I have a SoundStream Rubicon 1002 amp with a turn-on delay problem. Perhaps someone has come accross this problem with this amp before.
When the amp is off at least 1/2 hour or more it takes about 3 minutes for the amp to turn on (come out of mute mode). But once it is on if the remote wire is removed and reconnected it only takes about 5-6 seconds for the amp to turn back on. During the time that it takes to turn on 2 red LEDS for Clipping indication stay on then go out once the amp turns on.
My first guess was there must be a cap for the mute circuit that is bad or changed value. I don't have the schematic for this amp and not sure if I had the cap in the mute circuit but the only electrolytic cap close to the SG3524 U106 IC was C168, a 22uf 16v cap which checked ok for capacitance but I replaced anyway. I have seen in the past where old caps check ok for capacitance but the ESR is over 10 ohms and get very warm in operation. I also replaced U106 but still had the same turn-on delay.
I also discharged almost every electrolytic cap on the board to try and duplicate the initial cold turn on, but the amp will turn on in 5-6 seconds. Only after it is off for a 1/2 hour or more will it take about 3 minutes to turn on.
Any ideas, where to look, what to check? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
When the amp is off at least 1/2 hour or more it takes about 3 minutes for the amp to turn on (come out of mute mode). But once it is on if the remote wire is removed and reconnected it only takes about 5-6 seconds for the amp to turn back on. During the time that it takes to turn on 2 red LEDS for Clipping indication stay on then go out once the amp turns on.
My first guess was there must be a cap for the mute circuit that is bad or changed value. I don't have the schematic for this amp and not sure if I had the cap in the mute circuit but the only electrolytic cap close to the SG3524 U106 IC was C168, a 22uf 16v cap which checked ok for capacitance but I replaced anyway. I have seen in the past where old caps check ok for capacitance but the ESR is over 10 ohms and get very warm in operation. I also replaced U106 but still had the same turn-on delay.
I also discharged almost every electrolytic cap on the board to try and duplicate the initial cold turn on, but the amp will turn on in 5-6 seconds. Only after it is off for a 1/2 hour or more will it take about 3 minutes to turn on.
Any ideas, where to look, what to check? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Email me if you want the schematic.
babin_perry@yahoo.com
Is the supply coming up immediately or only after the long delay.
babin_perry@yahoo.com
Is the supply coming up immediately or only after the long delay.
Hi Perry,
Yes, the power supply voltages do come up, also I forgot to mention in my first post if I remove the remote wire before the amp turns on I will get a signal on the output for about 1 second. So the amp turns on briefly for 1 second.
Yes, the power supply voltages do come up, also I forgot to mention in my first post if I remove the remote wire before the amp turns on I will get a signal on the output for about 1 second. So the amp turns on briefly for 1 second.
Correction.
Correction: When I remove the B+12VDC wire or the ground wire before the amp turns on (out of mute mode) it will turn on briefly. When I remove the remote wire before the amp turns on nothing happens.
Correction: When I remove the B+12VDC wire or the ground wire before the amp turns on (out of mute mode) it will turn on briefly. When I remove the remote wire before the amp turns on nothing happens.
Problem Solved.
The turn-on time delay problem with the SoundStream Rubicon 1002 is solved. C170, a 22uf cap was defective. It measured ok for capacitance but I suspected it must be slightly resistive.
To check the cap I used my function generator with a 20hz signal applied in series with a 5ohm resistor across the cap and put a scope across the resistor to measure the AC voltage drop. I compared the voltage drops from the bad cap and a new one and there was a significant difference plus the signal drop was slightly distorted on the bad cap.
The amp now turns on in about 5 seconds.
Thanks Perry for the schematic, it was a big help.🙂
The turn-on time delay problem with the SoundStream Rubicon 1002 is solved. C170, a 22uf cap was defective. It measured ok for capacitance but I suspected it must be slightly resistive.
To check the cap I used my function generator with a 20hz signal applied in series with a 5ohm resistor across the cap and put a scope across the resistor to measure the AC voltage drop. I compared the voltage drops from the bad cap and a new one and there was a significant difference plus the signal drop was slightly distorted on the bad cap.
The amp now turns on in about 5 seconds.
