Denon Surround Sound Not Working? (Best Solutions)
Wondering why is your Denon surround sound not working? We know the exact solution!
The surround sound installation of your Denon AVR might have ceased to function due to a problem during the calibration process or an issue with the audio mode.
To address the fault, we recommend the following:
Proceed with the guide for a variety of solutions to fix the problem!
How to Fix the Denon Surround Sound Not Working Problem?
Note: Have you checked if there’s no sound at all or just no surround sound in your system? If the audio has ceased completely, it could mean that there’s a fault with the AVR itself.
1. Undergo the Speaker Calibration Process
Well, the first step after successfully installing all of the necessary equipment in the setup of the Denon receiver is to undergo the speaker calibration procedure.
As you probably know, you can access the AVR’s digital menu over an HDMI connection with your TV, so ensure the video cable is in place.
Once you have installed the HDMI, follow these steps:
- Press the “Source” or “Input” button on the TV’s remote.
- Select the HDMI input where the Denon AVR is plugged.
- Wait for the digital interface to load up the speaker setup.
- Now, follow the on-screen steps to finalize the installation.
So, during the setup, you will be prompted to specify different settings for your surround sound setup.
You will have to point out how many speakers you have, verify the left/center/right speaker installation, and choose the language for your system.
To ensure none of the settings are mismatched, answer all of the equipment thoroughly so they can reflect the physical installation of your Denon equipment.
2. Activate “Surround” in the Mode Menu
The first step to solving the problem is understanding how to turn on surround sound on Denon receiver correctly.
- Your Denon receiver has a total of 3 sound modes that you can pick from– “MOVIE,” “MUSIC” and “GAME” modes.
Each of the sound modes has individual settings, one of which should be “Surround” sound.
You will gain access to the mode’s settings menu only after setting the receiver to one of the three modes.
2.1 How to Change Denon Receiver “Sound” Mode?
To change the sound mode of your Denon AVR, simply press the respective “MOVIE,” “MUSIC” or “GAME” button on the remote control.
Wait until the mode settings menu shows on the screen and use the Up/Down arrow to navigate throughout the menu.
2.2 How to Adjust Denon AVR “Sound” Mode Settings?
After successfully setting the receiver to “MOVIE,” “MUSIC” or “GAME” from the menu, you will be taken to another section called “(mode name) SOUND.”
It contains the following settings:
- “Stereo”
- “Dolby Audio – Dolby Surround”
- “DTS Neural:X”
- “Multi Ch Stereo”
- “Mono Movie”
- “Virtual”
Note: In order to activate the surround sound capabilities of your system, ensure the “Dolby Audio – Dolby Surround” option is selected from the menu.
3. Inspect the Physical Speaker Installation
The next reason why the Denon receiver surround sound not working could be because of an improper speaker installation.
So, the next step is to verify that all of the speaker cables are connected with the right input on the back of your Denon AVR.
- Each Denon speaker comes with a total of two cables that must be connected under the “LEFT,” “RIGHT” or “CENTER” panels on the back.
There isn’t any difference in which of the wires goes where, as long as they are under the correct terminal on the Denon AVR.
How to Install Denon AVR Speakers Correctly?
To ensure the speaker installation of your Denon AVR is correct, unplug the receiver’s power supply and find all of the speaker terminals on the back.
Now, if your speakers are already installed, disconnect them and re-match the cable pairs with the speaker they belong to.
Identify which of the cable pairs belongs to the right, left, and center speakers in your surround sound setup.
To finalize the installation, connect the cable pairs with the correct speaker terminal, the “LEFT,” “CENTER” or “RIGHT” one.
4. Reset the Power of the Denon AVR
If you are still having issues with activating the surround sound of your Denon AVR, then we recommend a complete power cycle procedure.
Discharging the receiver from power could effectively eliminate functionality issues with the AVR, including failures of the surround sound.
Follow these simple steps to power reset the Denon AVR:
- Press the “Power” button on the AVR’s top panel or remote.
- After the device powers off, unplug it from the power supply.
- Wait for a full 60 seconds while the electricity is discharged.
- Plug the power cable back into the electrical outlet of the AVR.
- Next, wait until the receiver turns on and test the functionality.
Important: Test the AVR’s Power Supply!
Before advancing further, we also recommend testing the power supply of the AVR receiver to identify potential equipment-related issues.
If the AVR powers off frequently or reboots, the fault could often be associated with a shortage of the electrical supply.
Try the following to fix the power supply faults of the Denon AVR:
- Connect the Denon AVR to a different power outlet.
- Check if there’s physical damage to the A/C adapter.
- Remove third-party equipment in the receiver setup.
Note: If the fault is hardware-related, we recommend reaching out to a qualified technician!
5. Switch the Input via the HEOS App
The surround sound might be temporarily deactivated because of an improper selection of the TV input.
So, you can use the HEOS app to set the AVR to the TV’s native input and activate the surround sound functionality of the speakers. So, let’s start with setting up the HEOS app first!
5.1 How to Set Up the HEOS App On Mobile?
On your Android or iOS device, access the Google Play Store/App Store and search for the “HEOS app” in the search field.
Then, download the first result, launch the app, and follow the on-screen steps to create your account and add the AVR as a device.
5.2 How to Change Denon AVR Input in the HEOS App?
Once you’ve added the AVR as a device, follow these steps:
- Tap the Settings icon found in the corner of the “Music” menu.
- Go to “My Devices” and locate the Denon AVR within the tab.
- Select the receiver and tap on “TV Input” → “Default Input.”
- Select the input source you’ve used for the TV’s connection.
Note: If you’ve connected the AVR over HDMI/HDMI ARC, pick “HDMI” and if you’ve used Optical, pick “Optical” from the input menu.
6. Restore the Denon AVR to Default
If you’re still having issues with the Denon surround sound not working, it’s time for a factory reset.
Based on whether your AVR is older or newer (has a GUI or doesn’t have a GUI,) the factory reset can be done in multiple ways:
6.1 How to Factory Reset Newer Denon AVRs?
Newer Denon AVRs have a factory reset option in the GUI:
- Access the GUI’s homepage and navigate to “General” → “Factory Reset” to erase the AVR’s settings.
Follow the steps to confirm the reset and wait until the AVR reboots.
6.2 How to Factory Reset Older Denon AVRs?
An older Denon AVR can be reset like so:
- Power off the unit and hold the “INFO” and “BACK” buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds, then power on the receiver.
After the receiver powers on successfully, the factory reset will commence!
Note: If you’re still facing issues with the surround sound, it’s better to seek professional assistance or try to claim your product warranty.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.