Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Pioneer VSX-1124 Help! - Can only get audio fro two speakers

Feb 22, 2015 1:46AM PST

I bought this complicated pita a while back and it was working OK until a couple days ago. Have 4 speakers currently connected but all of a sudden now only shows two on display and only plays from two. No matter what I push on remote or select in menu settings can't get surrounds to show/play. When I do audio test all work. Manual that came with is worthless so any clue how to get this thing working again?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
Tell more.
Feb 22, 2015 2:18AM PST
- Collapse -
...
Feb 22, 2015 3:09AM PST

Thanks for the links. The source is dire TV genie unit and haven't changed anything with it. I also have HDMI video player connected and only plays two speakers with it too. There has to be a way to make the receiver send audio to all speaker outputs but I sure can't figure it out. Wish I would have bought a simpler one. Don't have these issues with my older Sony unit.

- Collapse -
(NT) I can't find what a "dire TV genie" is.
Feb 22, 2015 3:11AM PST
- Collapse -
One more thing...
Feb 22, 2015 3:17AM PST

Also I had to turn Dolby audio off in genie because with it on, I wasn't getting any voice when watching a movie, only sound effects and music coming through. I don't have a center speaker connected but this thing worked fine with dialogue in a movie until a couple days ago. I think I accidentally made a change with the remote that got me in the problems I'm in now and for the life of me can't figure out how to undo that change.

- Collapse -
I see a manual for the Pioneer.
Feb 22, 2015 3:20AM PST

Try it's "reset" procedure to remove that as a cause. When I get my gear in an odd way, I look for resets then set it back the way I wanted.

- Collapse -
Reset
Feb 22, 2015 3:35AM PST

I had that idea but couldn't figure out how. Will dig more through setup menus today to see if I can find that.

- Collapse -
Can't reset
Feb 22, 2015 4:38AM PST

I can't begin to say how much I hate this piece of crap. Now I can't access the setup menu that was working yesterday. I did get surround sound to come out on speakers though by pushing SURR button until I got to EXT STEREO. That's one of the few settings that will allow for all speakers while watching TV (Daytona 500). But if ibswitch to a music only channel on DirecTV it auto switches back to two speakers and no selection will give me more. This is all with Dolby ON in genie setup.

- Collapse -
That's progress of a sort.
Feb 22, 2015 5:06AM PST
- Collapse -
It's complicated if you don't use a center speaker
Feb 23, 2015 12:07AM PST

You likely need to run through the manual speaker setup mentioned on pp 89-90. p52 also mentions some of the limitations/sound modes. This rig works better with all of the 'auto-detection' & other sound level functionality if you use at minimum, a standard 5.1 speaker system, including center channel for dialogue. Sometimes the content simply isn't really surround which is why you don't get anything from the rear speakers. What happens when you run reset the unit and run through MCACC?

- Collapse -
Speaker setup
Feb 23, 2015 3:36AM PST

I finally got access to the menu. For some reason there's a trick to it. I had to first push the button to the right of white surround buttons then press menu. Seriously stupid way to do things. Anyway went in and selected 4.1 since I don't have center. Then went through mcacc and made sure all were set right. Still if I select surround I only get sound out of two speakers. The only way I get sound out of all 4 is if I select stereo instead of surround.

Should have probably said how I'm using the receiver. Could really care less about surround am using in an outside bar and want it to power speakers all over my patio in summer. For now it's in enclosed room so only 4 speakers.