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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteMost home-theater sound failures come from a wrong input or output, an ARC/eARC connection that is not negotiating correctly, a receiver setting, or a playback mode that is not sending the channels you expect. Trace the signal path from source to TV or receiver, identify whether every source is affected, and then change one setting at a time. The procedures below cover silent systems, lip-sync errors, and missing surround channels without assuming a particular brand or menu layout.
Start with a fast symptom check
Before changing advanced settings, write down what you can observe. This prevents a fix for one path from masking a different fault.
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| Symptom | First question | Best first action |
|---|---|---|
| No sound anywhere | Is the correct source selected and is either device muted? | Confirm power, input, volume, mute status, and the selected external-speaker output. |
| No TV sound through the receiver or soundbar | Does the TV use HDMI ARC/eARC, optical, or another connection? | Check the marked ports, cable seating, TV audio output, and HDMI-control/ARC settings. |
| Only one source is silent | Does another source play normally? | Inspect that source’s output format and its HDMI input, then test a direct connection. |
| Sound and picture are out of sync | Is sound early or late, and does every source do it? | Use the appropriate A/V-sync or audio-delay control after identifying the direction. |
| Surround speakers are quiet | Is the program actually multichannel and is the receiver in a surround mode? | Check speaker wiring, configuration, amplifier assignment, and playback mode. |
| Only the subwoofer is silent | Is it powered and enabled in the receiver setup? | Check its power, cable, level, crossover or bass-management settings, and configuration status. |
Keep the receiver or soundbar manual open while you work. Menu names such as HDMI Audio Out, TV Audio, A/V Sync, Pass Through, and Speaker Config can differ even between models from the same manufacturer.
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1. Verify the basic state of every device
- Turn on the TV, receiver or soundbar, and the source device. Wait for each front-panel or on-screen indicator to finish starting.
- Select the input that actually carries the source. A receiver can show a game console on one HDMI input while the TV is displaying a different app or tuner.
- Press mute on each device once, then raise the audio-system volume to a clearly audible level. Check that a headphone output or Bluetooth device has not captured the sound.
- On the TV, open the sound or audio-output menu and select the external receiver, soundbar, HDMI ARC/eARC, or optical output instead of Internal TV Speakers. Sony’s TV guidance describes this output-selection check and related connection checks in its support article: ARC/eARC no-sound troubleshooting.
If the TV’s own speakers work but the receiver does not, the source content is probably reaching the TV; concentrate on the return connection and the receiver input. If neither the TV nor the audio system produces sound, start at the source and verify its output is not set to a muted, disabled, or incompatible format.
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2. Follow the signal path instead of guessing
Draw the actual route: source device → receiver input → receiver output → TV, or source device → TV → ARC/eARC or optical → receiver. Then check each link in that order. A receiver may route HDMI audio to its own amplifiers or pass it to the TV, so both the receiver’s HDMI-audio-output choice and the TV’s selected output matter. The AVR-S640H manual illustrates this separate routing problem and lists speaker and HDMI checks: Denon receiver sound troubleshooting.
Disconnect headphones, analog adapters, HDMI audio extractors, and other temporary equipment while testing. Each additional conversion or control device can create another possible mute, format, or handshake failure.
3. Isolate one HDMI component at a time
Temporarily unplug other HDMI sources from the TV or receiver and leave only the failing path connected. Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) interactions, a defective cable, or a source that sends an unsupported mode can prevent audio from negotiating correctly. If sound returns, reconnect devices one by one until the conflict appears.
Inspect both ends of the HDMI cable for bent shells, loose connectors, or strain. Replace a suspect cable with a new or known-working one, connect it directly, and remove an adapter, extender, wall plate, or switch during the test. A cable swap is an isolation step, not a guarantee that the cable caused the fault.
4. Perform a complete power reset
- Turn off the TV, receiver or soundbar, and all connected sources.
- Disconnect their power cords. If the manufacturer instructs you to remove HDMI cables as part of the reset, do that as well.
- Wait for the period specified in the equipment manual, then reconnect the HDMI and power cables firmly.
- Start the TV first, allow it to finish booting, and then start the receiver or soundbar and the source.
- Retest with a simple source before reconnecting the remaining HDMI devices.
Power-reset instructions are model-specific; follow the manufacturer’s sequence rather than repeatedly pulling cables while equipment is running. Install a firmware update only when the maker recommends it for your model and symptom, and change no other variable until you know whether the update altered the result.
Fixing TV audio over HDMI ARC or eARC
Audio Return Channel sends TV audio back to an audio system over HDMI. It works only when both devices support the required ARC or eARC feature and the cable is connected to the ports explicitly marked ARC or eARC. The TV port is often labeled HDMI ARC/eARC, while the receiver or soundbar port is normally HDMI OUT ARC/eARC; an ordinary HDMI input will not provide the return path.
