Mitsu M5201A switching Op Amp chips for Marshall VS series

[va3ux]

Anyone know of a good source for these chips in North America ?  I've come up with plenty of large volume suppliers via Google, but I don't a hundred of them.  I've got an offer in on a few from an eBay seller in Hong Kong and that may work out fine, but I still prefer local supply if possible.

Phil

[Enzo]

As a Marshall service center, I just order them from Marshall when I need some.  (Korg in the USA)  You could order them through any Marshall dealer or someplace like www.marshallparts.com

[va3ux]

Marshallparts.com didn't list any semiconductors on the website so I assumed they didn't carry them.

Since my original post, I ordered a sleeve of them off eBay.  I hope they're not counterfeit.  These chips are not easy to find (at least in small quantities).  I'm in Canada and only one supplier in the country has them.  $15 each and $100 minimum order.  To hell with them.

[J M Fahey]

Dear VA3UX. What I see is that Marshal, fed up with everybody copying them, resorted to use obscure, relatively unavailable chips. That way, it´s difficult for anybody to copy them, and in case you do, it´s very easy for them to prove it : you just can´t argue: "I was just tinkering in my Lab and ¡Oh my God, don´t tell me that by sheer chance MY design somewhat resembles Marshall´s"and they have your hands tied. I can tell you,  that ordering  a couple of them is easy , but asking for, say, 50 or 100 of them raises paranoia. "Hey, you aren´t trying to copy us!, are you ? Today they are using an even more obscure switcher, I think it´s "DG212" or something like that, not sure. It´s pin-compatible with other CMOS types, but it handles full +-15V (30V total); any substitution dies instantly. Other important point: M5201 is basically an TL072 + an internal switcher; it can´t cost more than 50 cents (or even less) in bulk amounts, but Matsushita won´t sell them to you, so Marshall can charge  3 to 4 Euro each. Whenever I tried to deal directly with Japanese companies, they often said they could supply me, but: 1) they never have stock, not even samples, 2) I must sign a "Buying Plan" stating, say, "I need 1000 in February, none in March, 2000 in April ..."and so on (they call it "Just In Time Production": JIT); 3) minimum quantity 10.000 units of each. Well, they're Japanese giants !!! Their terms are easy to meet for Fender, Marshall, Crate, etc. but impossible for us mere mortals. Good luck. PS: ¿Vous êtes Francophone?

[Enzo]

why would you assume EVERY part someone sells is on their web site.  COntact them directly and ASK for goodness sake.   Otherwise the web site gets filled up with page after page or plastic corner, plastic corner mounting rivet, plastic corner mounting rivet washer, etc etc.

A rule in our shop is never think up reasons not to check something.


I don;t buy the conspiracy theory.  Marshall wouldn;t bother.  Anyone wanting to steal the Marshall circuits could replace the 5201 with a couple JFETs and your op amp.  Doesn;t PV use the DG212 in their TL604 workaround?

[va3ux]

I didn't assume Enzo.  YOU suggested it.

Try walking into a Marshall dealer around here to order a chip for an amp.  You get a blank stare.

I just got a sleeve of 10 of them off eBay and they're fine. A no wasted time or gas driving around to Marshall dealers that only know how to order casters or replacement speakers.

[Enzo]

I am glad you fo0und them.

I am sorry I was unclear.  I meant that they would be a likely source, I didn't mean to infer they would list all their parts online.

[J M Fahey]

Hi VA3AUX, just as a curiosity, how much did you pay for them? Are they regularly available? Thanks.

[Enzo]

B&D showed the M5201 in stock at a little over $2 each.

www.bdent.com

[J M Fahey]

Hi Enzo, thanks for the link. I guess I´ll order 20 of them (their minimum international order) just as a backup. These kind of suppliers are very handy for my customers, seeing that from the beginning they´re set for international orders. The in-built Babelfish translator is a nice detail. Thanks.

[Enzo]

And last night I sent an email to www.marshallparts.com and asked if they had them.  Today I had a replay in my email from them.  They have them in stock at $5 each.

I don't use B&D all that often, but I have had success ordering Sanken power transistors from them.  So far no counterfeit ones.  That is mainly what I buy from them.  SO if you are putting together an order, consider that.  www.bdent.com

[va3ux]

Hi VA3AUX, just as a curiosity, how much did you pay for them? Are they regularly available? Thanks.

They were around $11 for a sleeve of 10 chips, plus shipping.  There were only 2 or 3 listings on eBay for them.  But that seller seemed to have a supply of them.

[va3ux]

I am glad you fo0und them.

I am sorry I was unclear.  I meant that they would be a likely source, I didn't mean to infer they would list all their parts online.

Understood Enzo.  An no apology necessary.  Thanks also for the B&D link - I was not aware of them at all until you posted.

Is it worth installing sockets on the board for these chips as they're replaced ?  I'm thinking that will minimize repeat soldering operations on the board if the chip needs replacing in future, and the new chip won't see any soldering heat at all.

I too worry about counterfeits. The picture of the chips in the eBay listing showed a chip that was indentical  in every way to the chips in the amp - font, logo, placement of markings. And the ones that arrived matched too.  BUT, there was another eBay listing for M5201A and based on the picture in that ad, I wouldn't touch them : no logo, no notch, no date/manufacturing code, and "5201A" was in the wrong position on the chip.