Have you ever been watching a movie or listening to music and noticed that your surround speakers are hardly making any sound? You’re not alone. Many people have this problem, and it can be quite frustrating.
And it all leads us to only one question; Why are my surround sound speakers so quiet?
The most straightforward answer; there may be multiple reasons for your surround sound speakers to be quiet, including poor connection, potential damage, faulty cables, or worse, a ½ DB insertion loss.
However, identifying the problem and then intercepting it might be tricky for many people, who eventually give up on their surround sound speakers.
But no need to worry; In this article, we will explore the reasons and gives you valuable suggestions to overcome the issues you are facing. Let us get straight into it!
5 Reasons Surround Sound Speakers quiet OR Not too loud?
As we said, there might be several reasons for your surround sound system not to function optimally. Here are some of the reasons:
The speakers are not placed optimally
This is the number one reason your surround speakers might not be too loud. If the speakers are too close to the ground or too close to walls, they will not be able to produce enough sound.
The ideal placement is on stands or shelves at least one foot away from the nearest wall.
Not connected properly
Another common reason for low volume levels is incorrect speaker wire connection. This issue usually occurs with beginners who are not too familiar with the technicalities of connecting wires and audio systems.
If that is the case then I can only suggest consulting and getting help from a professional or a person who has experience in this area.
In addition, check the polarity of your connections. Make sure the positive and negative terminals are connected correctly.
If you have made sure that the speakers are placed optimally and they are connected properly then the next thing you should check is the cables.
Improper Connection to A/V receivers
Another possible reason for surround or rear speakers to quiet is an improper connection to the A/V receiver. Moreover, if your surround speakers are connected directly to the television, they will likely be very quiet. The television is not designed to power surround sound speakers.
Even if you connect with the receiver, you need to ensure they’re all plugged into the correct inputs and outputs. For example, the subwoofer output on the receiver should be connected to the subwoofer input on the subwoofer.
There are also a few settings on the receiver that you’ll need to check. Be sure to consult your receiver’s manual for specific instructions.
Surround Speakers may be too small for the space
While you check every cable, connection, and setting, it’s possible that the reason your surround speakers are so quiet is that the space you have speakers in is too large.
If the room you are using the surround sound system in is big, the sound will not be able to fill the space and will seem low. Try to use the system in a smaller room for the best results.
It’s also important to note that the size of your surround speakers will make a difference. If you have small speakers in a large room, they will not be able to fill the space with sound.
You may need to upgrade to larger speakers or add additional speakers to the system in order to get the best sound possible.
The sound system might be old
If you have an older surround sound system, it’s possible that the speakers are just not as good as they used to be. It is possible over time, speakers can lose their quality and not produce as much sound.
I’ll not go into detail here but if you are interested to find read that article on can speakers lose volume over time.
Back to the topic, if your sound system is old, it might be time to upgrade to a new one. Or you can try to check which component is not functioning as it should be and replace it.
How to troubleshoot low-sound surround speakers?
Assuming you have successfully diagnosed your problem or you want to make surround speakers louder consider some of the solutions to troubleshoot surround sound speakers as pointed below:
- First things first- ensure your surround speakers are properly connected to the Audio or Video Receiver
- Test tone your surround speakers to see if they are adequately functioning
- Double-check to see if the audio has been muted by mistake. If so, turn up the surround speaker volume to maximum
- Examine the source input setting of the amplifier to see if it is right. Additionally, go to the menu and pick different real sound speakers’ sizes
- Most importantly, check if you’re A/V receiver has been set to the correct mode i.e., surround sound mode. Alternatively, set the receiver to other surround sound modes if it does not work with one
- See if the source you are playing has to surround sound encoding
- Set the device’s settings back to factory defaults
- Change the speaker wires or connect a separate set of speakers
Conclusion
There are several reasons why your surround speakers might be quiet. Thankfully, there are also a few things you can do to try and fix the issue.
Check the cables, connections, and settings on your system. You may also need to upgrade to larger speakers or add additional speakers to the system. If all else fails, you may need to replace your sound system entirely.
From possible reasons to solutions, I hope this article helped you understand why your surround speakers might be quiet and what you can do about it.
FAQ’s
Should rear speakers be louder than the front?
Rear speakers or surround speakers’ purpose is to provide sound effects and ambiance from the rear of the room. They shouldn’t be as loud as the front speakers, which are responsible for most of the dialogue and music.
Can barely hear my rear speakers?
If you’re having trouble hearing your rear speakers, it may be due to their location in the room. If they’re placed too far away from you, or if they’re not pointing directly at you, it can make it difficult to hear them.
How can I make my surround speakers louder?
There are a few things you can do to make your surround speakers louder.
First, check the settings on your receiver or amplifier. Many receivers and amplifiers have a separate volume control for the surround channels. If your receiver or amplifier has this feature, make sure the surround channel volume is set to the same level as the front channels.
Second, make sure your speakers are properly positioned. If your surround speakers are too far away from your listening position, they will sound quieter than the front speakers. Surround speakers should be placed at or slightly behind the listener for best results.
Third, check the phase of your surround speakers. If the phase is reversed, the sound from your surround speakers will cancel out the sound from the front speakers, making both sound quieter. To check the phase of your surround speakers, play a mono recording (such as a movie dialogue track) and walk around the room. The sound should be loudest when you are directly in front of or behind the speaker. If the sound is loudest when you are to the side of the speaker, the phase is reversed.
Fourth, check your speaker wire connections. If any of the wires are loose, the sound from the speaker will be weaker.