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Use this ARC/eARC checklist
- Confirm that the TV and receiver or soundbar both list ARC or eARC in their specifications. If only one device supports ARC, use another supported output, such as optical, if both devices provide it.
- Move the cable to the marked ports and connect directly, without an HDMI switch, extender, or adapter.
- On the TV, choose the external audio system or HDMI ARC/eARC as the sound output. On the audio system, select TV Audio, ARC, or the equivalent input.
- Enable HDMI control or CEC on both devices when the manual requires it; ARC commonly depends on that control channel.
- Set the TV’s eARC option to Auto when available, and review digital-audio-output or passthrough choices. Sony’s model-specific instructions show these as possible controls, but the labels and choices are not universal: HDMI source audio-sync article.
- Power-reset both units with only the ARC cable attached, starting the TV before the audio system.
For eARC, use a cable class that both manuals accept. Sony recommends a Premium HDMI cable for eARC and a new or known-working cable when diagnosing ARC faults; its detailed procedure is at ARC feature use and troubleshooting. Do not assume that a more expensive cable will fix a disabled output, incompatible device, or incorrect input.
If ARC still produces silence
Test the TV’s internal speakers. If they work, try optical audio if the TV and receiver both have optical ports, selecting optical as the TV output and the matching input on the receiver. Optical does not provide the same two-way HDMI control path, so volume and power behavior may differ.
Try a different, known-good HDMI cable and remove every other HDMI device. If the TV has more than one HDMI port, only the one marked ARC/eARC can return sound. If the receiver has both HDMI inputs and an HDMI output, the return cable belongs in the output marked ARC/eARC, not in an input.
When the system becomes silent only after changing a source or picture mode, restore the previous digital-output setting and test again. Compare supported audio formats one at a time instead of changing format, CEC, eARC, and passthrough simultaneously; otherwise you will not know which change solved or created the problem.
When an AV receiver connected by HDMI has no audio
Check the receiver’s selected input and HDMI audio route
Use the receiver remote to select the HDMI input that contains the source. On-screen video can still appear if the TV is receiving a separate signal, so picture alone does not prove that the receiver is processing audio.
Look for a receiver setting named HDMI Audio Out, Audio Out, or a similar choice. It may offer Receiver, TV, or Both. Choose the route that matches your wiring: Receiver when the receiver should decode and amplify the sound, or TV when the television is intended to play it. Then confirm the TV is not simultaneously set to Internal Speakers.
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Test the source format without changing the whole system
If one set-top box, console, or streaming player is silent while other sources work, open that device’s audio settings and try its standard PCM or automatic output option. The exact choices depend on the source and receiver; use the receiver manual to identify supported formats. If the source works when connected directly to the receiver but not through the TV, TV processing or ARC routing is the likely branch to investigate.
How to correct audio delay and lip-sync
Do not adjust sync before establishing the direction of the error. Watch a scene with a clear mouth movement or impact sound and decide whether the sound arrives after the picture (sound late) or before it (sound early). A control that adds delay will improve the first case and worsen the second.
1. Determine whether the fault is global or source-specific
- Test the TV’s built-in app or tuner, then test each HDMI source.
- Record which sources are affected and whether the mismatch is constant or appears only in certain programs.
- Note whether the source is connected to the TV first, to the receiver first, or through optical audio.
If every source has the same offset, begin with the TV or audio system’s sync control. If only one source is affected, investigate that source’s processing, cable path, and output format before changing global settings.
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Receivers and soundbars may call the adjustment A/V Sync, Audio Delay, Lip Sync, or a similar name. Increase the delay only when sound is late relative to the picture? No: first verify the direction shown by the device’s control, because some products delay audio while others delay video or use an offset scale whose sign is not consistent. Change a small amount, retest the same scene, and keep a note of the original value so you can restore it.
For an optical-connected system, the receiver or soundbar is usually the only place to correct the offset. Sony’s optical and TV-audio guidance recommends using the system’s Audio/Video Sync or Audio Delay control when available: soundbar and home-theater sync article.
3. Check TV eARC, passthrough, and digital-output settings
When a source enters the TV and audio leaves through ARC/eARC or optical, the TV may decode or reprocess the signal before returning it. Review the TV manual for A/V Sync, eARC, digital audio output, and passthrough options. Try the manufacturer’s recommended automatic or passthrough setting, then test again without changing the receiver’s delay at the same time. Sony’s HDMI-sync article lists these controls as model-dependent examples: HDMI source audio-sync guidance.
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4. Bypass TV processing for a source that is consistently late
Connect the affected HDMI source directly to an available receiver input, if the receiver supports the source’s video format. This lets the receiver handle audio before the signal reaches the TV and shows whether TV processing or ARC routing caused the offset. Keep the source’s resolution and audio format constant while comparing the two paths.
