BC550/560

[edbarx]

However, they have a disadvantage. They are not usable in power amplifiers, since not voltage resistant at 50V+

In a power amplifier operating from high voltage rails it is easy to use these low voltage transistors by protecting their collector voltage using a cascode.

 

[Hicoco]

Its not very complicated. I have a few thousand of OnSemi/Fairchild BC550C and BC560C each (not in production anymore). I calculated the price I'd have to ask for a bag of 100 pieces. I ended up at about CHF 20 per bag. Then you would have to add shipping costs.

SDIL still makes those parts, soyou can buy those at lower cost from the big sellers. I therefore think that a proper group buy does not make much sense. If you still want some of my BC550C or BC560C, send me a PM.

I understand for BC550's, that is not obsolete yet, but for BC560 i am not sure if they have the same Characteristics, i did not find any report back from real user, especially about HFe..you have BC560CBU or BC560CG ?

 

[mbrennwa]

I have the CG version. How are they different from CBU or the CDIL parts?

All I could see from the datasheets is that the transition frequency is specied as 250 MHz for the CG, and less for the CBU or CDIL.

 

[stocktrader200]

KSC1845A, KSA992 make an excellent amp and are low noise, possibly better then the BC parts

 

[Mark Johnson]

KSC1845 does not appear on the website of ON Semiconductor. Which is puzzling. KSA992 is there.

 

[mbrennwa]

Part substitutes will depend on the application at hand.

 

[kn0ppers]

I have the CG version. How are they different from CBU or the CDIL parts?

All I could see from the datasheets is that the transition frequency is specied as 250 MHz for the CG, and less for the CBU or CDIL.

I think the noise spec is also slightly lower for the CG versions. Arrow still has fairly expensive BC550CGs, but no BC560CG and I don't trust the Chinese sellers for obvious reasons. Bought 100 each of the CDILs from reichelt for lack of alternatives. I usually only use SMD parts, so I arrived very late to the "buy good TH parts before they go EOL" - party. I will definitely order a few of the 550CGs from Arrow to compare to the CDILs.

 

[Hicoco]

I have the CG version. How are they different from CBU or the CDIL parts?

All I could see from the datasheets is that the transition frequency is specied as 250 MHz for the CG, and less for the CBU or CDIL.

They are same CG ONsemi and CBU Fairchild, i have no feedback for CDIL and i am not sure if we can trust the datasheet..

 

[spookydd]

The KSA/KSC are slower and they seem to be more different between the sexes. Not sure it's so easy to make matched pairs.
Plus there is no useful noise data in the datasheets I found. I'd like to compare that.
One thing they have going for them is their high Vce0.

 

[Sangram]

They are same CG ONsemi and CBU Fairchild, i have no feedback for CDIL and i am not sure if we can trust the datasheet..

CDIL products are best used as a temporary fix. Their QC is very loose, on a single batch you can get variance up to 15% on most parameters and the process control is very poor.

I would not use them where precision or noise performance is critical, or anywhere in signal path. They are probably OK for switching applications and general purpose high level amplification in circuits where hfe or noise are not of primary concern.

I would also stay away if tempco was critical, such as Vbe multipliers. We have had multiple failures on equipment using CDIL medium power devices, after moving to Onsemi those problems disappeared.

 

[Hicoco]

Thank, Sangram , appreciate sharing your experience and feedback.
I saw cpl of comment about, like this one from Salas , and i don't thing i will buy BC560 from them for my Preamp.

 

[spookydd]

I agree with Sangram about those "exotic" versions of those BCs.

I did get a batch of them some time ago, just in case, but I don't trust them.

That CDIL maker I believe is located in India, which doesn't entirely inspire much confidence. Feels more like a "legitimate" counterfeiter than anything else.

I don't have any way of properly testing those things, but I wouldn't trust them for critical locations and instead relegate their use to less sensitive purposes, such as VI limiter, or perhaps possibly the helpers at the VAS, maybe. I wonder if they're good enough to trust for current sources? Mirrors?

 

[Dennis Hui]

For those not wanting to purchase Rochester quantities, this looks like an interesting listing:

NOS BC560C PNP Transistor Fairchild Semiconductor X100 | eBay

 

[twitchie]

APEX P30ZF with stereo version uses 52 BC550/BC560, actually my New DIY project..

If you have extra boards, I will take 2 channels and I know someone who might (likely) want 2 channels as well. Please PM if you have.

 

[mbrennwa]

To group buy, or not to group buy, that's the question!

After I expressed my reservations regarding the group buy, I got a number of PMs asking for a bag or two of my OnSemi BC550C/BC560C. Also, the CDIL parts that are still in production do not seem to be "as good" at the obsolete Fairchild/OnSemi originals. So maybe it's not entirely wrong to reconsider the group buy idea.

