Soundstream Rubicon 502 with DC voltage in right channel

The 3524 and all similar ICs have an on-board oscillator. They use this as the reference for frequency. The circuit designer selects the timing resistors and capacitors that will result in the desired oscillation frequency.

That oscillator is run into a 'flip-flop' which (in this instance) acts like a divide-by-2 device/component. The flip-flop has 2 outputs and you will never have both 'on' at one time (as long as pin 13 is tied to the 5v regulator, which it always be for a push-pull supply). Those two outputs are driven into transistors which drive the output of the IC. The output of the IC (possibly through even more buffers/drivers) drive the gates of the PS FETs.

When the flip-flop divides by 2, the output frequency is cut in half (120k to 60kHz here).

The datasheet tells you this and much more. Reading the datasheets for the TL594, SG3525 and the SG3526 fill in more blanks.
 
Thanks Perry. Will give one of those browsers a shot. Back to the amp repair...

I bought some TIP142T's but due to the lack of available US inventory or slow shipping from overseas vendors I decided to give Ebay a try. I know it's not recommended because of the possibility of getting fakes. I have received them and they are dated March 2012. Markings are very different from the originals. See pics. So I'm hoping they are not fakes and just new old stock. The seller had really good reviews and communication. Any telltale signs for fakes?

I have gone ahead and hard-wired all the new TIP142T's to Q2-Q6 and the amp is working good. It plays fine at medium to medium-high volumes.
 

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The MAR isn't likely March. It's more likely an abbreviation for the production location.

The 20 is likely 2020. The 12 is likely the 12th week.

If anyone knows definitively, correct me.

If you have extras, crack one new and one old open. Squeezing in vice from the side (at a slight angle) will pop the plastic off easily.

The bottom of page 20 of my site shows some ways to tell fakes with links to other good pages.

You can also measure the internal resistor values between terminals. Compare new to old.
 
Resistance:
Q2:
B-C: 1197k
C-E: open
B-E:13.6k


Diode check (Left letter red probe - right letter black probe):
Q2:
B-C: .586
C-E: open
E-C: .451
B-E: .631
C-B: open
E-B: open
To compare against the original Q2 above here are my new transistor readings:
Resistance:
New Transistor:
B-C: open
C-E: open
B-E:7.6k

Diode check (Left letter red probe - right letter black probe):
New Transistor:
B-C: .622
C-E: open
E-C: .550
B-E: .684
C-B: open
E-B: open

For some reason the new transistor B-C has an open resistance but it does briefly show a number and then goes open. Much like a capacitor. The old transistors don’t do that.

As for breaking a transistor open I don’t have a vice. Any other ideas how to do it?
 
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I was playing the subwoofer at medium volume for 1-2mins and then the amp died. Not sure if it’s protection mode but the lights turn on when power is applied and then it shuts off. There was whine or hiss coming from the transformer or inductor right before it died. Nothing felt overheated. Fuses are fine. I still had the low amperage (5A) fuses installed. I measured the voltage at the ground and B+ terminal and the amp starts at 12v and quickly drops when powered on. Yet when the power supply is not connected to the amp it produces 12v fine.
 
Tested the resistance of the rectifier middle legs with the outer legs and no shorts. Tested all power supply transistors and no shorts. Then tested the output transistors and have a short in the new transistors. Q2-Q6 have a short (6ohms) on the C-E legs. I think I should remove them to see if they are responsible for the short.