There's little or no sound from my TV speakers with my sound bar or home theater system connected to the S-CENTER port

IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products. Check the Applicable Products and Categories section of this article.

This is not a malfunction. Check the following:

1. Center speaker features:

   The TV speaker sound is created according to the configuration of the TV. The sound positioning tweeters or vibrating frame tweeters at the top of the TV screen handle the high-frequency components to create an optimum sound position behind the picture. This allows the sound to precisely match what is on the screen for a truly immersive experience.

   When connected to the S-CENTER SPEAKER IN​ port of the TV, the low and mid-range frequencies are output from the Sound Bar or Home Theater System so those sounds may be more pronounced than the higher-range sounds from the TV speakers.

2. Specifications and connection:
   • Confirm that the TV has an S-CENTER SPEAKER IN port with the Acoustic Center Sync feature supported.
     Hints: Some of the BRAVIA TV supports the Acoustic Center Sync feature. For details, refer to the TV product website or the Acoustic Center Sync section in the article Which Sony audio products can use the exclusive features of BRAVIA TVs?
   • Make sure that the S-CENTER SPEAKER IN port of the TV and the S-CENTER OUT port of the Soundbar are connected using the TV center speaker mode cable. For details, refer to the operating manual or Help Guide.
   • Depending on the audio source, the sound will not be output from the TV.
3. Soundbar settings:
   • HT-A5000, HT-A3000
     • Press the SOUND FIELD button on the remote control, and then select Sound Field: Effect On.
       Note: If the output audio source is multi-channel, the sound will be output from the TV speakers even when the Sound Field: Effect Off is selected. If the output audio source is 2-channel, the sound will not be output from the TV speakers even when the Sound Field: Effect On is selected.
     • Follow either of these two methods:
       • Press the HOME button on the remote control, select Setup → Advanced Settings → Audio Settings → Sound Field Setting, and then select Sony | Vertical Surround Engine.
         Note: If you select Dolby Speaker Virtualizer or DTS Virtual: X/DTS Neural:X, the sound will not output from the TV.
       • Press the HOME button on the remote control, and then set the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping to On.
         Note: This setting is available only when the optional speaker is connected.
   • HT-A7000
     • Follow either of these two methods:
       • Press the HOME button on the remote control, select Setup → Advanced Settings → Audio Settings → Sound Effect, and then select Sound Mode On.
         Note: If you select Dolby Speaker Virtualizer or DTS Neural:X, the sound will not output from the TV.
       • Press the HOME button on the remote control, and then set the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping to On.
         Note: This setting is available only when the optional speaker is connected.
     • Press the IMMERSIVE AE button on the remote control, and then select Immersive Audio Enhancement: On.
       Depending on the audio source, the sound will be output from the TV by activating the Immersive Audio Enhancement function.
       Note: If the output audio source is Dual Mono, the sound will not be output from the TV speakers.