Having an excellent sound system can make a world of difference when it comes to enjoying your favorite television shows, movies, and music. That’s why many audiophiles invest in soundbars and subwoofers, with Sony as one of those highly trusted brands.
But what if your Sony soundbar and subwoofer are not working?
Despite the products’ outstanding features such as high-quality audio, affordable pricing, and easy setup, due to the native pairing between the sound bar and subwoofer, they could also malfunction at times, especially during the pairing process.
In this guide, we will troubleshoot the most common connectivity issues between Sony sound bars and subwoofers. We will also outline how to link a Sony subwoofer to a soundbar with and without a remote control.
5 Reasons Why Your Sony Soundbar and Subwoofer are Not Working
There are several fairly common reasons why a Sony subwoofer is not connecting to a soundbar and vice versa. It is possible that any one of the issues listed below could be the reason for your connectivity problems, rather than an issue with the initial setup.
Run through this list and double-check if any of these conditions are present:
1. Soundbar and subwoofer don’t have the same power source.
Make sure that your subwoofer and soundbar are both plugged in, and set to the same power source. If not, there is a tendency that they are not going to properly communicate with each other. You may need to switch up your wall outlets or use an extension cord for optimal connectivity.
2. Cables are damaged or are not properly connected.
Ensure that all cables are in good shape and in working order. If your soundbar and subwoofer are plugged in but show no signs of connectivity, or even life, try using different cables to verify they are functioning.
3. There is a compatibility issue.
Check to make sure that your soundbar and subwoofer are compatible with one another. Sony is known for creating products that work together, but there may be cases where the two devices don’t match up correctly. It could be due to a big difference in manufacturing dates or other technical issues. If your models don’t match, then you’ll need to purchase a compatible subwoofer or soundbar for the setup to work.
4. The devices are no longer paired.
If you’ve paired your soundbar and subwoofer together before, check if they remained in that state. You can do this by checking the pairing list on both devices. If they’re still connected and not working, then the devices may have paired improperly and aren’t transmitting to each other.
5. The devices are out of range.
Make sure your soundbar and subwoofer are close enough to connect with each other. Keep in mind that Bluetooth typically has a range of 15-25 feet only, with no obstructions in between.
4 Methods For Fixing Sony Subwoofer Not Connecting to Soundbar
Now that we understand why your Sony soundbar and subwoofers are not working, we can look at a few methods to ensure they are connected and functioning.
1. Check the Subwoofer Settings
If you can access the settings of your subwoofer, it’s worth taking the time to check the connection and volume settings. If you don’t hear a sound coming from it, despite the connection, turn up the volume. Check also if the audio you’re trying to listen to has enough bass in it for the subwoofer to emit.
2. Check the Subwoofer LED Status Indicator
Every piece of electronic hardware and device has some sort of LED indicator light. Whether they are steady lights or blinking, say on your router, TV, or computer, it’s telling you its operational status.
In the same way, the LED status indicator in your soundbar or subwoofer conveys important information at a glance. Checking it may give you an idea as to what is happening.
- Green – Green indicates a good connection and that the unit should be working normally.
- Red – Red light appearing after powering on means the subwoofer’s connection to the soundbar is incomplete and needs to be finalized in the link settings menu. These settings will be listed as “LINK,” “Secure Link,” or “Connect the Subwoofer Manually,”. They can also be found in your unit’s user manual.
- Green/Orange Flashing, Red After 10 Seconds – This pattern is a sure sign that your subwoofer and soundbar are either too far apart, or there is something interfering with their connectivity.
3. Clear a Path
The maximum range of a Bluetooth connection is between 15 and 25 feet when uninterrupted. You may find that beyond this you’ll experience intermittent sound, or difficulty connecting altogether.
Try to move the units to within 10 feet of each other, taking care to avoid obstacles such as walls and furniture, as well as sources of interference, such as metal objects or even the signals from your router.
4. Restore to Factory Default Settings
As a final push to fix any remaining problems, you can always reset your devices to their factory defaults. Although this is a last resort, it’s not nearly as drastic as restoring a computer or smartphone. Note that the method for restoring a Sony soundbar and subwoofer differs between models, so we’ll try to cover the most popular ones.
HT-CT390
Start with both units powered on. On the soundbar, simultaneously press, and hold, the power button, input selector button, and volume down button until the unit powers off. Power on again to find the system restored.
HT-S350
Start with both units powered on. On the soundbar, simultaneously press, and hold, the power button and volume down button for more than 5 seconds. All indicators should flash 3 times before the unit powers off. Disconnect the power cord for 5 seconds, then reconnect and power it on again. Check if the system is working fine again.
