How To Fix Muffled Surround Sound In Soundbar (2023)

Table of Contents

As the name suggests, surround sound is a system that is created using multiple audio output channels where the sound completely surrounds the environment of the listener.

Initially, you must have experienced a stereo sound which is a two-channel recording and the audio is played through two speakers on either side of the listener.

With the advent of surround sound, this idea is taken up a notch, and sound channels from not just two but three directions.

This system enables you to enjoy a special theater experience at home. Overall, the surround sound system works great in creating an immersive experience for the user where the sound comes equally from a 360-degree angle.

It not only enhances the original audio but also significantly improves the system’s dynamic range and tonality.

As the name suggests, surround sound is a system that is created using multiple audio output channels where the sound completely surrounds the environment of the listener.

Initially, you must have experienced a stereo sound which is a two-channel recording and the audio is played through two speakers on either side of the listener. With the advent of surround sound, this idea is taken up a notch, and sound channels from not just two but three directions.

It not only enhances the original audio but also significantly improves the system’s dynamic range and tonality.

Now, coming back to the main theme of our article, there could be multiple reasons why your surround sound system produces muffled audio. It could be the damaged cable wires, faulty speaker cables, poor room construction, etc.

Because the sound has to travel through multiple speakers and wires to produce that surround effect for you, it is very likely that something goes wrong throughout this whole audio transmission process.

Let us try to first troubleshoot the reasons why this could be happening, and then some ways in which you can fix the muffled sound yourself.

Reasons For Muffled Surround Sound

It is important to understand the possible reasons for the muffled sound could be to be able to get rid of it. A few possible reasons are:

Faulty cables and wiring
A bad audio source
Poor positioning
Wrong receiver settings

1. Faulty Cables and Wiring

One of the most possible reasons that usually occur unknowingly is the damaged wiring. When we connect multiple speakers and amplifiers together, sometimes we insert the wiring cable in the wrong terminals.

We might insert the positive in the positive and the negative in the negative terminal, when in fact it should be the opposite.

If you have an old theater system, it could be that the wiring is broken from somewhere, disrupting the transmission of audio. It is essential that you check whether all the cables are intact and that no wiring is tangled up with any furniture.

2. A Bad Audio Source

It is highly possible that the source of your audio is of low quality causing a muffled sound.

When you play a movie or a show through your sound bar or speakers, you need to make sure that the source is playing the audio clearly before making further connections.

3. Poor Positioning

At times, we fail to notice the fact that we may be adding a barrier between the sound output and the listener.

If you are someone who places their speakers in a closed cabinet or shelf, it is time that you remove and place them in an open area from an enclosed one. Simply by doing this, it can affect greatly the sound that you will hear.

4. Wrong Receiver Settings

If you’ve got yourself a new speaker or are a new bee in setting up the surround system, then you may be adjusting the wrong receiver settings.

If your receiver is set up to only speak when you have multiple ones, then this could be a problem as the audio is not distributed equally.

How To Fix Muffled Surround Sound In Soundbar (2023)

Using of poor cables can lead to a muffled sound that is not pleasant to hear. It becomes very important to purchase good quality wires that will establish a strong connection.

Check to see if the right terminals are connected with the right wire jacks.
Place your speakers in a proper open environment surrounding the listener as placing them on a closed shelf will not produce the right quality. Remove any obstructions like pieces of furniture that you may have placed too close to one of the speakers.
Adjust the receiver settings to more than one speaker, and check to see if all the settings are in place, the speakers are switched on, and all the speakers are producing sound.
Lastly, ensure that the sound of the audio is not of poor quality. Before establishing any connection with the rest of the speakers, play the audio solo to see if it works.

Conclusion

I think we all know how annoying muffled sounds can come out, especially when you want to watch that favorite movie of yours.

Firstly, try troubleshooting the issue and then try the above solutions step by step. These solutions work 99% of the time unless there is an issue with one of the electrical components where you’ll have to purchase a new one.

If none of the above solutions work, you can also get a professional to help you figure out the problem with your surrounding system.

A surround system is no doubt a great feature for home theater systems. Hope this article helped you figure out a solution, and that you were able to enjoy whatever TV show or movie you wanted to watch along with your friends.

How To Fix Muffled Surround Sound In Soundbar (2023)