Thanks Perry for the schematic, it was a big help.🙂
I just found this thread trying to figure out what was wrong with my rubicon 604. It also does the exact same thing but will not come on sometimes for up to 5 to 10 minutes. When it does come on it works flawless for the rest of the time you use it. It's a original rubicon from before soundstream was sold. I don't have the experience to fix it and would like to sell it because I don't use it anymore. What is a fair price to sell it for? Does anyone here want to buy it?
Hi guys,
I have the EXACT same problem on my Rubicon Class A 10.2
After reading this thread I decided to replace the 22 mf caps on my amp, namely C145 and C152. I somehow overlooked C161 which of the same value, stupid ! There are about a hundred screws to onbolt on this particular model to remove the board and have access to the cap's solderings, so I am kind of annoyed at myself for not seeing it in the first place.
Anyway, I have the schematics for the original poster's Rubicon 1002 as well as for my 10.2
I think the capacitor which solved his problem (C170 on the Rubicin 1002) corresponds to C152 on my amp, which we did replace.
Could anyone comfirm it corresponds, I am not very good yet at reading schematics.
Anyway, unfortunately replacing the two caps did not do it for me.
The amp had not been powered on for several months and it took several minutes before it really powered on. During that time the clipping indicators were lit and there was no bias voltage, which I later properly set to 25 mVolts after it did power on. During the time the cliping indicators were lit it took around 1.5 ampere idle current. After it really powered on it took a little over 2 ampere idle current, like it should, and it played the music.
After removing the remote wire and putting it back after 10 seconds it took the amp 5 seconds to power-on, again with the 1.5 ampere idle current and clipping indicators lit during the 5 seconds.
After half an hour of inactivity it took longer to power-on, couple of minutes.
Anyway, these are exactly the same symptoms as the original poster's.
Should I remove the board and try replacing C161, or does that have nothing to do with the turn-on circuitry ?
I can email you the schematics if you want to have a look.
I have the EXACT same problem on my Rubicon Class A 10.2
After reading this thread I decided to replace the 22 mf caps on my amp, namely C145 and C152. I somehow overlooked C161 which of the same value, stupid ! There are about a hundred screws to onbolt on this particular model to remove the board and have access to the cap's solderings, so I am kind of annoyed at myself for not seeing it in the first place.
Anyway, I have the schematics for the original poster's Rubicon 1002 as well as for my 10.2
I think the capacitor which solved his problem (C170 on the Rubicin 1002) corresponds to C152 on my amp, which we did replace.
Could anyone comfirm it corresponds, I am not very good yet at reading schematics.
Anyway, unfortunately replacing the two caps did not do it for me.
The amp had not been powered on for several months and it took several minutes before it really powered on. During that time the clipping indicators were lit and there was no bias voltage, which I later properly set to 25 mVolts after it did power on. During the time the cliping indicators were lit it took around 1.5 ampere idle current. After it really powered on it took a little over 2 ampere idle current, like it should, and it played the music.
After removing the remote wire and putting it back after 10 seconds it took the amp 5 seconds to power-on, again with the 1.5 ampere idle current and clipping indicators lit during the 5 seconds.
After half an hour of inactivity it took longer to power-on, couple of minutes.
Anyway, these are exactly the same symptoms as the original poster's.
Should I remove the board and try replacing C161, or does that have nothing to do with the turn-on circuitry ?
I can email you the schematics if you want to have a look.
Start a new thread describing the amp's fault clearly, without referring to the other amp. You can copy/paste the rest of your post.
Hi Perry.
I don't see the point of that but I know you must have a good reason for it.
Will do over the weekend.
Thanks,
Fred
I don't see the point of that but I know you must have a good reason for it.
Will do over the weekend.
Thanks,
Fred
Because it's a separate repair. If he would come back with other posts, it would be too confusing to have intertwined posts. It's happened before.
Thanks to those that contributed to the SoundStream turn on delay problem. I fixed my SoundStream Reference Rubicon 805, with the same problem, by replacing two 22uf 25V capacitors. There were 4 on the amp but these two are close to the power IC. The other two are right behind the woofer inputs.
The amp was bad ever since i bought it in 2009 from ebay seller "evanb" but it was too late to do anything about it by the time i noticed it.
The amp was bad ever since i bought it in 2009 from ebay seller "evanb" but it was too late to do anything about it by the time i noticed it.
- Status
- Not open for further replies.