Page 1 of 1

2N929

Posted: 31 Dec 2013, 09:49
by polifemo
Hi,

I've got some silicon/npn/metal can 2N929 transistors that I bought 2 years ago, and that I really like the sound of.
I'd like to buy some more of them, but my supplier has ran out of them...

There's no company name printed on the transistor, but apart from "2N929" it also says "M348".

Anyone that know what transistor this might be?

Re: 2N929

Posted: 31 Dec 2013, 11:02
by tasteless
Hey Man ,

Take a look here -
http://alltransistors.com/crsearch.php? ... &caps=TO18

They list over 40 potential substitutes , So I would imagine there would have to be something fairly close.

Re: 2N929

Posted: 31 Dec 2013, 11:54
by polifemo
Thanks. Right now I don't get much information out of those numbers, but maybe I will.

Re: 2N929

Posted: 01 Jan 2014, 11:02
by polifemo
If someone would be so nice and explain WHAT - in a datasheet like these - is of importance sonically when using a transistor in a Fuzz, it would be much appreciated! (I DO understand the importance of HFe)

Regarding the 2N929: http://alltransistors.com/transistor.ph ... istor=6434 what I like about it is that it sounds quite fat/dark, that it has a nice compression and that it distorts a but more than many other transistors.

Is it possible to trace these characteristics in any of the specs in the datasheet?

Re: 2N929

Posted: 01 Jan 2014, 12:24
by tasteless
I was just directing You to the list of substitutions.
I looked around for a couple of them But , They ALL seem to be fairly obscure ( and expensive ).

Apart from Hfe - The spec sheets won't really indicate any 'sonic' characteristics as such.
Which circuit are You using them in ?

Re: 2N929

Posted: 01 Jan 2014, 12:40
by polifemo
Hi,

I've been using them in "Q2" in FF/Mk1.5 type of circuits, and there's just "something" about them that I like a lot.
(The HFe measures 130 - 250 in the stash I've got)

When I bought them 2 years ago I payed about 3.70usd for 20 of them!

Spec wise the TI474 seems to be identical to the 2N929:
TI474: http://alltransistors.com/transistor.ph ... stor=46729

Re: 2N929

Posted: 01 Jan 2014, 14:00
by Davelectro
hfe-wise is very similar to 2N2369A -which is one of the best options for a smooth, low gain fuzz face-.

And probably less noisy because of its lower fT (30 Mhz).

Re: 2N929

Posted: 01 Jan 2014, 15:53
by polifemo
Davelectro wrote:hfe-wise is very similar to 2N2369A -which is one of the best options for a smooth, low gain fuzz face-.

And probably less noisy because of its lower fT (30 Mhz).
My 2N929 measure from 130 - 250 while a 2N2369A won't go any higher than 120.

I've got plenty of 2N2369's (measuring from about 60 - 100) that I sometimes use in Q1 in my low gain FF boxes.
When I'm lucky enough to find a 2N3440 with a hfe that is high enough - they usually measure at about 30-60 - I use these instead.

Re: 2N929

Posted: 01 Jan 2014, 23:04
by Davelectro
Interesting.

Datasheet says the hfe range for 2N929 is 40-120, just like a 2N2369A. :hmmm: