John Fleming is the senior editor for Audiophilez.com, covering everything from headphones to smart speakers. He is a graduate of Music Production and Technology. Before Audiophilez, John began his career as a staff writer for two different magazines, where he became a skilled storyteller across different mediums. When he isn’t writing, he can be found biking, reading books, and playing the piano.
Is the Bluetooth pairing not working on your Vizio soundbar? Check out this tutorial to help you properly connect your sound bar so you can be able to listen to sound coming out of it no matter what device it’s connected to.
Is your Bluetooth pairing not working on Vizio sound bar? If the answer is yes, you’re in the right place. This guide will show you how to fix this issue so you can be able to easily pair your Bluetooth Device and get excellent quality sound coming out of your Vizio Soundbar.
All you’ll be doing is opening up an app on your source device, play a movie on your Smart TV or fire up your gaming console. Either way, you won’t need to fiddle around with any wires or do any constant switching around.
It’s important that you fix this issue so you can be able to put your Vizio Soundbar to good use. This was put together because there’s a common issue that happens when people attempt to connect Bluetooth to their devices including their sound bar.
With that said, let’s get started with what you’ll need for this tutorial.
What You Need for This Tutorial?
Image from Unsplash
You will need the following equipment for this tutorial:
A working Vizio soundbar (it must have Bluetooth pairing)
Your source device (Like a phone, Smart TV, or a particular device that has Bluetooth capabilities
It’s important that your particular device must be in working order. To test to see if its Bluetooth pairing is active, try and connect it to another device that isn’t your Vizio soundbar. This can be a wireless speaker that you have in your bedroom or home office.
If you are able to pair it correctly, then the problem will not be your device. That’s when you can be able to determine if the Sound bar might be able to have a pairing problem or if you are doing it improperly.
Step by Step Instructions to Fix Your Vizio Soundbar Bluetooth Pairing Issues
Now, we’ll be taking a look at the following step by step instructions that will help you fix your Vizio soundbar bluetooth pairing issues. Pay close attention and make sure that you are following the steps as outlined. We will also provide you with alternative steps in the event if the solutions below may not be working.
Let’s begin:
1. Enable your bluetooth on the sound bar
First thing you’ll want to do is enable the Bluetooth on your Vizio soundbar. The first thing you’ll want to do is go to your Settings menu and switch it on. You can do this using a Vizio or Sony remote control.
At this point, the devices should be able to recognize each other. Using the source device, you’ll want to pair and connect.
This may be a common solution that may take care of the issue fast. However, if that’s not the case, keep reading for the following alternative steps.
2. Reconnect the sound bar from the TV or power outlet
If a simple connection doesn’t get the job done, this alternative might help. First, you want to unplug the Vizio Soundbar. Leave it unplugged for a few minutes before you plug it back into the outlet.
Once it’s started back up, make sure the sound bar is in pairing mode. Using the source device’s bluetooth settings, make sure that it picks up on the Vizio soundbar. If it’s not being picked up, you may be out of Bluetooth range.
You may have it at a one foot range to ensure a quick connection. If they are paired, you should be done at this point. If that didn’t work, you want to move on to the next step.
3. Double check to see if it’s paired with the device in question
Image from Unsplash
It’s important to double check to see if the sound bar is connected with the device you want. You try to play a song from it and it doesn’t come from where you want it. This can only mean one thing – it’s already connected to another device.
Your Vizio soundbar may have the ability to connect with any other bluetooth device. It can even be on multiple devices. A common bluetooth pairing problem is that it’s already connected to other wireless devices and won’t have room to pair another.
To do this, you want to find a device that is connected to the Vizio soundbar and disconnect it. Sometimes, the device may automatically pair with the sound bar. What you want to do is make sure that the device ‘forgets’ it.
It’s important to know what kind of Bluetooth version it is. That’s because it will have its own limit of how many devices it can handle. Here’s a list of the following:
Bluetooth 4.0 will handle 3 to 5 devices at a time
Bluetooth 5.0 will handle up to 7 devices
4. Enable your sound bar’s pairing mode
The Vizio soundbar won’t have its pairing mode turned on automatically. So you will need to do it yourself. Make sure it’s switched on.
