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rear speakers not working on my av receiver

Ask By Riley H.1,544 views

only front speakers play in my av receiver. rear and surround are silent. cables are connected

Brand
Denon
Model
AVR-S570BT
Connection
Speaker Wire
Sample Rate
48 kHz
Output Channels
5.1 channels
Stereo Phase And Surround SoundHome Theater 5.1 And 7.1
Tool used in this discussionSurround Sound Test5.1 and 7.1 front, rear and subwoofer positions
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Short Answer

If only the front speakers play, the receiver may be in a stereo mode or the source sends stereo. Choose a surround mode, check speaker setup and run the Surround Sound Test.

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Callum Sterling
Callum SterlingAudio Team
Surround Sound Auditor · 4+ years experience · Answered Feb 9, 2026

Many sources send stereo unless the output is set to multichannel. The receiver also has a stereo-only mode that mutes the rears.

After you make the change, play the Surround Sound Test again to confirm the result. If the problem is still there, add your device, browser and what you tried in the replies so the team can narrow it down.

Step By Step Fix
  1. Switch the receiver to Dolby or DTS Surround
  2. Set the source (PC/console) to 5.1
  3. Run the Surround Sound Test to check each speaker
  4. Confirm speaker wires at both ends
Sources
  1. Microsoft Support

Checked by Hiroshi Sato on . How we verify answers

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Community Replies 3

  • Imogen McgrathCommunity Member

    My PC was set to stereo. Changed to 5.1 and all spoke. Worth trying before you spend any money.

  • Carlo SantosCommunity Member

    Pure Direct mode was my issue. I tested it on my own setup and it held up for weeks.

  • Pooja PawarCommunity Member

    I rerun the speaker test whenever I move my setup, it catches wiring slips quickly.

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Tools Mentioned In The Answer

Sound TestsSpeaker TestStereo balance, phase and polarity across bass, mids and treble
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Callum Sterling
Written and tested by

Callum Sterling

Surround Sound Auditor at Sound Test

Callum Sterling is the Surround Sound Auditor on the Sound Tester Audio Team. Focused on checking 5.1/7.1 spatial positioning accuracy, Dolby Atmos channel mappings, and sound leakage. Runs gaming headset audio troubleshooting threads on X (Twitter). On Sound Tester he answers surround sound, soundbar and HDMI ARC discussions, and checks channel placement with the Surround Sound Test.

5.1 and 7.1 surroundDolby Atmos mappinggaming headsets
  • 15 answers on Sound Test
  • 4+ years experience
  • Reviewed by Hiroshi Sato
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Brandon VanceBrandon VanceAudio & Acoustic Performance LeadXavier CruzXavier CruzFrequency Sweep SpecialistDiana ChenDiana ChenHearing Test ArchitectAlistair CrossAlistair CrossHeadphone Benchmark LeadImogen BlakeImogen BlakeBinaural Beats EngineerGemma GallagherGemma GallagherTone Generator ValidatorHarvey FinchHarvey FinchSpectrum Analyzer LeadRishabh SharmaRishabh SharmaAudio DSP Engineer

Each answer is written by the specialist closest to the topic and checked by a second team member. How we verify answers

Answers are free general guidance from the Sound Tester Audio Team and community. They are not medical advice. For hearing loss, ringing or ear pain, see a doctor or audiologist. Opening a device can void its warranty, so check the maker's support first for hardware faults.

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