"Yes for the better nearly every time, it’s called evolving." What good is, "for the better", if the, "evolving" SS transistors are so hard to locate and OEM replacement parts are virtual unobtainium(the OP’s and my point)? The crappy, new production valves you refer to will still be easily available decades from now, which can(at least) quickly return a tubed component’s functionality. Further, EAT is currently manufacturing a few popular tube designations that sonically compare to their better quality, original counterparts (at a price). BTW- Flick any of my 70’s, welded-plate GE 6550A’s(or two 40’s, tall bottle Sylvania 6SN7W’s, two 40’s, Tung-Sol Round Plates or six early 60’s, Siemens grey plate CCa’s) and you’ll get virtually nothing(outside of maybe a broken hand). Cheers......=8^)
Where Do you buy TRANSISTORS?
There are PLENTY places to buy tubes, but nothing much around to buy TRANSISTORS. NTE replacements mostly BAD. Where to get REAL Sunken, Motorolla, Toshiba, NEC power transistors? Don't offer me ebay. Recently purchased NOS with clear marks of mounting onto the chassis and sent them back without even mounting them.
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ever-changing Yes for the better nearly every time, it’s called evolving. Tubes if anything have gone backward, that’s why the real tube die-hards prefer NOS, than to todays tubes. Like NOS RCA black plates, Seimans, Brimar, GE, Telefunken, Mullard ect ect. than todays rubbish from China and Russia Back in the old days I was told by a tube guru they had things like nickel plates in them, today that’s been outlawed. Also thicker glass in yester-years tubes, bakelite bases ( polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride) and it had asbestos mixed in as well, also outlawed. Todays are plastic bases and microphonic thin glass. Flick and NOS GE green label mil spec 6550 with you finger nail, it goes thunk, todays Chinese or Russian 6550 goes tinkle! Cheers George |
East Coast Transistor Parts used to be the goto. They are now www.kenwoodparts.com/ Ebay can be a bad place to look as there are so many counterfeits being offered that will simply blow up when installed. Ask me how I know. Its odd that its actually easier finding tubes now than it is semiconductors for gear that might be considerably newer than the tube gear. |
Thanks rodman, It's indeed neat seller with great selection of semi-s -- will definitely check if I need any parts from him. As I got now my restoration lab rolling, I can't risk or waste time on ebay searching for NOS transistors anymore. I don't find -- I either google replacement or find datasheet of NOS transistor and match parameters. Semiconductor parts shopping became later days BIG PAIN. Not every time Mouser, Newark, Digikey will have proper equivalents which means more time to spend to research each circuit element that needs attention. As an example, to restore vintage Peavey series 400 bass head amp, I had to wait 7 weeks to get 16 output power transistors. My orientation is on local sales, because I don't like to ship and don't like spending on packaging more than unit worth to handle it safe. Working with tube units is somewhat less complicated, but requires higher dollar customer. Moreover the investment for as-is unit is substantially larger vs. solid states silver plate receivers. |
A couple years back, I needed Toshiba MOS-FETs to repair a Hafler 9505. Bought a bunch of them from an eBay seller in Israel. Brand new, perfect and in the original packaging. One must know how to shop, on the Bay. This is the guy's store: http://stores.ebay.com/AudioFET?_rdc=1 |
http://www.profusionplc.com Above a link to a Sanken dealer Motorola you can get a Mouser - mostly as On Semi, another good domestic supplier is DigiKey Toshiba really does not make Audio Transistors anymore Best of luck Peter |