Difference Between LM386 and LM741
Cars and big rigs have a lot in common but one's a car and the other's a truck. Here's a cut/paste from another forum (elec-tech-online):


  if i were to design a discrete op amp, it would be very similar to a
  power amp design, except for the output stage, which would be just two
  small transistors for the op amp, but as many as 3 pairs of
  successively larger transistors (usually complementary pairs in a
  darlington configuration) for the power amp, because the power amp
  needs to source a lot of current to low impedance loads, while the op
  amp is usually used as a voltage amp .


And a summary of differences:


  The 741 has inputs that must be close to half the DC supply voltage. 
  The LM386 has inputs that work at its negative supply voltage that is
  usually 0V (ground).
  
  The 741 has a max output current of about 20mA so it can drive a load
  of 2000 ohms.  The LM386 has a max output current of about 810mA so it
  can drive an 8 ohm speaker.
  
  The 741 needs negative feedback resistors added.  The LM386 has
  built-in negative feedback resistors.
  
  The 741 has trouble above 9kHz.  The LM386 works well to 300kHz.