BD139-16 & BD140-16? Anyone use these transistors?

[grhughes]

Are they new, modern, fast? How's the c-b capacitance? Need 60c-e breakdown, >625mw. Thanks Ray

[cliffforrest]

You too can type "BD139 datasheet" into Google and get a .pdf dayasheet in seconds.

[grhughes]

I'm looking for real world experience! Datasheet says nothing about the c-b capacitance. Need to talk to a real person who has used them. Thanks Ray

[AndrewT]

Hi,
these are an old design and as usual the manufacturer at that time gave very few details.

What were they afraid of divulging? How large a spread in parameters existed at that time?

Surprisingly, modern versions with newly published data sheets do not show any extra information.

[lineup]

Originally posted by grhughes
Are they new, modern, fast? How's the c-b capacitance? Need 60c-e breakdown, >625mw. Thanks Ray

Very good transistors.
Along with TO-220, MJE15030 / MJE15031
these TO-126 are the most used as Drivers for Audio Output stages.

They are also often used as thermal sensors, placed on the heatsink.
To avoid thermal 'runaway' and overheating.

They do excellent compared to most alternative transistors
in my Audio Amplifiers simulations!

They are old, yes. There are newer surface mounted versions of these.
Even though old, they compete very well.
Maybe because there just isn't too many good audio driver complementary NPN/PNP around.


lineup

[x-pro]

Originally posted by grhughes
Are they new, modern, fast? How's the c-b capacitance? Need 60c-e breakdown, >625mw. Thanks Ray

You need to be aware that there are genuine Philips BD139 and BD140 - both are excellent devices (essentially these are BC639 and BC640 in TO126 package) and there are many other devices carrying these numbers - namely from ST, Samsung and many others, all of which are not very good at all from my experience. None of these "clone" manufacturers would give Ft parameter in their datasheet (Philips ones are rated at 160 MHz) and the device capacitances are about twice of the values for Philips (now NXT http://www.nxp.com )

Here is the link for Philips datasheets:

http://www.nxp.com/acrobat_download/..._138_140_3.pdf

http://www.nxp.com/acrobat_download/..._137_139_3.pdf

Unfortunately, these good transistors are no longer in production. So, if you are sure that you'll get proper Philips BD139/140 transistors - use them, otherwise I wouldn't touch these "clones" - they are not really good for anything, IMHO - even in a voltage regulator.

Cheers

x-pro

[quasi]

I use them all the time for;

- middle stages and V(be) multipliers in audio power amplifiers.
- output stages in small amps (headphone amps)
- audio and high frequency line drivers
- switches

Lots of places.

Cheers
Quasi

[jacco vermeulen]

Back in the old days you had to open a semiconductor book to look at a datasheet, instead of clicking a pdf.
Of course, the semiconductor data book comes free if you've got a relative employed at the Philips NatLab in Eindhoven.
Free online datasheets often are abbreviated versions, sometimes saves you 10 to 14 pages.

A bunch of BD139/140s in parallel make a fantastic class A headphone amp output stage.
Philips versions are much nicer, Cob of 5.7pF, downside that the power they handle is 2/3d of the different die version.

[peranders]

Originally posted by grhughes
I'm looking for real world experience! Datasheet says nothing about the c-b capacitance. Need to talk to a real person who has used them. Thanks Ray

What are going to use those for?

[x-pro]

Originally posted by jacco vermeulen
Philips versions are much nicer, Cob of 5.7pF, downside that the power they handle is 2/3d of the different die version.

"Different die version" is a completely different transistor altogether which by accident shares the name with the original Philips device. Most annoying is the fact that these are much slower devices that Philips and would perform considerably poorer in audio. It is indeed 12W device (Philips is 8W) and no Ft rating at all.

x-pro