For me, in the case of TO-3 Horizontal Outputs WITHOUT integral Damper Diode, I use the RCA bagged or boxed 2SD822. RCA bought them by the bucket loads from Toshiba to offer an OEM HOT - in the 1980s. Don't buy them loose or with a shiny top - all 1980s/original 2SD822 transistors were frosty finish. The bagged ones are best, as you can guarantee no swaps with fakes. BTW, all lot "3A" 2SD822s are fakes. Chinese vendors never switched lot codes, and a 2002 produced fake and a current fake, same lot number.
Of note: the later 2000s "SK Series" (
no RCA logo) 2SD822s are suspect. Thomson bought and produced a whole line of supposedly OEM transistors, ICs, STRs, and STKs, but many were counterfeit from the get-go.
If you can't find a RCA packaged 2SD822, then go with the SK3710, ECG238 or GE-38, all of which were produced before the Chinese dumpex.
Nearly all of my replacement were bought 1981-1992, so I know my stock of parts is genuine. I can't say that for some servo amp MOSFETs and Transistors I have to buy for current repairs - it's a minefield. eBay simply ain't the answer - unless it's
sealed bags from RCA SK Series, GE's Pro-Line Replacements, or ECG bagged / boxed parts. Replacement guide for each is on the Internet Archive site, so cross reference is at hand, free.
NTE has had a rash of fakes - mostly in their STK replacements, some audio power amp transistors and a bunch of their "commodity" (high demand) parts.
Off topic a bit, but still somewhat germane, beware of Motorola transistors bearing post 1999 date codes. As of August 2000, all Motorola production was spun off to OnSemi, with their logo appearing after that date. ONSemi PCN 10143:
"ON Semiconductor will begin the changeover from the Motorola logo to
the ON Semiconductor logo for packaging materials on May 15, 2000
and for part marking on July 15, 2000. This General Announcement
affects all ON Semiconductor part numbers.
Motorola logos will be removed from bar code labels and will not be
replaced with the ON logo (ON Semi bar code labels will be "plain").
For a period of time, you may receive mixed shipments of ON
Semiconductor and Motorola bar code labels, packaging and parts."
And yet, Dalbani will happily sell you a Motorola transistor bearing a 2004 (0420) date code:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144102545290
Cheers,