Did I get Switcherood?

[pelly3s]

I work in a pro audio shop as a service tech and i always touch up solder joints on things like transistors or multipin connectors whenever i am inside of an amp. it's just good practice, i also apply thremal compound where needed. that is something every tech should do just as good practice. the fact they look smaller is something i can't explain, just ask the repair shop and see what they say. i always include a bag full of parts i replace when working on a piece of gear just so the customer can see exactly what was changed. check the part numbers that is the best thing you can do, but i have never heard of anyone changing out parts only to take them. it's too much effort and time. there may have been an issue with one of the transistors and as you should do with any amp you change them all when one goes bad.

[ciscokid1970]

Ok here goes.

After the sound test...which was different. I called sony...which was barely helpful...they at first told me to call a 900 number (which is blocked at work, blocked on my personal mobile and did not try at home.

Finally I called sony again and they told me to take it to another service center, So I did.

Took it in and spoke to the tech told him my story, as he opened up the top.

He noticed what I noticed, white goop all over the place and smaller transistors on the heat sink. He looked up the numbers and sure enough they were the transistors for the DB series (which is between the ES and the el cheapo sonys).

The tech offered two scenarios:
1. Swapped my parts out for cheaper parts to fix a out of warranty unit or stock himself up (although the tech thought this is highly unlikely).
2. the original tech damaged one of the transistors when he moved the board to get to the servo motor that needed to be replaced. Did not tell me and did not want to wait for the ES parts to be delivered so he used what he had that almost fits. (This is most likely scenario.

Anyway the new tech will replace all the transistors with REAL ES transistors and replace the board that may have been shorted. It will take another week before the parts are in. Aparently these parts (transistors and board) are worth over $300

After I get it repaired I will write a letter to the first shop...and ask them what really happened.

So moral of the story...before you take your unit in...whatever it is...take some digital pics of the inside to compare before and after.