If you need a video guide that will show you the step-by-step way to do it, there’s this.
5. The Re-pair process
Now with the sound bar’s pairing mode switched on, you can start the re-pairing process. Didn’t work?
Let’s try the next step. This will involve intentionally disconnecting the source device itself.
6. Drop the connection itself
By this, you’ll want to have the sound bar forget the device itself. This includes you going into the Bluetooth menu on your device and choosing ‘forget’ once you find the Vizio Soundbar on the list.
You can disable the Bluetooth on your device and turn it back on after a few seconds. After which, if it picks up on the sound bar, then try to re-pair it again.
Still nothing? This might be frustrating, but don’t give up just yet. It may be time for an update.
Your Vizio soundbar will need its firmware update in order for the Bluetooth pairing to be successful. In order to do this, you will need to follow these steps:
Go to the Vizio website and click on ‘Support’ located at the top of the page.
Go to the search bar and enter the model name of your sound bar. You may see an automatic suggestion pop up, which may indicate an update.
Find the article in the search results that applies to your sound bar. This should allow you to download the firmware update itself or give you instructions to access and download it.
Download the update and save it to a USB drive.
Switch on your Vizio sound bar, then disconnect the power cord.
Place the USB drive to where the update is saved.
Reconnect the power cord. You should be able to see two LED lights lit up in front of the soundbar. This will be followed by the first, third, and fourth light illuminating. This will indicate that the update is being installed.
Wait for the LED lights to disappear. Once they do, remove the USB drive safely.
8. Try a factory Reset, if all else fails
Factory resetting the Vizio soundbar may be your last resort option. When you take this step, you will be getting rid of any savings you may have saved. To do this, you’ll want to do the following:
Make sure the sound bar is powered on. If it’s not on, press the power button and make sure it’s plugged in.
Tap and hold your Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons for five seconds.
Release the buttons and wait for the LED lights to blink three times. This will indicate that the reset was successful.
To confirm this, you’ll want to make sure that the soundbar is functioning properly. For any further confirmation, check this video tutorial.
Did This Tutorial Help?
Did you enjoy this tutorial? Has it been helpful? It’s important to make sure you follow these steps above to make sure your Bluetooth pairing issue is fixed fast. You may have your best solution, but it’s good to know you have alternatives in case one of these steps doesn’t solve the problem.
Making sure your bluetooth device is connected to your Vizio soundbar is important because you want to get the best sound quality out of it. It can be via your phone, PC, or even your Smart TV.
If you liked this tutorial and found one of the solutions to be helpful or unhelpful, let us know in the comments.
John Fleming is the senior editor for Audiophilez.com, covering everything from headphones to smart speakers. He is a graduate of Music Production and Technology. Before Audiophilez, John began his career as a staff writer for two different magazines, where he became a skilled storyteller across different mediums. When he isn’t writing, he can be found biking, reading books, and playing the piano.
Can you hook up multiple devices with HDMI on your soundbar? In this tutorial, you’ll know how to connect all of your devices so when you use them, you’ll get the best sound quality possible even if many devices are paired with it.
If you are asking yourself ‘How Do I connect multiple HDMI devices’, then you’re in the right place. When you complete the tutorial we have listed, you’ll be able to hook multiple devices that have an HDMI within one soundbar. Think about it, you won’t have to switch HDMI cables when you have to change between your home theater or your game console.
This will be an important tutorial because it will save you a lot of time once everything is set up. You will be able to have sound come out of one soundbar no matter how many devices are connected to it. You won’t have to make any kind of adjustments because everything is plugged in and ready to go.
What You Need to Follow in This Tutorial
Images from Unsplash
In this tutorial, it’s obvious that you will need the following:
While we are focused mostly on HDMI devices, there are other alternatives that we’ll be taking a look at. In the event that you have no HDMI ports in your source devices, we’ll provide you with alternative solutions.
For example, we will discuss how you can connect your devices to your soundbar using an RCA connection and Bluetooth. Let’s talk about each one of these briefly.
This is if you want to connect a DVD player to your TV(Techwalla) that has an HDMI port. You will need an RCA to HDMI converter. You’ll want to connect the HDMI cable to the TV and then connect the RCA cables to the DVD player or even a game console.
