Re: 1n34a diodes

Posted by Beaker on May 26, 2016; 11:08pm
URL: http://guitar-fx-layouts.238.s1.nabble.com/1n34a-diodes-tp30980p31021.html

"Funny - my "cheap" 1n34a diodes rend to fall in .250V range - they're tiny ones, like 1n914s."

Not suprising at all. As Sensei Tim pointed out in his second post, the little Schotkky versions are"functionally the same as" the bigger Ge ones, even if they are Si. They have performance characteristics that mean they will perform exactly the same in probably 95% of cases.

Unfortunately us pedal builders and vintage radio boffins are the other 5%, and we are the only awkward bastards who get our knickers in a twist about this. (Have you noticed if you google an old Germanium diode, and filter out all the datasheets and ebay listings, the only hits you end up with are to do with pedals or crystal radios?).

Even in a pedal, they should function exactly the same. They may not sound the same, but I think that depends on the circuit - in some circuits you may not be able to hear any difference, in other circuits you might hear a difference. And that's where the problems start...

IMHO just buy a load of D9, D18 and D310/11/12 diodes from Great Uncle Bulgaria or any of the other Eastern European sellers, and you will never have to worry about possibly fake 1N34a again.

Anyway, this makes an interesting read:

http://rezzonics.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/germanium-diodes-vs-schottky-diodes-for.html