The new TI 5532 chips are NOT 5532s we've used for decades

#1

Saw this today on Wayne Kirkwood's site:

EDIT! Ian came up with a workaround to get to Wayne's site:

https://tinyurl.com/5epdzbxv

One link he posted is really interesting....first post showing major differences.

https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/a-new-ne5532-by-december-2025.437381/

The new 5532 is a turd! Wayne posted info on the still available...and much more expensive...NJM version.

"Oh Brian! The 5532 is SO old and obsolete! New SMT parts are so much better."

Fine, but what about all the billions of 5532s already in service in equipment, especially analog consoles? Chips do fail.

"Oh Brian! All that ancient analog equipment should be thrown in the landfill and replaced the latest digital gear."

Tell that to my clients.

Shrug...glad I'm old enough I won't have to worry about it too much longer.

Bri

Last edited: Apr 29, 2026

#2

They changed the input stage from NPN to PNP and dropped the slew rate from 9V/ µs to 5V/µs. It's a completely different part lol

#3

Were the immediate previous TI versions OK?; I have a couple of ceramic package Exars from the '90s that I could replace them with if not.

Last edited: Apr 27, 2026

#4

They changed the input stage from NPN to PNP and dropped the slew rate from 9V/ µs to 5V/µs. It's a completely different part lol Also!!! The "absolute max" rails spec went down from +/- 22V to +/- 18V. Many desks used +/- 18 rails or sometimes a bit higher. Never run your chips at or above "abs max"!

Calling it a 5532 is WAY beyond false advertising.

TI also recently did a very similar thing with the TL0xx chips.

I now detest TI and can never trust them again.

Bri

Last edited: Apr 27, 2026

#5

Is there no info from TI regarding the changes, and the reasoning of keeping the part number despite the considerable changes in design? Seems like an odd choice to make as a manufacturer that could lead to slot of unhappy customers that buy based on previous assumptions/experience with said part.

Why not call it something else, if fab prohibits old spec? At least a new suffix if they still wanted to use the same name. That's already done with military grade versions etc of the same part? It's odd

#7

..isn't this dangerously near being fraud?

#8

This sucks! Is it also the case for the 5534?

#9

In the datasheet in chapter 6.3.3. they still say SR=9V/ms. And it is also interesting that they removed the data for the maximum peak to peak voltage at the output. Regardless, for probably 90% of existing applications, all these changes will not be significant, IMO.

Edit. I also saw that the output stage has been changed. It used to be accepted that the NE5532 actually consists of two NE5534s, but now it is obvious that the two opamps are quite different and that they are moving away in terms of characteristics.

Last edited: Apr 27, 2026

#10

This sucks! Is it also the case for the 5534? at this moment is this only affect the NE5532 in Rev. K from December 2025? I'm in contact with TI for my primary job regarding the differences (there are many more than shown), but they're remaining silent.

#11

but they're remaining silent. Who would have thought...

#12

Many desks used +/- 18 rails or sometimes a bit higher. +/-19.5V in our SSL 5000!

Ok, ok, there are no 5532 in it, just 5534 and yes, the audio supply voltage should have been +/- 18V but in 1990 SSL could only meet the German ARD-specs by tweaking the circuits and raising the supply voltages.

But then again, haven´t there always been differences in 5534s and 5532s depending on teh manufacurer?

best from Bremen, Wulf

#13

This is not a problem for new designs, the 553x is already long in the tooth with newer options, so consider something else.

For repairs try to source a 553x from one of the other makers. Especially if the design engineer pushed rail voltages dangerously high (I didn't).

JR

#14

Nisshinbo Micro Devices still makes JRC5532 with original specs. My ADT desk at work is full of them. It uses +/-20V rails.