Even though people are using Blu-Ray discs and players, some people still love their DVDs. For that reason, it may be a smart idea to ensure that you have the right connection for your DVD player. And this is the best solution to go with.
You’ll have an HDMI input and an AV or RCA output. You’ll notice the yellow, red, and white color coded outputs that indicate which RCA wire will go where.
Connect the power cord of the converter into its appropriate slot. Then plug it into the outlet.
Double check to see if the connection is correct. If you notice any sound coming out of the soundbar, you should be all set.
Bluetooth to HDMI connection
For this setup, you will need an HDMI transmitter that will be able to connect your devices using Bluetooth technology. This will come in handy if your TV does not have Bluetooth capabilities of their own (assuming it’s not a smart TV that already does). With that said, you’ll want to do the following:
You’ll want to connect it either with an RCA cable or a 3.5 AUX (whichever you prefer).
If you have an RCA cable, plug the HDMI cable from the RCA to HDMI converter into the port. Then using RCA cables, connect it to the transmitter.
If you have an Aux 3.5 mm cord, then connect one end to the TV’s AUX port and the other to the Bluetooth’s transmitter.
Connect Multiple HDMI Devices to Your Soundbar: Step-by-step Guide
Photo by Patrick Campanale on Unsplash
Now, we’ll take a look at this step-by-step guide on how to connect multiple HDMI devices to your soundbar. Be sure to follow each of these steps so you don’t miss anything. Otherwise, you may run into issues afterwards.
Let’s get started.
1. Know your TV’s connectivity specs
The connectivity specs will depend on the type of TV you have. If you have a Smart TV, you can breathe easy knowing that you can easily connect a soundbar to your TV and make it easier to connect multiple devices. If it’s any other TV, then there may be a few extra steps to take.
What if you have an older TV?
If you have an older TV, it may be a good idea to purchase something like a Bluetooth receiver. The good news is that it can be set up using either an RCA or AUX cable. The setup is simple and straightforward either way.
Here’s what you need to do:
Connect the transmitter to an audio output. So long as your TV has one, it should be enough to where you can add Bluetooth capabilities.
Make sure the Bluetooth transmitter is turned on. It should be indicated by a small light. Some of these may also be battery-powered and can include an additional light indicator that will come on if the battery is low.
Switch on the transmitter’s pairing mode. Depending on the transmitter you have, the steps you need to take may be different. Most of the time, it will require you to just press the power button for a bit until you see the indicator lights flash. From there, you can pair the now Bluetooth-capable TV to your sound bar.
2. Know your TV’s connection requirements
You now have a good idea of your TV’s connectivity specs. So now, we turn our attention to the connection requirements. At this point, your TV should have Bluetooth capabilities regardless if it’s a smart TV or not.
Here are some tips that you want to follow
If you want to lessen the amount of wires, Bluetooth may be your best option. But be careful, it has its limits. Bluetooth 4.0 can connect up to 3 to 5 devices, while Bluetooth 5.0 will hold up to 7.
Make sure that it’s on the same WiFi network. If nothing is working, you may want to check which device is connected to which WiFi network. For example, if the Bluetooth device is on one network and the source device is on the other, make the switch regardless of what device you choose.
Keep in mind that you still have HDMI, RCA, AUX, and Optical inputs for your TV. So if you don’t have a Smart TV, make sure you put one of these to good use.
3. Pair each device
Your TV will be your go-to device as you will need a visual indicator to know which device is already connected to your soundbar. This will make the process simple because you can be able to allow the soundbar to scan for another source device and pick up on it. From there, the pairing will be easy.
If you want to pair each device using an HDMI ARC or optical cable, this is how you do it:
Find the HDMI ARC port on both your soundbar and TV. Both of them must be available and in working order.
Make sure you have a high speed rated HDMI cable if you want the best results. Plug in the ARC cable into both the TV and the soundbar itself.
Go to your TV’s setting’s menu and search for your HDMI or CEC options (depending on the TV you have). Make sure that these are enabled before moving forward.
Turn on your soundbar and make sure it’s on TV mode. This will ensure the sound coming from the TV is routed to the soundbar itself. Make sure that the TV’s original speakers are muted.
