For most receiver-based surround systems, connect the Fire TV Stick to an HDMI input on the AV receiver, then connect the receiver’s HDMI output to the TV. This lets the receiver handle the Stick’s audio directly. A TV-first setup can also work: connect the Stick to the TV and send audio back to the receiver through HDMI ARC or eARC, provided the TV and receiver support the audio format you want.
Choose the connection path
| Setup | Best fit | What must be compatible |
|---|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick → AV receiver → TV | A receiver-based surround system, especially when troubleshooting missing surround sound. Amazon recommends connecting the Fire TV device directly to an AV receiver’s HDMI input. | The receiver must support the Stick’s video and audio formats. Connect the receiver’s HDMI output to the TV. |
| Fire TV Stick → TV → receiver over ARC/eARC | When the TV is the HDMI switch or the Stick is already connected to the TV. | The TV, ARC/eARC link, and receiver must support the desired audio format. TV audio-output and HDMI settings may need adjustment. |
| Optical audio from TV to receiver | A fallback when the TV and receiver have optical ports and HDMI return audio is unavailable. | Optical can carry audio, but Amazon cautions that it does not fully support surround sound. |
Use the receiver-first route as the starting point if it supports the video formats you need. It avoids relying on the TV to pass the Stick’s audio back to the receiver. Amazon’s instructions say to connect the Fire TV device directly to the receiver or soundbar, then use another HDMI cable from that device to the TV’s HDMI ARC input. See Amazon’s surround-sound troubleshooting guidance. Check the manuals for your specific TV and receiver before choosing ports; ARC/eARC capability and supported formats vary by model.
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Connect the Fire TV Stick to an AV receiver
- Find the right ports. Check the receiver manual for an HDMI input and its HDMI output. Find the TV’s HDMI input marked ARC or eARC if you plan to use return audio or that port is designated for the receiver connection.
- Connect the Stick to the receiver. Plug the Fire TV Stick into an available receiver HDMI input. If the Stick’s size makes a direct connection awkward, use an appropriate HDMI extension if one was supplied with the device.
- Connect the receiver to the TV. Run an HDMI cable from the receiver’s HDMI output to an HDMI input on the TV. Use the TV’s ARC/eARC port if you need the TV to return audio from its other sources to the receiver. Amazon recommends a high-speed HDMI cable for this setup.
- Select the receiver input. Turn on the receiver and choose the HDMI input to which the Stick is connected. Then select that HDMI input on the TV.
- Set the audio output. If audio still comes from the TV, use the TV’s sound settings to select the receiver or external audio system. Enable HDMI ARC/eARC and HDMI-CEC on the TV and receiver if required by their manufacturers. Menu labels and paths differ by model.
Connect through the TV with ARC or eARC
If the Stick is connected to the TV, audio reaches the receiver through the TV’s HDMI ARC/eARC connection. Connect the receiver’s HDMI output to the TV’s ARC/eARC port, then enable ARC/eARC and any required HDMI-CEC setting on both devices. Set the TV’s audio output to the receiver or external audio system.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →This route depends on the TV passing the format you want back to the receiver. ARC and eARC, as well as individual TV models, do not all handle the same audio formats. Confirm the TV and receiver specifications rather than assuming that a format supported by the Stick will pass through the TV.
#1 Best Overall
- [📺eSynic Professional ARC/eARC Audio Extractor]----:Our eSynic Professional eARC/ARC to 3.5mm& L/R Audio Extractor Support From HDTV eARC/ARC to 3.5MM Headphone & L/R Stereo Audio System [Only Work With HDTV ARC/eARC Interface and Not Support Others HDMI Devices]
- [🎵Support 192KHz High Sampling Rate] ----:Our eSynic eARC/ARC to RCA Converter Supports High Sampling Rate up to 24bit/192KHz, Ensuring Clean Sound Quality.By Seamlessly Connecting the HDTV to the 3.5mm Audio Speaker , This HDMI ARC Audio Converter Makes the eARC/ARC Audio Extractor an Indispensable Upgrade for Home Entertainment Systems.
