Electronic – Op-amp can add more than two voltages, while discrete transistors can’t

operational-amplifiertransistors

One of the application circuits for the op-amp is the summing amplifier which can add as many input signals as you need.

It was mentioned that this is one of the advantages of the op-amp over discrete transistors, as the only circuit with discrete transistors that can add two signals is the differential amplifier with the second input signal reversed before passed to the differential amplifier.

My question is, how does the op-amp add more than two input signals when it is actually made of discrete transistors circuits?

Am I missing something here?

Best Answer

A transistor can add n input signals, a crude example is the following

schematic

simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab

You can also do it with a common base circuit.