Here's the deal: I will have to fill bags with transistors, put bags into envelopes, write shipping labels, work out shipping costs, send PayPal invoices, check for payments, go the the post office,... you get the point. Maybe I can make a deal with my kids to bump up their pocket money if they do some this, but still. Sooo, just to see if this makes sense: would you be okay to pay CHF 20.- for a bag with 100 transistors? Or CHF 60.- for 4 x 100? (shipping not included)

Let me know what you think, either here or via PM.

 

[Hicoco]

If you have extra boards, I will take 2 channels and I know someone who might (likely) want 2 channels as well. Please PM if you have.

That boards have not been tested yet i will let you know the progress in another thread...i would like to design an other version with a balance adjustment.

 

[Hicoco]

To group buy, or not to group buy, that's the question!

After I expressed my reservations regarding the group buy, I got a number of PMs asking for a bag or two of my OnSemi BC550C/BC560C. Also, the CDIL parts that are still in production do not seem to be "as good" at the obsolete Fairchild/OnSemi originals. So maybe it's not entirely wrong to reconsider the group buy idea.

Here's the deal: I will have to fill bags with transistors, put bags into envelopes, write shipping labels, work out shipping costs, send PayPal invoices, check for payments, go the the post office,... you get the point. Maybe I can make a deal with my kids to bump up their pocket money if they do some this, but still. Sooo, just to see if this makes sense: would you be okay to pay CHF 20.- for a bag with 100 transistors? Or CHF 60.- for 4 x 100? (shipping not included)

Let me know what you think, either here or via PM.

i am ready for 200 BC560C, and you do not have to send PayPal invoice, i will "sent $$$ to a Friend", Before could you please measure the Hfe for some...4 or5

 

[mbrennwa]

Oh, yes, forgot to add this to my todo list, somewhere between "filling bags" and "writing shipping labels".

Peak Atlas DCA75 says:

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-C Blue-E
hFE=555 at Ic=5.00mA
Vbe=0.797V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.026V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-E Blue-C
hFE=544 at Ic=5.00mA
Vbe=0.797V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.026V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-C Blue-E
hFE=545 at Ic=5.01mA
Vbe=0.797V at Ib=5.01mA
VceSat=0.026V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-C Green-B Blue-E
hFE=546 at Ic=5.00mA
Vbe=0.797V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.026V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-E Green-C Blue-B
hFE=564 at Ic=4.99mA
Vbe=0.797V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.027V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-C Blue-E
hFE=589 at Ic=5.00mA
Vbe=0.797V at Ib=5.01mA
VceSat=0.026V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-C Green-B Blue-E
hFE=550 at Ic=5.01mA
Vbe=0.796V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.026V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

NPN Silicon BJT
Red-E Green-B Blue-C
hFE=540 at Ic=5.00mA
Vbe=0.799V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.026V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

------------------------------------------------------------

PNP Silicon BJT
Red-E Green-C Blue-B
hFE=517 at Ic=5.01mA
Vbe=0.790V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.036V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

PNP Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-E Blue-C
hFE=529 at Ic=5.02mA
Vbe=0.790V at Ib=5.01mA
VceSat=0.033V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

PNP Silicon BJT
Red-C Green-B Blue-E
hFE=571 at Ic=4.97mA
Vbe=0.791V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.032V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

PNP Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-E Blue-C
hFE=532 at Ic=5.02mA
Vbe=0.786V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.035V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

PNP Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-C Blue-E
hFE=526 at Ic=5.00mA
Vbe=0.789V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.034V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

PNP Silicon BJT
Red-B Green-E Blue-C
hFE=582 at Ic=5.02mA
Vbe=0.792V at Ib=5.00mA
VceSat=0.032V at Ic=5.0mA and Ib=1.00mA
IcLeak=0.000mA

 

[PRR]

> CHF 20.- for a bag with 100 transistors?

21 US cents per device.

Far too cheap for DIY, for known-GOOD parts.

A buck a part is a little high, but 21 cents is far too low.

 

[JMFahey]

That CDIL maker I believe is located in India, which doesn't entirely inspire much confidence.

WHY do you say so?

Sound like bias and prejudice to me.

There must be some reason for very high quality component makers such as EPCOS/TDK install plants in India, don´t you think?

A couple TDK capacitor and ferrite factories in India:

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

BEST modern 2N3055 I used (besides mythical RCA 2N3055H in the 60´s and 70´s) were India made USHA/UR 2N3055H

I bet the Factory being operated by India´s Armed Forces and producing semiconductors for them shure helped 🙄

In-des-truc-ti-ble.

Bought them by the thousands in closed box factory cartons, sadly supply dried up around 2003/2004 and I had to use much weaker ON or ST epitaxial ones.