DIP8 90deg Right Angle Op-Amp Adapter

DIP8 90deg Right Angle Op-Amp Adapter

I designed this adapter because I wanted to fit a Burson V7 discrete op-amp inside my Fosi Audio ZD3, where there isn't enough vertical clearance to install it normally.

The adapter rotates a standard DIP8 op-amp by 90 degrees, allowing tall discrete op-amps to be mounted horizontally.

Required hardware

For the female DIP8 side I used a Nextron gold-plated DIP8 socket. On the PCB/device side I used 2.54 mm round male header pins.

Both components are readily available from Audiophonics as well as AliExpress.

The connections between the two sides can be made with virtually any suitable wire. The model includes individual dividers between the conductors, so even bare, uninsulated wire can be used for ideal sound characteristics. 😉

Each adapter also requires:

• 2× M2×5 screws

• 2× M2 nuts

• 1× DIP8 socket

• 8× 2.54 mm male header pins

• 6-8× short pieces of wire

Wire lengths

The approximate wire lengths measured directly from the CAD model are:

• 5.6 mm (these two shortest connections can be made with solder only)

• 9.7 mm

• 13.7 mm

• 17.7 mm

Two wires of each length are required for one adapter.

These are the nominal lengths between the connection points as measured in CAD.

Printing

I printed mine from flame-retardant ASA because of its good temperature resistance inside the DAC and, more importantly, because it gives me a comforting feeling that my little op-amp experiment is less likely to burn the DAC down. :)

Regular ASA or another temperature-resistant material should also work. I would avoid low-temperature materials if the adapter is going to be installed close to components that get hot.

No supports needed.

Model variants

I have also included versions with small access windows in the sides. These windows have no electrical or mechanical function; they are simply there to make soldering the internal connections easier.

Make sure to double-check the DIP8 pin numbering and orientation before soldering and installing the adapter. The adapter is a direct pin-to-pin connection and does not alter the electrical circuit.

Originally designed and tested with a Burson V7 in the Fosi Audio ZD3, but it can be useful with other DIP8 op-amps and devices where vertical clearance is limited.