I just bought some modest retail quantities of IRF9610, IRF610 and IRFP140N here in Singapore, labeled International Rectifier.
Surprise - firstly that I found them quite easily, secondly that retail price was almost half that of Digikey (US) , and almost 2/3 off the prices of RS Singapore...
After scratching my head I realized International Rectifier have manufacturing here - I guess sometimes local price advantages still exist....
Surprise - firstly that I found them quite easily, secondly that retail price was almost half that of Digikey (US) , and almost 2/3 off the prices of RS Singapore...
After scratching my head I realized International Rectifier have manufacturing here - I guess sometimes local price advantages still exist....
Digikey is the second highest expensive online place I've found for parts (on average)..
I think
newark is #1
digikey is #2
http://www.future-active.com has good pricing
on some transistors, in some cases 5x cheaper than
digikey.
another favorite which I do most of my ordering from
is www.mouser.com
I don't know why so many people flock to digikey?
I think
newark is #1
digikey is #2
http://www.future-active.com has good pricing
on some transistors, in some cases 5x cheaper than
digikey.
another favorite which I do most of my ordering from
is www.mouser.com
I don't know why so many people flock to digikey?
SY,
definitely, not all that glitters is gold here, most notoriously with connectors (RCA, XLR), which can be original, generic (clones of brand but not name labelled), fake with misspelled brand names... and possibly really good fakes as well.
So you go by look and feel of the part, packaging, store/shop, and price. Often a shop will carry originals, high price, and near identical generic/fake, low price, side by side - then at least you have a choice ;-) In the mall I mentioned there are possibly hundreds of electronics stores. After a while you find and settle on the ones selling the good stuff.
For transistors I suspect the same. So I checked manufacturing and labelling of the parts and it looks legit. A lot of the original semiconductors are actually made in Singapore, Malaysia or the Philippines, and many stores here are wholesellers - they carry 1000's parts in OEM boxes and will take out some retail quantities from a OEM box. So, makes sense if they're cheap.
Now, even legit parts could be factory rejects... Very easy pathway and very hard to check for. In my case all I can say that they all came from the same OEM type rail, measured Vgs was well in the range and spread was very sensible as well, actually better than I expected.
definitely, not all that glitters is gold here, most notoriously with connectors (RCA, XLR), which can be original, generic (clones of brand but not name labelled), fake with misspelled brand names... and possibly really good fakes as well.
So you go by look and feel of the part, packaging, store/shop, and price. Often a shop will carry originals, high price, and near identical generic/fake, low price, side by side - then at least you have a choice ;-) In the mall I mentioned there are possibly hundreds of electronics stores. After a while you find and settle on the ones selling the good stuff.
For transistors I suspect the same. So I checked manufacturing and labelling of the parts and it looks legit. A lot of the original semiconductors are actually made in Singapore, Malaysia or the Philippines, and many stores here are wholesellers - they carry 1000's parts in OEM boxes and will take out some retail quantities from a OEM box. So, makes sense if they're cheap.
Now, even legit parts could be factory rejects... Very easy pathway and very hard to check for. In my case all I can say that they all came from the same OEM type rail, measured Vgs was well in the range and spread was very sensible as well, actually better than I expected.
Digikey was sole-source for Linear Tech and Maxim -- but now you can buy directly from the companies through their websites -- although the turnaround is painfully slow. Digikey also carries the complete line from Nat Semi.thylantyr said:
Digikey will make up cables for you and the turnaround is very fast, I like to use their flat cables with the 0.100" molex connections, particularly in microprocessor circuits.
they also have some of the exact ESR specification capacitors --
one last thing about DK is that they only operate out of Minnesota so they don't charge sales-tax on orders, and the people are actually nice to speak with. If you order from the big distributors like Allied you inevitably pay sales tax on your purchases.
Future Active is good if you are going to buy a few hundred pieces.
Hock Hua,
those were SGD 2 a piece. And yes, the stocking seems to be erratic: one shop had plenty IRF9610 but no IRF610 or IRF140. The other had plenty IRF140 and just seven pieces left of IRF610. The date code on my IRF140 indicates late 2001 production so they don't sell them much I guess - like they buy one box and use it up slowly and then they're gone...
those were SGD 2 a piece. And yes, the stocking seems to be erratic: one shop had plenty IRF9610 but no IRF610 or IRF140. The other had plenty IRF140 and just seven pieces left of IRF610. The date code on my IRF140 indicates late 2001 production so they don't sell them much I guess - like they buy one box and use it up slowly and then they're gone...
