# Phoenix Gold XS4600 Repair Completed.



## TrickyRicky

I picked this up for a few bucks knowing it wasn't working. Well once I got it, I quickly notice that someone used wire/foil for a fuse (NOT A SMART THING TO DO, actually one of the most dumb things to do). So I pop it open and found that all 6 power fets where shorted, one gate resistor off tolerance, an open trace near the transformer (this amp was lucky the trace opened, if it didn't it would of catch on fire) and the fuse block was all melted down.


I replaced/repaired the following.
-6 Fets in power supply
-1 gate resistor
-open trace
-fuse block
-4 capacitors (dc filter caps, original 16v 1000uf....replacements Panasonic FR 16v 1800uf)

Bench tested it and its now working and pounding the crap out of my Xtant 12" sub. This repair was very easy and took about an hour to complete (I had to look around my box of goodies for a board with a fuse block similar to the one the PG XS4600 has, I was lucky). Oh and the gain knob for one side was broken...but the pots where okay, all that's needed is the right size allen key (2mm) to adjust the gain (similar to those amps that dont have knobs for the gain...audio art, harrisons lab, ect).


Enough with the mumbo jumbo and here are some pics of the repair process.


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## The Dude

Nice work. I also have an XS4600 (not the one for sale on here) that needs repair. I had a scan of it, looks like the Q113/114 transistors need replacement.


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## CDT FAN

Nice. It's always great to get something for cheap or next to nothing and get it working. I've gotten several deals like that over the years.

I have a question about a repair. I bought a SS 702 off ebay. It works, but the high current light stays on. I inspected it and found that one of the 3 FET's in the power supply is bad and the .33 ohm resistor on that FET is burned. the other 2 FET's meashure ok. I only ordered 1 FET and resistor. The FET's are $9 each. 

1. Do you think I should replace the other 2 FET's?
2. Do you think that will also cure the high current light issue?


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## TrickyRicky

CDT FAN said:


> Nice. It's always great to get something for cheap or next to nothing and get it working. I've gotten several deals like that over the years.
> 
> I have a question about a repair. I bought a SS 702 off ebay. It works, but the high current light stays on. I inspected it and found that one of the 3 FET's in the power supply is bad and the .33 ohm resistor on that FET is burned. the other 2 FET's meashure ok. I only ordered 1 FET and resistor. The FET's are $9 each.
> 
> 1. Do you think I should replace the other 2 FET's?
> 2. Do you think that will also cure the high current light issue?


Those amps have a circuit for the "high current/voltage" if they don't have a switch, so you may have a problem in the circuit. Also if a fet in the power supply goes out....REPLACE ALL, they work together and they all need matching "code/dates" on them. Now if your planning to keep this amp and don't mind been cheap or saving a few minutes of work, then just replace the burnt ones...but for a reliable repair you need to replace all of them. Check their gate resistors as they also get a good beating when the fets go out (some may look fine, but be out of tolerance).

Repair the power supply first then see if that helps the "high current" issue...as it might or it might have an issue in the circuit. I have schematics for the soundstream 700sx which might be a bit different (on the high current/voltage circuit, I believe yours have the switches).


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## computerjlt

very nice fix! desoldering looks very clean!!

i bought the same amp for $20 blown and had to replace some of the driver transistors in one channel (it would randomly pop and go full rail voltage on occasion). cleaned it all up and tested everything and reset all the bias and its been great for nearly 2yr now

its now my primary amp in my mercedes until i get off my ass and install my phoenix gold titanium and kicker zx2500.1


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## SaturnSL1

A piece of foil as a fuse huh? 

Some people just need to lay their empty little heads on their pillows and never get out of bed again.


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## TrickyRicky

It was a combination of both foil and a couple of strands of wire. Nothing new to me...I've seen it in person and I've warn the people doing it, funny thing is that they blow me off like I don't know ****. I just sit back and wait for it to smoke before I get to say "I told ya so".