- [🔄Support High Quality Audio Formats]---:Our eSynic Professional eARC/ARC Audio Extractor Supports PCM & PCM 2.0Audio Formats to Provide You with High Quality Audio for an Immersive Entertainment Experience.Equipped with Audio Signal Indicators, It is Convenient for You to Accurately Understand the Working Status of the Product and Improve the You Experience. [No Optical/No Dolby-Only for PCM]
- [🔌 + ⚡Plug and Play]---: Our eSynic Professional ARC to 3.5mm Audio Adapter Work With USB Power supply No Software or Drivers are Required. Its Advanced Audio Processing Technology Efficiently and Cleanly Extracts Audio Signals from HDTV (ARC/eARC) Ports, Minimizing Potential Interference or Distortion and Providing You with a Smooth, Lag-free and High-quality Audio Experience.
- [👆 Attention ⚠️]-----:1. Ensure Your HDTV support eARC/ARC function. 2. Ensure the adapter is powered on. 3. Ensure the HDMI ARC Cable is Connected to the HDTV eARC/ARC Interface 4. Ensure the HDTV is in eARC/ARC Audio Output (Use the TV's Remote Control to Turn it on). 5. Please Connect the HDMI port with the eARC/ARC Mark and Make sure the eARC/ARC Function is Enabled on your TV 6. Please Set the Audio Formats to PCM.
Check which audio format is playing
A Fire TV Stick’s HDMI connection alone does not guarantee a particular surround format or Dolby Atmos. The Stick model, receiver, TV when audio passes through it, and the streaming title must all support the format. Amazon’s device specifications list audio passthrough by model; check the specification for your Stick and the manuals for the rest of the system. Atmos also requires compatible equipment and a title that supports it.
On Fire TV, open Settings → Display & Sounds → Audio/Video Diagnostics if the tool is available on your device. Use it to check which audio formats the connected equipment detects. If the desired format is not detected, verify support across the connection chain and try a lower audio format.
Rank #2
- 【4K HDMI Audio Converter】This hdmi audio extractor supports extracting audio from HDMI sources to HDMI monitors, optical 5.1CH devices, L/R stereo audio or 3.5mm AUX audio devices. It supports use by connecting only the optical audio output, L/R stereo audio out or the 3.5mm stereo audio output without connecting the display. A Type-C 5V cable must be connected to provide power for proper operation(Note: Do not connect a TV as a signal source directly to the HDMI IN port or it will not work)
- 【HDMI ARC Audio Extractor】In ARC mode(Backward compatible with ARC), connect your TV’s HDMI ARC/eARC port to the “HDMI OUT” port to send audio to external speakers. (Tips: Enable CEC on your TV, set the DIP switch to “TV” mode, and use an HDMI cable with ARC/eARC support.)
- 【Triple Operating Modes】1. PASS Mode: Automatically mirrors your TV’s native audio. Optical output supports all multi-channel formats.(Note: Analog R/L & AUX ports support 2.0 PCM only; non-PCM inputs will cause digital buzz/noise); 2. R/L Mode: Universally downmixes all formats (PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD) into standard 2.0 PCM. Delivers synchronized stereo sound across R/L, AUX, and Optical ports simultaneously; 3. SPDIF Mode: Dedicated multi-channel surround sound mode. Optical output supports all premium bitstream audio formats. (Note: Analog ports require PCM input to function; other formats will result in a static hum).
- 【4K@60Hz High Resolution】Supports up to 4K@60Hz with 24-bit, 30-bit, and 36-bit color. Backward compatible with 4K@60Hz 4K@30Hz, 2K@120Hz, and 1080P. Please make sure your source, monitor, HDMI cable all support 4K60Hz resolution in order to finally achieve the highest 4K60Hz resolution
- 【Wide Compatibility】Works with Blu-ray/DVD players, TV boxes, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, PS3/4/5, Xbox, PC, laptops, and more HDMI devices. Contact us anytime—our support team is available 24/7.(Supports HDR, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, DTS 7.1/5.1CH, HLG, VRR and other functions.)
Troubleshoot stereo, missing sound, or TV speakers
- Picture works, but sound comes from the TV: Check that the receiver is on the correct HDMI input, then check the TV’s sound-output selection. If audio is returning over ARC/eARC, verify the TV and receiver are connected through their designated ARC/eARC ports and that the required ARC/eARC and HDMI-CEC settings are enabled.
- The receiver plays only stereo or the desired format is missing: Check Audio/Video Diagnostics when available. Confirm the format is supported by the Fire TV model, receiver, TV and connection path, and by the title you are playing. Amazon also recommends checking that the streaming title supports surround sound.
