Favorite High Power Output Transistor

[mashaffer]

I tried searching and didn't find any discussion of this.

I would like to know what your favorite high power audio output transistors are. This would be a replacement for 2N3055. I would be looking for at least as much Current and Power capability with improved linearity before feedback.

So are there newer more linear devices or are these things pretty generic?

[K-amps]

For the 3055, I'd use the MJ15003/4 or Toshiba's 2sd424/2sb554 all in TO-3 paks.

If you want to go flatpak, the 2sb817/2sd1047 are inexpensive but if you want to go extra, the MJL1302/MJL3281 variants are hard to beat. But because being fast devices, you might want to make sure your topology can handle it.

[zinsula]

From Sanken: 2SC2922 (NPN) and 2SA1216 (PNP).
http://www.schuro.de/Daten/Japanhalbleiter/2SA1216.pdf
http://www.schuro.de/Daten/Japanhalbleiter/2SC2922.pdf

Regards
Tino

[OliverD]

My favourite list for audio power amplifier output devices:

Toshiba:

2SA1943 / 2SC5200
2SA1987 / 2SC5359

Sanken:

2SA1216 / 2SC2922
2SA1294 / 2SC3263

All types mentioned above are really high quality devices intended specificially for audio power amp applications. I can get those devices from my distributor really cheap, but minimum order quantities are high. They are much better than 2N3055 and are no drop-in replacements for this old device in most applications.

Sanken devices are generally more expensive and you are more likely to get fakes.

In USA, most people will buy On-Semi devices, I'm not familiar with those.

[Workhorse]

4 Years ago my Favourite BJT was MJ21196 and MJ21195
But now we are using mosfets for output stages therefore BJT's are long gone from us now at least output stage is concerened.

Regards,
Ampman

[Jay]

I don't have favourite transistors, because I don't know how to compare them. Swapping transistors in the same circuit is of course not fair.

Another problem is I usually find transistors of the same type but with different sound quality. There are too many fake transistors/ICs, here in my country at least. And the Sankens also as AMT-freak pointed out.

Anyhow, I have been happy with Toshiba 2N3773 (hope I write it correctly). This is the big brother of 2N3055, specially designed for high power audio and with better linearity as well. And yes, Toshiba seems to have its strongest performance from mid to high.

[cunningham]

MJ802 & MJ4502 or (ECG181 & ECG180) type TO-3 are good linear High current devices for driving a lower output Z...like 4Ohms. They only have 100V breakdown voltage, but for higher current, you will have lower voltage than with 8Ohms. OHM's LAW

The beta is lower though so your drivers have to be larger... so what, big deal.

[millwood]

my favorite one is irf540: they are rugged, large soa, cheap. But most of all, I have a lot of them.

[anatech]

Well, for real 2N3055's, collector - emitter breakdown is 60V. -3dB point is 19KHz. We are dealing with Lambda power supply transistors as the original design. They were designed to not oscillate as pass transistors.
Other manufacturers likely have a higher FT, but watch for oscillation anyway.

[cunningham]

2N3055 and MJ2955 are cheap though and are good to experiment with because if you blow one up then your only out a few dollars.

Some of the good high gain linear ones will set you back a bit more.