HT-CT290
Start with both units powered on. Simultaneously press, and hold the power and volume down buttons on the soundbar touch keys for approximately 5 seconds. Once the unit powers off, disconnect the power cord for 5 seconds, then reconnect and power it on again. On the back of the subwoofer, locate and press the LINK button and wait for the indicator LED to flash orange. Press and hold the button labeled “CLEAR AUDIO +” for 5 seconds, or until the indicator LED turns solid orange.
HT-CT380
Start with both units powered on. On the soundbar, press the MENU button, then use the arrow and ENTER buttons to find and select SYSTEM. In the menu that follows, select SYS. RST, then press the ENTER button again when the screen displays START. Once the screen message changes to RESET, disconnect the power cord for approximately 5 seconds. Then, reconnect and power on again to see if the system is back in working condition.
Reconnect the subwoofer by pressing the MENU button on the soundbar again, then selecting the WS, LINK, and START options as they appear. Once the screen displays SEARCH, press the LINK button on the back of the subwoofer. Once the indicator LED is green and the soundbar display says OK, press the menu button again to finalize the connection.
HT-CT790
Start with both units powered on and connected to your TV. On the soundbar, press the HOME button to display the menu on the connected TV. Select the option labeled SETUP, then RESETTING and RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS in the menus that follow. Finally, select which connectivity type you need to restart, either Bluetooth or wireless, then press START.
Reconnect the subwoofer by pressing the HOME button on the soundbar again, then selecting the SETUP, SYSTEM SETTINGS, and WIRELESS SUBWOOFER CONNECTION options as they appear on the connected TV. Finally, select LINK, press the LINK button on the back of the subwoofer, then select START on the TV once the indicator LED on the subwoofer is blinking green. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the connection.
HT-CT800
Start with both units powered on and connected to your TV. Open the HOME menu for the soundbar on the TV and select SETUP, then RESETTING and RESET TO FACTORY DEFAULT SETTINGS as they appear. Select the item you want to reset, in this case, either WIRELESS or CONNECTION TO SUBWOOFER, then select START.
Alternatively:
On the soundbar, simultaneously press, and hold, the power button and volume down button for approximately 5 seconds until the unit restarts.
Reconnect the subwoofer by opening the HOME menu again, then selecting the SETUP, SYSTEM SETTINGS, and WIRELESS SUBWOOFER CONNECTION options as they appear on the connected TV. Finally, press the LINK button on the back of the subwoofer, then select START on the TV. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
The troubleshooting section outlined above provided some clarification on why your Sony soundbar and subwoofer are not working, and how to fix the issue. However, if you still have some unanswered questions, a few of them may be addressed below:
To activate your Sony subwoofer, plug it into a power source, and then press the power button. Wait for the light on it to turn blue, as this indicates that the subwoofer has powered on and is ready to be paired with your soundbar.
In most cases, it’s not recommended nor possible to add standalone products to most audio devices. The reason for this is that your Sony subwoofer may have different available features than your non-Sony soundbar. This can potentially damage the sound and spoil the quality if they are not compatible with one another.
This is an indication that either the soundbar is too far from the subwoofer, or there is something interfering with their connection. It’s also possible your subwoofer is malfunctioning and requires service.
You can test this by moving the units closer together and ensuring there is nothing interfering with their connection. If the beeping continues, you may have to take your subwoofer to a service center for repair.
While most home theater systems come with a remote to control the soundbar and subwoofer, you may have misplaced yours, or it is malfunctioning. If that’s the case, there are still other methods to get your soundbar and subwoofer to work as desired.
a. Connect the 2 devices together using the audio cable that should have come with the system. This will allow you to control the subwoofer’s settings via the soundbar’s settings menu.
b. Connect both devices to your TV using the appropriate cables. Open your TV’s settings, select CEC, then enable HDMI. This will allow you to control the soundbar using your TV’s remote control, and thus your subwoofer as well.
c. Download a Sony Soundbar Control App on your smartphone. If your phone has a working infrared (IR) sensor, you should be able to control and connect your soundbar to your subwoofer. Note that you may have to try multiple apps, pending compatibility issues.
d. You can always try using a universal remote, following the same concept as a Sony Soundbar Control App, only without the need for a smartphone. Note that it may be simpler to purchase a replacement Sony Soundbar Remote, thus avoiding any compatibility issues.
Sony Soundbar and Subwoofer are Not Working, Addressed!
While connectivity issues between soundbars and subwoofers can be frustrating and time-consuming, we hope that this guide has provided you with a proper understanding of why these issues happen and what to do when they occur.
Feel free to contact us if you find this article helpful or if you still have unanswered questions and we’ll happily get back to you soon. Happy listening!