I noticed these are cheap at newark, less than $0.08 each. I see merlin uses them for signal switching in some of his designs. Any reason they couldn't be used for a gain stage?
Andrew.
This is the link to the Canadian site. http://canada.newark.com/on-semiconductor/j112g/n-channel-jfet-chopper-35v-to/dp/26K3591?MER=PPSO_N_C_EverywhereElse_None (http://canada.newark.com/on-semiconductor/j112g/n-channel-jfet-chopper-35v-to/dp/26K3591?MER=PPSO_N_C_EverywhereElse_None)
The newark part# is 26K3591
they could be subpar for amplification. Their design is pretty good for switching.
http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/J111-D.PDF
http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=301905
If any amplification it performs isn't very linear, it might have a good "tube sounding overdrive" quality to it. It's not too expensive to buy a few and try it out, swap other Jfet transistors intended for amplification in and out and have a quick "by-ear" test.
^^^what Thecomedian said^^^
I had some leftover J117 (also a "switching fet, but "P" type) and had a go at making a multi stage distortion thinger with them. Whatever I did it sounded rather harsh and fizzy (with the caveat that I'm not the world's foremost authority on fet preamps...) I mused that it was possibly something to do with their very low "on" resistance making them clip very square, or somesuch.
However, nothing ventured, nothing gained. At that price it's worth grabbing a few and trying some stuff. It's possible that if you use them in a circuit that doesn't explicitly clip hard (like a treble booster) then they may work well. They may also be ok as source follower unity gain buffers and so could replace the rather finite-in-supply J201 in that role. It's worth a try.
I'll have to try that, too, someday Gritz. They are non-linear for transistor devices, so instead of multi-stage, a single stage with good biasing MIGHT sound useable.
they look like a good choice for shunt-work in tremolos and slow gears and phasers etc. and they will probly drop straight into a 2n5457 circuit. probly. at 0.08c each, you can't go wrong.