How to Fix a Stereo Receiver That's Not Making Sound

Gary Altunian was a freelance contributor to Lifewire and industry veteran in consumer electronics. He passion was home audio and theater systems.

Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries.

You've correctly arranged your new speakers. All the cables have been meticulously connected. Each piece of equipment has been switched on. Then, you hit "play" on the audio source, yet nothing happens. How frustrating!

But don't toss your remote at the wall just yet. Instead, try these troubleshooting tips to get your brand new sound system up and working.

How to Fix a Stereo Receiver That's Not Making Sound

This should take around 30 minutes and can be done by anyone with basic receiver knowledge.

1. Check the power. Ensure that all plugs are firmly seated in their respective sockets because sometimes a plug can slip out halfway and not draw power. Double-check that wall switches operating any outlets are flipped on. Confirm that all units in the system, including any power strips or surge protectors, are able to turn on. If something doesn't power up, test it with another outlet that you know functions properly.

You'll need a 3.5 mm-to-RCA stereo audio cable to connect speakers that have 3.5 mm or RCA connections, such as a laptop or smartphone.

Causes of a Stereo Receiver Not Making Sound

Silent stereos are usually caused by low power, a wrong source selection, disconnected or faulty speaker wires, broken speakers, or a malfunctioning source component. However, similar to diagnosing a defective speaker channel, troubleshooting a stereo system that's not producing sound begins by isolating the problem—a problem that usually isn't revealed until the corresponding fix has been tried. That's why it's important to proceed through these troubleshooting steps in the proper order.

The following steps will help guide you through the most common problems. Remember to always turn off the power to the system and components before connecting or disconnecting cables and wires. Then turn the power back on after each step to check for correct operation. Be sure to leave the volume low, lest you blast your ears once the audio is on.

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