Sound from the subwoofer is too low

IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check Applicable Products and Categories for details.

Why can I barely hear the Subwoofer?

Since a Subwoofer is designed to play bass sounds, when you play an audio source with fewer low frequencies, the sound from the Subwoofer can be harder to hear. Try playing a film with a varied audio source to check whether the Subwoofer's bass sound is being output correctly.

Is the Subwoofer connected and turned on?

Before you begin, make sure the Subwoofer is properly connected to the Soundbar and that the Subwoofer's indicator lights up.

Follow these steps to troubleshoot the low-volume issue

1. On the remote control, press the + (plus) button of the SW (subwoofer volume) to turn up the subwoofer volume.
   Note: The button name varies depending on the model (subwoofer volume, BASS, etc.).
2. If Night mode is set to ON, set it to OFF.
   Note: For details regarding Night mode, refer to the product manual.
3. For HT-S2000, HT-A7000, HT-A5000, and HT-A3000 models, check the following settings:
    
   • HT-S2000
     1. Using the Sony | BRAVIA Connect or Home Entertainment Connect  app, select Settings → Sound Settings.
     2. Select Speaker position and volume level settings → Volume level, and then adjust the Subwoofer volume level.
         
   • HT-A7000 / HT-A5000 / HT-A3000: Make sure the Sound Field Optimization is complete:
     1. On the remote control, press the HOME button.
     2. Select Setup.
     3. Select Advanced Settings.
     4. Select Speaker Settings.
     5. Select Sound Field Optimisation and follow the on-screen instructions.
        Note:  For details, refer to the Help Guide.

Play the test tone or built-in Demo music

Try to play the test tone or built-in Demo music to verify if any sound is coming out of the subwoofer:

•  HT-S2000
  • Use the Test Tone function:
    1. On the remote control screen of the Sony | BRAVIA Connect or Home Entertainment Connect app, select Settings → Sound Settings.
    2. Select Speaker position and volume level settings and select Test Tone.
  • Play the sample music following any of the steps:
    1. Press the INPUT button or  input select button on the Soundbar for 5 seconds to play the built-in demo music.
    2. Press the INPUT or  input select button again. The built-in demo music will stop, and the Soundbar will return to the TV input.
•  HT-A7000 / HT-A5000 / HT-A3000
  • Use the Test Tone function:
    1. On the remote control, press the HOME button.
    2. Select Setup.
    3. Select Advanced Settings.
    4. Select Speaker Settings.
    5. Select Manual Speaker Settings.
    6. Select Test Tone → On.
       Note: Select Off to end playing the Test Tone.
  • Play the sample music following any of the steps:
    Note: To stop the playback, press the same button you have used to play the sample music.
    • Press and hold the  input select button on the bar speaker for over 5 seconds to start the playback.
    • Press and hold the  MUSIC SERVICE button on the bar speaker for over 5 seconds to start the playback.
•  BRAVIA Theatre Quad (HT-A9M2) / BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9 (HT-A9000) / BRAVIA Theatre Bar 8 (HT-A8000)
  1. On the remote control screen of the Sony | BRAVIA Connect app, select Settings → Sound Settings.
  2. Select Sound Output Check → Test Tone.
•  BRAVIA Theatre Bar 6 (HT-B600, HT-BD60) / BRAVIA Theatre System 6 (HT-S60)
  1. On the remote control screen of the Sony | BRAVIA Connect app, select Settings → Sound Settings.
  2. Select Test Tone → Playback by each speaker.
•  HT-A9 / HT-X9000F / HT-XF9000 / HT-Z9F / HT-ZF9
  1. On the remote control, press the HOME button.
  2. Select Setup.
  3. Select Advanced Settings.
  4. Select Speaker Settings.
  5. Select Manual Speaker Settings.
  6. Select Test Tone → On.
     Note: Select Off to end playing the Test Tone.
•  HT-S20R / HT-S40R
  1. On the remote control, press the MENU button to turn on the front panel display menu.
  2. Select SPEAKER → TEST TONE → ON to output the test tone from each speaker.
  3. Press the MENU button to turn off the menu in the display.

  Notes:

  • To select the desired item and setting, press ↑ (upper), ↓ (lower), or ENTER repeatedly. You can return to the previous layer by pressing the BACK button.
  • While USB input is selected, the TEST TONE will not be output even though it is set to ON. Select an input other than USB to ensure the TEST TONE is played.
  • To turn off the TEST TONE, select SPEAKER → TEST TONE → OFF.
•  HT-S400 / HT-SD40
  1. Press and hold the TV button on the bar speaker for 5 seconds to play the built-in demo music.
  2. Press the TV button again. The built-in demo music will stop, and the Soundbar will return to the TV input.
•  Other models
  1. Press the INPUT button or  input select button on the Soundbar for 5 seconds to play the built-in demo music.
  2. Press the INPUT or  input select button again. The built-in demo music will stop, and the Soundbar will return to the TV input.

Related article

If the issue is unresolved, refer to the no sound coming from the Subwoofer article.