The 2N3396 is a silicon NPN transistor specifically designed for low-level, low-noise amplifier applications. It operates with a maximum collector-emitter voltage of 25V and a continuous collector current of 100 mA. This device is characterized by a DC current gain (hFE) ranging from 90 to 500, measured at a collector current of 2.0 mA. With a power dissipation of 360 mW and housed in a TO-92 package, it is well-suited for use in preamplifiers and other sensitive signal processing circuits where minimizing noise is crucial.