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Update the source, TV, and receiver software when the manufacturers list a relevant fix. Recheck sync after the update, because processing latency can change with firmware. A setting that corrects one source may make another source wrong; source-specific adjustments are preferable to a large global offset when the equipment permits them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Restoring surround sound and a missing speaker channel
Check the physical speaker path
- Turn the receiver off before touching speaker wires.
- At both the receiver and the speaker, confirm that the wire is fully inserted into the correct positive and negative terminals and that no stray strands touch an adjacent terminal.
- Match each wire to its labeled channel: front left/right, center, surround left/right, height, or surround back as applicable.
- In the receiver’s speaker setup, confirm that the channel is enabled and not set to None, Absent, or No.
A loose wire or a channel configured as absent can silence one speaker without indicating a failed driver. Denon’s AVR-S640H troubleshooting page lists these as possible causes and shows the model’s configuration checks: receiver speaker troubleshooting.
Choose a playback mode that can use the available channels
Stereo, two-channel direct, and some virtual modes intentionally use only the front speakers and subwoofer or bypass processing. Select a surround or multichannel mode appropriate to the source when you expect the center and surround speakers to operate. The receiver cannot create discrete rear-channel content that is not present in a two-channel recording unless its processing mode is designed to upmix it.
Check the source’s information display for its actual format. A movie soundtrack with discrete surround channels should show a multichannel signal; a stereo broadcast may legitimately leave the rear speakers quiet in a direct or stereo mode. Do not use a silence test from a stereo source to diagnose a wiring fault.
If only one surround speaker is silent
After checking the wire and channel assignment, use the receiver’s built-in test tone if provided. A tone that fails on one output points toward wiring, assignment, or the amplifier channel. If the tone plays but program material does not, review the listening mode and the source format instead.
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Swap a speaker cable or speaker only when the manufacturer’s procedure permits it and the receiver is powered off. This controlled swap can show whether the silence follows the speaker, the cable, or the amplifier output. Do not open a powered receiver or soundbar; internal power supplies can remain hazardous even when the front panel is off.
If the subwoofer is silent
- Confirm that the subwoofer’s power switch is on and its indicator shows normal operation.
- Check the subwoofer cable at the receiver’s Subwoofer/LFE output and the subwoofer’s line input.
- In speaker setup, verify that a subwoofer is enabled and that the front-speaker or bass-management settings allow low frequencies to be redirected.
- Raise the subwoofer level slightly for testing, then return it to a balanced setting rather than leaving a temporary maximum.
- Test material with known bass and a listening mode that sends LFE or redirected bass to the subwoofer.
Menu wording and bass behavior vary by receiver model, so use its manual for the exact speaker-size, crossover, and level controls.
Choosing and testing a replacement HDMI cable
Replace an HDMI cable when it is visibly damaged, intermittently loses audio or video, fails only on a required format, or is not the class specified by the equipment manuals. For eARC, follow both devices’ cable requirements; Sony specifically recommends a Premium HDMI cable for eARC troubleshooting. A new cable should be connected directly between the marked ARC/eARC ports while adapters and extenders are removed.
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When to stop troubleshooting and request service
Use manufacturer support or an authorized repair route when the system remains faulty after the connection, settings, isolation, and reset checks. Persistent failure of one amplifier channel, a burning smell, repeated protection shutdowns, visible damage, or a connector that is physically loose requires service rather than further home testing.
Have the exact model numbers, connection diagram, cable types, affected sources, and results of each test ready for support. Denon’s support portal provides manuals, service-center lookup, and repair information for in-warranty and out-of-warranty products: Denon product support. Other manufacturers provide equivalent model-specific instructions; use the maker’s documentation because menu labels and reset sequences are not standardized.
Quick Recap
A compact decision path
- No sound from any source: check power, mute, input, volume, TV external-speaker selection, and receiver HDMI-audio routing.
- TV audio missing over ARC/eARC: verify mutual support, marked ports, HDMI control, cable class, TV digital-output settings, and a power reset.
- Only one source is silent or delayed: test that source directly through the receiver, compare formats, and isolate its cable and input.
- All sources are out of sync: identify whether audio is early or late, then adjust the correct A/V-sync control and review TV passthrough.
- One surround channel is silent: inspect both wire ends, confirm channel assignment, run a test tone, and select a multichannel mode.
- Rear speakers are quiet on a two-channel program: verify the listening mode and source format before replacing hardware.
- Subwoofer alone is silent: check power, cable, enablement, level, and bass-management settings.
- Fault persists or equipment shows physical or electrical warning signs: stop and contact the manufacturer or an authorized repair provider.
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