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## SaturnSL1

What would be the reasoning behind a move like that? Is that someones idea of a quick fix?


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## TrickyRicky

No, their pretty much idiots. It kept popping fuses because the power fets where blown/short. So they must of tried increasing the amperage fuse and when that didn't work....the ole' piece of aluminum foil and a couple strands of wire can't handle trick, lol.

Once they did that it burn a trace wide open...as shown in the pictures above (right by the power transformer). That kept the amplifier from causing further damage or worse...a fire.


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## SaturnSL1

TrickyRicky said:


> No, their pretty much idiots. It kept popping fuses because the power fets where blown/short. So they must of tried increasing the amperage fuse and when that didn't work....the ole' piece of aluminum foil and a couple strands of wire can't handle trick, lol.
> 
> Once they did that it burn a trace wide open...as shown in the pictures above (right by the power transformer). That kept the amplifier from causing further damage or worse...a fire.


Damn man... Some people are dee yu em bee DUMB!

Thankfully it was still salvageable! How much did you get it for?


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## Victor_inox

SaturnSL1 said:


> A piece of foil as a fuse huh?
> 
> Some people just need to lay their empty little heads on their pillows and never get out of bed again.


 foil is the best substitute to real thing, you just have to experiment how wide foil strip is. if you don`t mind using aluminum to conduct electricity
My first Mercedes used old type fuses like this one








foil strips worked great, but easiest was to insert a coin about quarter size and that will hold 500 Amp current if needed. dangerous yes but good enough if you knew why fuse was blown and eliminate that cause before using coin. Mercedes switched to different type of fuses since then. 
I often just put some fuses in small plastic bag and strap it to the amp.
you will never blow a fuse if you have few spares.


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## TrickyRicky

SaturnSL1 said:


> Damn man... Some people are dee yu em bee DUMB!
> 
> Thankfully it was still salvageable! How much did you get it for?


Funny you ask, I bid on it off of ebay. Won it for 6 bucks (but had to pay 14.00 for S&H), well I paid and the seller took 3 weeks to ship. He kept feeding me BS about shipping it the next day or been too busy to ship. I gave him plenty of time...three weeks is more than plenty if you ask me but since I won it fairly cheap I allow that much time.

When I figured out he was just BS'ing me around I filed a complaint with ebay, next day he shipped and stated that it was a 5 dollar item and I was making a big deal over nothing. Let him know it was principality, I got my item and left him a nice negative feedback.

so I guess it was under 20.00 with shipping. I even managed to super glue the gain pot control back together...will give it a try later today to see if it will hold or fall apart (I do have some soundstream gain control pots that the shafts are made out of brass/metal instead of plastic incase the original does fail).


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## SaturnSL1

Victor_inox said:


> I often just put some fuses in small plastic bag and strap it to the amp.
> you will never blow a fuse if you have few spares.


Me too I keep a little kit in my glove box with fuses for the car, the aftermarket fuse panel, the amplifiers and the main power wire. You never know when you need them.


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## TrickyRicky

Victor_inox said:


> foil is the best substitute to real thing, you just have to experiment how wide foil strip is. if you don`t mind using aluminum to conduct electricity
> My first Mercedes used old type fuses like this one
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> foil strips worked great, but easiest was to insert a coin about quarter size and that will hold 500 Amp current if needed. dangerous yes but good enough if you knew why fuse was blown and eliminate that cause before using coin. Mercedes switched to different type of fuses since then.
> I often just put some fuses in small plastic bag and strap it to the amp.
> you will never blow a fuse if you have few spares.


Sure if you know how much foil (thickness and characteristics) then you can absolutely use it as a fuse for the correct applications. 

In an amplifier that specifically has a designated spot/area for a specific fuse...ITS A NO BRAINER, don't do it.