Using any leftover HDMI ports you may have, connect other devices you want to use.
4. Check Your TV Settings for Preferred Speaker Options
Now, you’ll want to look at your TV and find your preferred speaker options. Most TVs will have the HDMI input as their default option. However, not every TV will do this.
So, let’s take a look at what needs to be done:
Check to see if your connections are in place. If they are, move on to the next step.
Switch to your TV settings and find out where your preferred speaker option is plugged in. For example, if you have your speakers plugged into an HDMI, then you’ll want to select the HDMI option. If you have multiple HDMI inputs, then you’ll want to find the one that it’s connected to.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an HDMI splitter?
An HDMI splitter will be able to split the signal from a source device to ensure the connection of devices using multiple HDMI ports. An output signal will be created and it can provide a long distance transmission if and when possible.
Is it worth getting an HDMI splitter?
Yes. An HDMI splitter will be useful as it won’t reduce the overall quality. The reason for this is that it’s cloning a digital signal. However, issues may arise if the HDMI cable itself is considered to be too long. Check the length to make sure if a splitter may be worth using.
Can an HDMI switcher reduce quality?
No, it will not. If there are signal quality issues, this can be pointed to the switch itself being low quality or you may be dealing with a bad connection. Either way, it’s important to check out these common issues so one may be ruled out to confirm the other. Again, a switcher will be used to ensure that the digital signal is cloned properly.
Final Thoughts
Did you enjoy this tutorial? If so, we hope that you found the steps listed above to be easy to understand and follow along. Doing so will allow you to ensure that multiple devices are all being supported on your Soundbar so you can play music just by a few touches or taps.
While there are a few ways to connect multiple HDMI devices to your soundbar, you’ll want to find the one that makes sense to you. Whether you have one HDMI input or multiple HDMI inputs, it all depends on what can be setup.
If you need to purchase a newer device due to a lack of HDMI ports, have at it if you have the money. If you need an HDMI switch, get one. If you have plans to set up something for the best movie, TV, or gaming experience, decide what is possible when you have your TV, soundbar, and other devices to connect with.
If you liked this tutorial, you can leave us a comment below. If you discovered any of the mentioned solutions above as either working or not working, please let us know so we can make it more valuable for new readers.
John Fleming is the senior editor for Audiophilez.com, covering everything from headphones to smart speakers. He is a graduate of Music Production and Technology. Before Audiophilez, John began his career as a staff writer for two different magazines, where he became a skilled storyteller across different mediums. When he isn’t writing, he can be found biking, reading books, and playing the piano.
Did you know that you can run a karaoke night with soundbars of all input types? You can. We’ll talk about which karaoke soundbar will be great for those fun moments. A good karaoke soundbar must have good sound for optimal performance.
Are you planning a karaoke night with your friends? If so, it may take the right kind of equipment to pull it off. You’ll have mixers set up to where you can use a microphone and be able to sing your favorite song.
This can only be done if you only follow the necessary steps below. This guide was put together so your soundbar for karaoke can be reliable every time you want to have fun with friends or family showing off your singing talent.
If you want to have the time of your life (no pun intended, although a good song for a duet), keep reading. Let’s get started.
As you may notice, it doesn’t take a lot to set up the perfect karaoke machine. You have the best TV setting for karaoke video, a soundbar that will play your karaoke music, and mics that will be used for just one person or a group of people.
Step by Step Instructions on Setting Up Karaoke With a Soundbar
Photo by Hendrik B on Pexels
If you need to connect a karaoke mixer and microphone to your soundbar, you’ll want to follow this guide down below. Let’s cut to the chase and get started:
1. Disconnect Your Soundbar
Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash
The first thing you need to do is disconnect the soundbar from your designated audio source, which will be your TV. This will depend on the type of connection you have. So here’s what you need to do:
If you have a Smart TV, go to the Bluetooth setting and disable it.
If you are using an HDMI cable, you can unplug the sound bar using either the cable itself or the power cord.
Match the inputs on your mixer. So for example, your TV has an audio output and thus, your mixer will have an audio input.
Connect the cables which include using your RCA connection (the red and white cables and jacks). Alternatively, you can use an AUX cable. This means you will need to use that jack labeled ‘Aux Line In’ or ‘Track Line In’.
