As time and patience allowed, I continue trying to find the fault with this board.
Something I recently did and probably should have done at the get go, was measure voltages at all the pins. Then identify, as Joe recommended, which components they lead to. I also noted what voltages should be present.
Then doing likewise with the functioning right channel board for comparison.
Everything on the right side more or less corresponds with the schematic. Still have a DBT in place so some actual readings were a bit below but (+) voltages were (+) voltages, (-) voltages were (-) voltages and millivolts were millivolts.
Not so with the troublesome left channel board. The (-)35 volts triggering protection via pin 5 is also present at:
~(-)35 volts @ pin 7 to collector of output transistor Q003 - diagram says 0 volts
~(-)35 volts @ pin 8 to emitter of output transistor Q001 - diagram says (+)0.06 volts
~(-)35 volts @ pin 9 to emitter of output transistor Q002 - diagram says (+)0.06 volts
~(-)35 volts @ pin 14 to base of output transistor Q001 - diagram says (+)0.65 volts
~(-)35 volts @ pin 15 to base of output transistor Q002 - diagram says (+)0.65 volts
~(-)35 volts @ pin 2 to cathode of heat sensing heatsink diode - didn't see diagram spec but right channel pin 2 reads (-)178 mv
~(-)35 volts @ pin 3 to anode of heat sensing heatsink diode - didn't see diagram spec but right channel pin 3 reads (+)1.8 volts
I am very likely trouble shooting all wrong but since contending with negative voltages in the wrong places, my thought was to identify the various transistors on the board that see -B negative volatages that are somehow linked to those pins.
That conclusion has made me focus on:
Q601 and Q602 - a pair of 2SA750's......I have read 2SA970's can replace those and I have some on hand.
Q605 and Q606 - a pair of 2SC1628's....I think KSC3503 can replace those. If so, I have those also.
Q610 - a 2SA814. This one was already replaced at some time in the past with a 2SB546A. By chance, the case split open of the corresponding 2SA814 on the right board. I replaced it with an MJE15033 after learning it was acceptible and I have more of them.
Any further insights or opinions are most certainly appreciated.