No sound from Zone 2 on Pioneer VSX-43

[vshortt]

I really hope someone can help. I've exhausted all options that I'm aware of. I have a Pioneer VSX-43 receiver and I cannot get sound to come from the zone 2 speakers. I know they work because they used to be hooked to different receiver. I have them hooked to the Zone 2 speaker inputs on the back of the receiver and I'm also aware that I am limited to analog input, which actually poses another question. I'll get to that. Another detail is that I don't simply want to set them up as the "B" speakers because I want independent switching of sources. Now, that said, best I can tell the ONLY thing that should I should be able to use in zone 2 at this point is the tuner on the amp because everything that is hooked up is done so via HDMI. Question #1. Do you have to "set up" the amp to use it as a "zone 2 setup" instead of a "7.1 setup"? Question #2. If I hook a set of RCA cables into the back of my DVD player, will that negate the audio output of the HDMI or vice versa? I want to be able to use the "smart" features of the DVD player for Pandora and the likes, but I was wondering if it confuses the amp to have both HDMI cables and RCA cables running to the inputs of the specified component. Please help!!

 

[j_garcia]

Zone 2 MUST be analog with nearly all receivers, so yes, that's the issue. The AVR does not "know" what you've got connected (it knows there is a connection but not what it is usually except for HDMI), but to make it simple for using with zones, connect the analog to a DIFFERENT input. Most players will output via analog and HDMI at the same time.

 

[vshortt]

Thanks for the reply and I'll certainly give that a shot, but that doesn't explain why I cannot get sound via the tuner. I can't even get it to show that the volume is increasing or decreasing on the panel display when I spin the volume knob. It simply shows nothing.

 

[j_garcia]

Thanks for the reply and I'll certainly give that a shot, but that doesn't explain why I cannot get sound via the tuner. I can't even get it to show that the volume is increasing or decreasing on the panel display when I spin the volume knob. It simply shows nothing.

Tuner doesn't work at all or only with zone 2? You'll probably need to check your manual on that one. I think the Onkyo I setup like this had the same problem, it would only accept sources from an analog input, meaning even the tuner wouldn't work.

Welcome to the forum by the way

 

[vshortt]

Thanks. I appreciate that. The tuner works perfectly fine, but only through the mains. It will not work in zone 2. Nothing does.

 

[vshortt]

Solved. Let's just say the owner's manual is miserable on its BEST day.

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum! I was going to look into that this morning - how did you resolve your issue? That might help others who run into this same problem. Thanks.