on discrete components.

[davidallancole]

IC stands for Integrated Circuit.  An Op-Amp can be build discreet using individual transistors and resistors or it can be packeged together on a little chip called an IC or Integrated Circuit.  Many other things like digital logic, microcontrollers and transistors themselves can be packeged together on a little chip which again the chips are all called ICs.

[MikeH]

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?board=16.0

This project might help to shed a little more light.  It's a project that essentially lets you make an opamp out of separate components, instead of using an IC.

[R.G.]

All horses are equines, the class of horses, mules, donkeys, zebras, and probably others I'm missing. But all horses are equines.

Interstingly enough, although almost all operational amplifiers are integrated circuits, not all of them are. It is possible to make an operational amplifier out of separate transistors and so on. Most audio power amplifiers are like this.

But this is something that a beginner doesn't need to deal with until much much later.