Profusion’s lateral MOSFET brand Exicon had stopped producing its longstanding metal-can MOSFETs. These widely-respected components have been in production for some 30 years, playing a fundamental role in many pro audio and DIY amp designs.
Longstanding part
Exicon has been manufacturing lateral MOSFETs since 1993, with several refinements carried out over the years.
The current range offers high linearity, slew rate, voltage capability and resistance to secondary breakdown and thermal runaway.
In May this year, Profusion issued an end-of-life (EOL) notice for the longstanding metal can versions of its Exicon line of lateral MOSFETs.
Lateral MOSFETs shot to fame in the ‘70s and ‘80s when Hitachi first released the 2SJ50/2SK135 and 2SK176/2SJ56 devices. Developed specifically for linear audio amplification,they earned a legendary status in the audio industry and became much coveted components when Hitachi ended their production.
In 1993, Profusion introduced the Exicon brand: these were specialist lateral MOSFETs, comparable in design but with less thermally-related distortion.
For the past ten years, Exicon has been the only manufacturer of TO3 lateral MOSFETS, which continued to be a staple part for designers of high-power analogue amplifiers. However, due to a significant increase in manufacturing costs and a gradual decline in demand, Profusion decided to cease its production this year.
A long list of users
The list of amp manufacturers that used lateral MOSFETs is vast: Aguilar, Ashly, Audio by Van Alstine, Chevin Research, Classé Audio, Goldmund, Hafler, HH, Hughes and Kettner, Laney, Mesa Boogie, MTX SCS, Nagra, Soundcraftsmen, Trace Elliot, Vestax, and many more.
Exicon MOSFETs would become the first choice for John Linsley-Hood, revered developer of the Simple Class-A Amplifier, and have since been proposed for numerous revisions and amp designs in the pages of Electronics World. Inspired by their use in high-quality amps by Swiss manufacturers such as Nagra and Goldmund, contemporary audio designers including Soo In Chae of Korean manufacturer Bakoon praise the lateral MOSFETs’ “outstanding properties, with indeed exceptional quality of sound”.
HiFi.nl recently stated that Exicon “belongs to the ‘cream of the crop’ in the field of FET audio components”.
Exicon MOSFETs have also long been a foundation of the DIY amplifier community, where their high speed and exceptional sonic characteristics have made them first choice for even the most scrupulous audio enthusiasts.
Exicon’s two plastic lateral MOSFET versions, the TO247 and TO264, remain active and available for new designs, found at profusionplc.com and exicon.info.
