Did I Break My Receiver, My Soundbar, None of the Above? (1 Viewer)

Help!


Receiver: Denon AVR-591

Soundbar: Definitive Technology SSA-42


Everything working great for 4+ years. Today, volume control malfunctioned on remote when trying to turn it up a tad while watching a DVD. Volume spiked WAYYY up until I was able to shut everything down.


Here are the data points in terms of what is now going on:


- Can't hear dialog well (center channel?) when watching a DVD. Other parts of the soundtrack -- music, sound effects etc, are fine, it's just the dialog that's barely audible. Turning the volume way up to try to hear dialog, only makes all the other parts of the soundtrack too loud. (Yes, I tried several different DVDs.)


- Music CDs seem to play normally through the same blu-ray player (i.e., sounds of voices as well as instruments)


- While watching cable tv, some channels repeat the problem, while others play completely normally


- Scratching my head because the fact that music CDs play normally; and most TV channels play normally; would seem to indicate that both the receiver and the soundbar are OK -- but something has obviously gone bad after the inadvertent huge volume spike.


- Checked all receiver speaker set up settings; checked all wire connections on the back of the soundbar.


- I don't have any other speakers I can use in lieu of the soundbar in order to further troubleshoot. Would replace either the receiver or the soundbar if that's the only answer, but don't know which of them is bad (if either) based on the data points above.


Would be VERY grateful for your wisdom/suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Looked up your speaker system:


The Mythos SSA-50 has speaker connections for five channels.


http://www.soundadviceblog.com/setting-up-a-home-theater-system-surroundbar/




-- That soundbar shows it has 5 speaker inputs on it - one of witch is for the center channel.


- The center channel should be the one that carries the dialog when watching a movie - when listening to a stereo recording, it is not used. That would explain this comment:


"- Music CDs seem to play normally through the same blu-ray player (i.e., sounds of voices as well as instruments)"



-- to test for the issue:


" I don't have any other speakers I can use in lieu of the soundbar in order to further troubleshoot. Would replace either the receiver or the soundbar if that's the only answer, but don't know which of them is bad (if either) based on the data points above."


-- You have a receiver and a 5 channel soundbar - of witch the center channel is having issues...


- Some tests you can do...


-- To see if you blew the center channel on the sound bar:


- Disconnect all connections on the sound bar - then connect 1 of the channels you know are working - like the Right Front cable - to each of the various channels on the sound-bar...they all should be producing the same volume - if you hook up the center channel connection on the sound bar and it doesn't work, you somehow blew out the speaker itself...


-- To see if the center channel on the receiver is the issue:


- Again disconnect all connections to the sound bar. Take your center channel input and plug it into the Right Front connection on the speaker -- if you cannot hear anything - than the issue is with the amp - might have blown a fuse on that channel when the volume was pumped up.

Martino, this is great info. Thank you for taking the time to respond!