Problems other than one channel out can be traced this same way. You just apply the same principles to whatever components you have. Note that this same process can be used on any combination of components in the system. Reconnect the tuner-to-preamp cables as they originally were before proceeding further. You also know that the preamp is OK, because its right output is still connected to the right channel of the power amp and the right speaker, which are both now working. If the right speaker starts working, and the left speaker quits, then you know the tuner is bad. connect the left tuner output to the right preamp input, and the right tuner output to the left preamp input. Swap the cables between the tuner and the preamp, i.e. Reconnect the preamp-to-power amp cables as they originally were before proceeding to the next step. Power amplifier is OK, because its right terminals are still connected to the right speaker, which is now working. If the right speaker starts working, and the left speaker quits, you have proven that there is no output from the preamp's right channel. connect the left preamp output to the right power amp input, and the right preamp output to the left power amp input. Swap the left and right cables between the preamp and the power amp, i.e. Next, you want to see if the amplifier is bad, or if the right channel is out on some other component back up the chain. Reconnect the speaker wires as they originally were before proceeding to the next step. Swap the speaker wires, as described above to eliminate them as the source of the problem. If, for instance, you notice that your right speaker is out, you might not know where to start. A problem in any of the components along this chain could cause a speaker to go out. The signal comes from the tuner, passes through the preamp, passes through the power amplifier, and goes to the speakers. For example, your system might have a tuner, a preamplifier, and a power amplifier. The same process can be used to isolate problems with other components in the system. Looking at it another way, the problem always "follows" the bad component: If the right channel speaker output of your amplifier or receiver never works on any speaker, then it is the problem if your right speaker never works wherever you connect it, then it is the problem. This proves that the right channel speaker terminals on the amplifier or receiver are not working.Īt this point, you have pretty much established that the problem is the right channel speaker output from the receiver or amplifier, and not the speaker or wires. Most likely, the left channel speaker, which was working before, will not work. The next step is to connect the left speaker wire to the amplifier's or receiver's right channel speaker terminals. If the right speaker is still out, it is obviously bad.īut, what if the right speaker starts working? Obviously, then, the right speaker is not bad. The best way to isolate such problems to a single component in the system is to swap cables to see if the problem remains in the same channel or switches to a different channel.įor instance, if the your right channel speaker is out, connect its speaker wire instead to your amplifier's or receiver's left channel speaker terminals. Sometimes this occurs constantly, and sometimes it happens only intermittently. One common problem with home stereo systems in the loss of one or more channels of sound. Home Stereo Troubleshooting - One Channel Out