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Where To Get Sets and Parts For discussions about swapmeets, rallies, NVCF and BVWS, car boot sales, antique and charity shops, dealers, newspaper adverts, the local tip and just about any other source of equipment (other than eBay).

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Old 10th Jul 2020, 10:57 pm   #21
McMurdo
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Default Re: Littlediode

I'm not sure if it was littlediode or cricklewood but I ordered some transconductance op-amps for an amplifier peak limiter circuit, and they had an unuseable noise performance, clearly rejects. I suspect this might be the reason we can sometimes find copious stocks of previously NLA items on the net. In the end I think I had one from Langrex which was ok.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 8:00 am   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Red to black View Post
...The pins on these ICs appeared thinner than normal, this didn't matter to us as they would normally be soldered into a PCB, I tried soldering them into the test jig in case this affected the test however it made no difference, counterfeit ? maybe?
That wouldn't be Littlediode's doing but there is apparently now a whole industry dedicated to putting new pins / leads on previously used old ICs and transistors - that wouldn't bother me at all because at least the devices would be genuine original devices, as long as any devices so renovated were properly tested afterwards.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 12:19 pm   #23
Jon_G4MDC
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Default Re: Littlediode

I have had RF transistors with the bolt down tabs bearing screw deformations and the leadouts showing tell tale marks of a milling machine passing over the top.

They could never reach specified power output. Only refurbed to look pretty.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 1:19 pm   #24
ColinTheAmpMan1
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Default Re: Littlediode

Quote:
Originally Posted by McMurdo View Post
I'm not sure if it was littlediode or cricklewood but I ordered some transconductance op-amps for an amplifier peak limiter circuit, and they had an unuseable noise performance, clearly rejects. I suspect this might be the reason we can sometimes find copious stocks of previously NLA items on the net. In the end I think I had one from Langrex which was ok.
My money would be on Littlediode, rather than Cricklewood. I have purchased stuff from Cricklewood Electronics for years and never had a problem. They also have a retail outlet (guess where? Cricklewood) and so complaints can be made face-to-face, if necessary.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 1:42 pm   #25
Jon_G4MDC
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Default Re: Littlediode

RE Post 23 - I should make clear I was not referring to any of the suppliers mentioned here. The refurbished parts came from a UK parts house who claimed to be able to source anything.

I think it's pretty certain where they got them.
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Old 11th Jul 2020, 3:03 pm   #26
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Default Re: Littlediode

Thanks for clarifying that - Littlediode are not in my good books but even I would not wish to see them implicitly accused of something they have not done.
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Old 13th Jul 2020, 9:56 pm   #27
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Default Re: Littlediode

I bought a pair of "new" Newmarket TO-3 power transistors from them recently to attempt to repair a 1964 Pye 1004 Black Box. They looked the part and had a date code of 1971 on them which seemed plausible. At £25, they weren't cheap.

They passed a quick AVO test, though worryingly, one read very differently to the other on my Peak Atlas tester; one was always recognised as a PNP transistor with sensible gain, the other always came up as a diode pair.

In spite of all the passive components and preceding transistors being removed and meticulously checked, I could not get the amplifier to work properly, with my bench supply tripping its current limit, whatever the setting of the bias pot.

I'm not clever enough to say whether or not the supplied transistors were faulty, and it's far too late to think about returning them, but caveat emptor.

N.
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Old 13th Jul 2020, 10:32 pm   #28
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Default Re: Littlediode

When a supplier has passed into the 'You don't know what you're going to get' territory, then trust has been lost. Even if they supply some parts as prime, new, full-spec real devices, how do you know which they are?

It is far far easier and quicker to damage trust than it is to build it.

David
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Old 14th Jul 2020, 2:36 pm   #29
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Default Re: Littlediode

I bought an 8 bit ADC chip from them for a printer port sound sampler project and it never worked. I think now I know why
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Old 15th Jul 2020, 10:05 pm   #30
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Default Re: Littlediode

Hi.

I have had a few items from them over the years and they've been OK and as described but generally on the steep side re pricing.
I've noticed on many occasions, when searching on eBay for an IC, transistor or other semiconductor, Littlediode results seem to dominate the listings. Slightly annoying as you have to wade through all those results to find the component from another supplier at a sensible price.

Regards,
Symon.
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