Germanium Diodes

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AussieBen

Member
Joined 2020
#1
Hello everyone,

My question is about the 1N60 germanium diode that I often find in the early solid state equipment I own.

Firstly, I must state that as an owner of some nice older gear that I really enjoy, I'm only limited basic electronics and a lot of what I learn is from online reading, trial and error and importantly, my listening satisfaction. Basically put I'm a spectator watching all the professionals play out on the field.
Now that's cleared up here comes the question.

I need to have some 1N60's on hand and would like to know if there is a preferred choice of make to look for?
I've seen names such as, Thompson, Semtech and Zenith. Can anyone expand on these suggestions?

Many thanks
Ben
 
#2
Google Search, Ebay, anywhere you can get your hands on them !!! Germanium device aren't made any and all you find is (New) Old Stock.

I have a few here I keep in a pill bottle that I have had since my teenage years ( +40 ago? ) and they and 1N34(a)'s are on my list to get some more next time i see them at a surplus site.
I just saw some not to long ago really cheap!!
But, unfortunately I wasn't ordering stuff yet and i didn't save the link.

Some Good Ole' Motorola and RCA 2N3055 and 2N3772/3 and any high power HV BJT is what I am on the hunt for myself right now, so if I see any I will surely post the link here for you.

jer 🙂

P.S Also keep on eye out on local sales, at the beginning of last year I stumbled upon a guy that had a pallet Box or more of old military parts and deep in that pile as a gold mine mil. spec germanium BJT's small and power, many are some pre 65's stuff in square cans, the power ones I don't think are good for audio but i have not gotten one out yet to try out......... 100's of many many different types, And of Course, The oh so sought after 2N404's 100's of them, but again sadly not one germanium diode in all of that stuff !!! 😡
 
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#3
Well you're right, NOS is the only way to go, there are 100's of fakes out there as we all know, usually a Schottky that's labelled a germanium.

I ask if there is a preferred brand, subjective entirely I know but I do hear differences in caps and transistors hence I use alot of Elna, CDE, Russian Mil spec, Toshiba and so on. Thanks in advance.
 
#4
Some of the old names I came a across while researching the part numbers in my stock were mainly TI, RCA, Sprague, Central Semiconductor (I think may still exist) is a mian one.

I used to think that the 1N34a was the holy grail of such device until I read a little article on the 1N60 about 10-15 years ago and all of a sudden the whole world was on a hunt for them, prices went up and the supply slowly dwindled down just like all of the classic Jfets we need for our Nelson Pass Amplifiers.

jer 🙂
 
#5
Thanks for the named diodes. I will look them up and see what still exists.

Playing on my mind was the choice of diodes in the bridge in my Sansui AU-222 integrated.
I originally installed STMicro STTH208.
I had in hand,
VISHAY UF4005
CREE SIC C3D02060F
MUR860

I felt a change in all the above. So briefly here was my take, and keep in mind I had installed the STMirco from the restoration of the amp 1 year ago.

MUR860 - Sound stage felt more alive, big presentation, highs smooth, bass...well..something felt not right. I could hear some reverberation, kind of 2D.

CREE SIC - Clear, tighter bass, somewhat bright.

UF4005 - Immediately less separation in sound, non fatiguing. Flat sounding.

STMicro - They really felt at home. Sound stage, clarity, non fatiguing. Bass went low without distortion. Musical. * I did install new for the test.
Whether or not the amp performs best with STMicro because of being broken in with them is questionable, but certainly there was a big difference in the above tested.

Sorry for going off topic.
 
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