- There is no sound: Confirm the Stick is connected to the intended HDMI input, the receiver and TV are set to the corresponding inputs, and the audio-output configuration matches the connection you chose. If the desired format is not detected, try a lower audio format.
- You are using optical: Treat it as a fallback rather than a route that guarantees full surround support. The supported formats depend on the TV and receiver.
Choose an audio setting carefully
Audio-setting labels and available choices vary by Fire TV model. Amazon describes PCM, Dolby Digital, Passthrough and Auto on its Fire TV Smart TV support page, but those descriptions are for Fire TV Smart TVs and should not be assumed to match every Fire TV Stick’s menus.
- Auto: Amazon describes this as selecting the best format for the connected device or output. Where available, it is a reasonable starting point.
- PCM: On the Fire TV Smart TV page, this means uncompressed audio is sent to HDMI ARC or optical output.
- Dolby Digital: On that page, this sends Dolby Digital audio to HDMI ARC or optical output.
- Passthrough: On that page, this sends the source signal without changing its format. Amazon says the TV defaults to 5.1-channel digital output and that Passthrough supports up to 7.1 channels.
Use only a setting supported by the connected equipment. If there is no audio or playback falls back to stereo, try a lower format and consult the manuals for the exact models. The Smart TV setting descriptions are not a universal menu guide for Fire TV Sticks. See Amazon’s Fire TV surround-sound troubleshooting page and its Fire TV audio-format information for further guidance.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- 【HDMI Audio Extractor】The HDMI audio extractor can extract audio from HDMI signal and transmit it to AV receiver through optical or 3.5mm Cable.(Note: Devices do not support ARC and eARC.TV is not supported as the input source，otherwise product doesn't p video.)
- 【3 modes】2.0CH, 5.1CH and PASS mode. Select 3.5mm stereo output, please use 2.0CH mode. Select optical output, please use 5.1CH mode. When you use the first and two modes and find that no audio and video signal is output, use the pass mode.
- 【4K Ultra-HD with HDMI 1.4V】HDMI audio converter up to 10.2G bandwidth, support HDCP1.4,4K@30Hz RGB / YUV4:4:4 Ultra high definition image quality. The optical output supports DTS 5.1. The 3.5mm output supports PCM2.0. The audio splitter does not support 7.1 channels.Note: Fire TV, Apple TV, PS4/5 etc. only support 1080p format signals and do not support 4K
- 【Low energy consumption】HDMI audio splitter has a low energy consumption,only requires the USB port to be connected to the 5V-USB port of another device to work. Or use your other 5V-USB power adapter
- 【Wide Compatibility & Plug and Play】Suitable for various HDMI source devices without dedicated audio output as well as Blu-ray/ DVD/ HD player, cable/satellite box, Amazon Fire TV, PS4,PS5, Xbox, PC/laptop etc
Rank #3
- HDMI ARC Audio Converter: HDMI Audio Extractor can return the sound from ARC-enabled TVs to the optical, coaxial, L/R channel and 3.5mm headphone jacks of the adapter through the HDMI ARC interface, which is a perfect solution to the compatibility problem of the interface between the TVs and audio systems.
- Digital to Analog Audio Converter: Featuring coaxial and optical (Toslink/SPDIF) digital audio inputs, this converter transforms digital PCM/LPCM signals into analog audio output, compatible with various audio devices. Through the switching key on the panel of the device, you can quickly select the input mode, easy and convenient operation. (Note: DAC only supports PCM input format, does not support decoding function)
- Simultaneous Audio Output: ARC Audio Extractor simultaneously outputs audio from the optical, coaxial, L/R, and 3.5 mm headphone ports. Please set the audio output to PCM or LPCM before use.(Note: Not compatible with Dolby AC3/Dolby Digital Plus, etc.)
- High Sampling Rate Support: Supports up to 192kHz audio sampling rate, compatible with 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz and 192kHz sampling rates, as well as 24-bit SPDIF input bitstream to ensure high-fidelity audio output and bring a clear and detailed sound quality experience.
- Wide Compatibility: Compatible with HDTV with ARC function and standard HDMI source devices. No driver or software required, plug and play, compatible with Amplifier/Sound bar/ DVD/ HD player/ Blu-ray/, cable/satellite box, Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC/laptop and more.
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