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## SaturnSL1

TrickyRicky said:


> Funny you ask, I bid on it off of ebay. Won it for 6 bucks (but had to pay 14.00 for S&H), well I paid and the seller took 3 weeks to ship. He kept feeding me BS about shipping it the next day or been too busy to ship. I gave him plenty of time...three weeks is more than plenty if you ask me but since I won it fairly cheap I allow that much time.
> 
> When I figured out he was just BS'ing me around I filed a complaint with ebay, next day he shipped and stated that it was a 5 dollar item and I was making a big deal over nothing. Let him know it was principality, I got my item and left him a nice negative feedback.
> 
> so I guess it was under 20.00 with shipping. I even managed to super glue the gain pot control back together...will give it a try later today to see if it will hold or fall apart (I do have some soundstream gain control pots that the shafts are made out of brass/metal instead of plastic incase the original does fail).


What an ass... How was it packaged? ****ty?


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## TrickyRicky

SaturnSL1 said:


> What an ass... How was it packaged? ****ty?


Pretty much in a priority flat rate box with no padding what so ever. Luckily these amps are almost bullet proof, the heat sink is pretty think and can withstand a good beating. I've seen heat sinks break and bend from been shipped poorly.


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## Victor_inox

TrickyRicky said:


> Pretty much in a priority flat rate box with no padding what so ever. Luckily these amps are almost bullet proof, the heat sink is pretty think and can withstand a good beating. I've seen heat sinks break and bend from been shipped poorly.


Negative feedback justified... I bet he wanted to keep as much as possible to himself and not spend anything on packaging. BTW, yellow pages can be perfect for packaging and it`s free too.


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## SaturnSL1

Some people man... Not surprised though, he was probably mad he only got $5 for it.


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## Victor_inox

SaturnSL1 said:


> Some people man... Not surprised though, he was probably mad he only got $5 for it.


recycling place would give him more for all that chunk of aluminum.
of course he was pissed. why people start auction for a buck and get pissed at the end when it sold for 5......


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## SaturnSL1

Victor_inox said:


> recycling place would give him more for all that chunk of aluminum.
> of course he was pissed. why people start auction for a buck and get pissed at the end when it sold for 5......


Speaking of recycling metal, I have a few sinks and sub baskets that need a new home...


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## TrickyRicky

Victor_inox said:


> recycling place would give him more for all that chunk of aluminum.
> of course he was pissed. why people start auction for a buck and get pissed at the end when it sold for 5......


Probably but now that it's working am sure I can get at least 80.00 for it... if not then I'll keep it as you never know when a nice 4ch can come in handy. 


I even let the seller know the same day I received the packaged,that I went ahead and repaired it and that it was now working perfectly....I sure wish I could see the look on his face:laugh::laugh:


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## Victor_inox

TrickyRicky said:


> Probably but now that it's working am sure I can get at least 80.00 for it... if not then I'll keep it as you never know when a nice 4ch can come in handy.
> 
> 
> I even let the seller know the same day I received the packaged,that I went ahead and repaired it and that it was now working perfectly....I sure wish I could see the look on his face:laugh::laugh:


 You Bad.


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## cajunner

well, if that guy has another bad amp, it's likely he'll give it away or junk it instead of trying to get some of his money out of it by placing it at auction.

a negative feedback can be a useful tool or it can be a deterrent.


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## JAX

wow $6 minus fees he was probably really pissed. he wont do that again.


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## TrickyRicky

JAX said:


> wow $6 minus fees he was probably really pissed. he wont do that again.


I wouldn't of mind paying 30-40 bucks for it but no one else place any bids. I did feel sorry for the guy but for him to take 3weeks to ship is absolutely unacceptable, he could of contacted me and said "hey I wont be able to complete the transaction because of"...whatever reason and I would of understand and offered him more for his trouble of going to the post office (which he obviously didn't like).


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## Luckyslev

Great work on this repair, really interesting stuff! I had an old PG XS4600 that just recently bit the dust, I loved that thing.


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