Hi MBK
I hope I have. But well there are no local toroidal manufacturer around in Singapore. From what I know the cheapest toroidal transformer is from RS. They have quite a range too.
Are you working on AX amp? If you are you might have problem with off the shelves item from RS. Most higher VA trans. don't come in low voltage. I am working on a mini AX now. I got my transformer custom made. But it is a EI, very bulky. Save me quite alittle bit on the cost. Let me know if you are interested.
Btw, any deals for chassis? I am looking to get my chassis done.
Cheers
Hock Hua
I hope I have. But well there are no local toroidal manufacturer around in Singapore. From what I know the cheapest toroidal transformer is from RS. They have quite a range too.
Are you working on AX amp? If you are you might have problem with off the shelves item from RS. Most higher VA trans. don't come in low voltage. I am working on a mini AX now. I got my transformer custom made. But it is a EI, very bulky. Save me quite alittle bit on the cost. Let me know if you are interested.
Btw, any deals for chassis? I am looking to get my chassis done.
Cheers
Hock Hua
Hmm, yes I knnow about RS and they seem OK on price (unlike for the IRF's where they are 3x more expensive than Sim Lim).
I did a Google once and found all sorts of Indian origin toroids but those seemed like small dealers w/o websites that didn't do retail. Same BTW for Noble and Panasonic pots: they are actually made in SG but they don't sell them here, it's sad really.
Toroids are the classic example where you could get decent ones from India or China for cheap I would imagine ... if only I knew the sources here.
I am now working on a mini - A (non X so far, biamped system, low power OK) so the 18-0-18 are ok. The RS choices are a bit limited, yes. I just started doing experiments with Pass topologies, so far all in my system is DIY op amp based (preamp, x-o , EQ and power amp, all built with BB op-amps). So now I am experimenting to see what suits my tastes best, before I make huge investments.
I am interested in the X or AX, actually an X preamp would be especially cool too.
Enclosures: So far I used the cheap black rack units you get at Sim Lim for SGD30-40, they're decent quality (RS is SGD200 on similar units!!) if not exactly mind blowing esthetics. For custom I thought of riveting smthg together with Alu rails for curtains etc. in the future.
I did a Google once and found all sorts of Indian origin toroids but those seemed like small dealers w/o websites that didn't do retail. Same BTW for Noble and Panasonic pots: they are actually made in SG but they don't sell them here, it's sad really.
Toroids are the classic example where you could get decent ones from India or China for cheap I would imagine ... if only I knew the sources here.
I am now working on a mini - A (non X so far, biamped system, low power OK) so the 18-0-18 are ok. The RS choices are a bit limited, yes. I just started doing experiments with Pass topologies, so far all in my system is DIY op amp based (preamp, x-o , EQ and power amp, all built with BB op-amps). So now I am experimenting to see what suits my tastes best, before I make huge investments.
I am interested in the X or AX, actually an X preamp would be especially cool too.
Enclosures: So far I used the cheap black rack units you get at Sim Lim for SGD30-40, they're decent quality (RS is SGD200 on similar units!!) if not exactly mind blowing esthetics. For custom I thought of riveting smthg together with Alu rails for curtains etc. in the future.
Hi MBK
I had just gotten some irfp044n will try on the mini-AX.
I agree most transformer is from China and India. Almost impossible to custom build. A couple of days ago, I email some manufactor in Eastern Europe, the transportation charges is a little on the high side. Would cost a little Under 200 Euro for a 2kva trans. Well, maybe one of these days when I go to china, I might get a better deal.
Those simlim tower cheap chassis is value for money. But I have not decided if I should custom make the chassis. It is going to cost but at least it look better.
Cheers
Hock HUa
I had just gotten some irfp044n will try on the mini-AX.
I agree most transformer is from China and India. Almost impossible to custom build. A couple of days ago, I email some manufactor in Eastern Europe, the transportation charges is a little on the high side. Would cost a little Under 200 Euro for a 2kva trans. Well, maybe one of these days when I go to china, I might get a better deal.
Those simlim tower cheap chassis is value for money. But I have not decided if I should custom make the chassis. It is going to cost but at least it look better.
Cheers
Hock HUa
CH2 said:
here's a link for audio transformers -- E.A. Sowter Ltd in the UK. i received some correspondence from them decades ago -- they used to advertise in Wireless World and are now on the web:
http://www.sowter.co.uk/acatalog/
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