DGE transistors, 2SB737?

[DLJ]

I have been looking for more 2SB737s and have been making the rounds of the chip brokers who claim to have some in stock. They are offering "DGE" 2SB737s at about $2.50 each with 35,000 available. They claim they are "made to Rohm specs" but I can find no information on this company. Anyone with any experience? Who is DGE?

[WuYit]

Hi,
what is your use of the 2SB737?

[DLJ]

Originally Posted by WuYit

Hi,
what is your use of the 2SB737?

Microphone output stages, and mic preamps.

[Joachim Gerhard]

This transistors are low Rbb´ ( ca.2Ohm ) devices designed and delivered by ROHM.
The purpose is low noise MC phono input stages. As far as i know ROHM stopped production some time ago. I have not heard that anybody else produces them.

[WuYit]

Hi,
I would definitely stick to original parts.
Have you checked this site for instance: 2SB737S current availability from distributor 1-Source Electronic Components
You should also consider 2SC2545 (2SC2546-2SC2547) from Hitachi that has even lower noise, wider operating frequency range and is better sounding, or 2SC3329 from Toshiba.

[MiiB]

Hiraga's Le pre pre...was made with these.. and still it's one of the best sounding MC-pre i have ever heard....only problem is that it eats batteries like.....

[WuYit]

Hi,
it`s almost certainly the best sounding MC-amp, I`m sure Joachim will unconditionally agree...

[Joachim Gerhard]

well, actually i was able to improve it. At least with cartridges with lower then 10 Ohm impedance. The current in the original Hirage is very low. It seems that he optimised for a Denon DL103 that has a quite high 40 Ohm impedance.

[WuYit]

Joachim,
Hiraga´s designs will not allow themselves to be improved easily so I have my doubts...

[DLJ]

Originally Posted by WuYit

Hi,
I would definitely stick to original parts.
Have you checked this site for instance: 2SB737S current availability from distributor 1-Source Electronic Components
You should also consider 2SC2545 (2SC2546-2SC2547) from Hitachi that has even lower noise, wider operating frequency range and is better sounding, or 2SC3329 from Toshiba.

Yes, in fact 1-Source are the people who offered to get Rohm, but later offered only DGE parts. I can find no information on DGE. I'm not going to buy 10,000 parts (minimum, at USD 2.50 each!) from a company I have never heard of. I guess no one else here has heard of DGE either.

The transistors you mention are NPN, we need PNP for emitter-follower output stages. Now we use Hitachi (Renesas) 2SA1084/1085 in new designs, which is the complement to the C2545 you mention, and it's OK but B737 has a different character that works well with one of our older designs. The complement of the 2SC3329 is 2SA1316 and those are as difficult to find as 2SB737.