amp repair

I've just got a phoenix gold XS2300 off ebay and it doesn't work.

I wired it up to some 6x9's i had lying around to test it, the power light comes on ok but the sound coming out of the speakers (one more than the other) was fierce crackling. The speaker cone was going crazy and after about 10 secs i see the dreaded smoke from the voice coil.

I've never done any real electrical repairs before so i need all the help i can get. I've been reading up on various websites and it seems these symptoms are most likely due to blown output transistors.

What else is likely to have gone with the output transistors? can i check the power transistors while they are on the pcb or do they need removing? How can i test the input side of the amp is ok?

Pcb:

Also there is a burnt resistor (circled) but i cant read the stripes on it to replace it.

http://bcae1.com/repairbasicsforbcae1/repairbasics.htm

http://bcae1.com/repairtutorialcdinfo.htm

http://bcae1.com/tranfet.htm

Some links...Doesnt it look like this amp has been repaired at least once already...?

Your not the first person to direct me to that site, and what a fantastic site it is!

I cant see any evidence of previous repairs.

The latest development is a clicking sound a few seconds after its powered up, sort of like a relay opening and closing realy fast

Thanks.

The "goop" under the transistors is pretty sloppy...That is what lead me to think they have been replaced...?

Yeah i guess it looks worse in the pictures that it is.

To me it looks all origonal, with no eveidence of repair work, but i'm not an expert.

the solder joins on all the transistors look spot on to me:

[IMG]https://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a120/uel_f/CIMG3875.jpg[/IMG]