Connect any mics you may have. These may also include wireless microphones that may come with the mixer itself. This may be a quick, automatic process.
Test the connection to see if everything is working.
Play around with the mixers and make some adjustments later on. You may want to test the music or even the microphone sounds. Turn the knobs so you can reduce the bass if it’s too heavy or the treble is too light.
Now, you’ll want to connect the karaoke mixer to your soundbar. Like the TV, the concept will be the same. Here’s a look at what options you can work with:
If you have Bluetooth settings on each device, you can try and use the pairing process. If they seem to be paired together, test the connection. Otherwise, you can move on to the alternative solution.
You can use either an HDMI, RCA, or optical cable. Make sure they are connected to their respective input and output ports.
With the mixer now connected, you can then connect the bluetooth mic or any other dedicated microphone you may have. To do this, you’ll want to connect it through the mixer. You can purchase one that already comes with microphone(s) or separately.
Now, let’s take a look at the following:
If the microphone is wired, you can plug them in. If they are wireless and are part of the mixer, the connection process will be a lot easier. It may also have bluetooth capabilities in order to get a bluetooth mic connected.
Please note that some signal disruptions may arise if there are any other bluetooth devices in the immediate vicinity. For example, this can happen if you are connecting the bluetooth microphone with your phone.
Detach the soundbar from the audio source you’re using. Again, this can be your TV.
Connect the mixer to that TV using the cable or HDMI port. Then, make sure the mixer is connected to the soundbar itself. Last but not least, connect the microphone to the mixer.
Once again, if the microphones come with the mixer, they may be automatically connected.
5. Turn It on and Give It a Shot
Image by fernando zhiminaicela from Pixabay
Now it’s time to test everything out. This is what you need to do:
Power on the respective devices that are part of your karaoke setup.
Pop in a karaoke CD or a karaoke video on YouTube. Listen to the music coming out of the soundbar. Make sure the TV’s speakers are muted.
Try to sing the song to ensure the microphone is picking up on the sound.
If everything appears to be working properly, you’re good to go. Otherwise, you might be dealing with a connection snafu. So it would be a good idea to double check to see if every wired and wireless connection is set up properly.
Frequently Asked Question
What is the purpose of a karaoke mixer?
If there is one solution that will fix this, it’s none other than a karaoke mixer. This has dedicated microphone inputs and some may allow even up to two. Best of all, they don’t have to be mics with a wire connection.
They each have an audio in and audio out port. They will also have aux ports so you can be able to rout the audio channels with the music ‘in’ and the mixed audio channels using both the music and mic inputs ‘out’.
Since they are called mixers, they have plenty of knobs that will allow you to control the volume settings for both your microphones and the music itself. This is all sent out using one audio out signal. Before you go choosing any karaoke mixer, you’ll want to check on the compatibility.
You’ll want to have the right mixer or even the right adapters for it. This will depend on the mixers you are looking at on Amazon or wherever else they are sold. Some of them may have an HDMI in and HDMI out.
Let’s say your soundbar has an HDMI input. You want to find a mixer that has an HDMI output. Otherwise, there would be no point in having karaoke nights when you can’t have anything that is compatible with one another.
What if your soundbar has an aux in? If you do, get a mixer that has an aux out. Simple as that.
So this will fix the issue when a standalone soundbar for karaoke won’t be able to include a plug in for your microphone. Get a mixer that will match with the respective inputs and outputs and you’ll be good to go.
What are the benefits of a soundbar for karaoke?
Soundbars are best known for creating an excellent sound system for your karaoke experience. If you set up the soundbar properly, you should be able to get the best sound compared to what you can get via your television’s speakers or even a home theatre.
Plus, you can be able to enjoy karaoke with a soundbar and not have to worry about dealing with too many wires. It can take one cable to set things up and you should be good to go. So there is less effort involved.
Plus, a soundbar for karaoke will provide you with a more cost-effective solution compared to a home theatre with plenty of speakers (which will require all kinds of wires). While a home theatre system will be in the hundreds or thousands of dollars, you can get a good soundbar for half the amount.
You’ll want to find one based on the quality, inputs you are in need of, and the kind of sound that you want out of the whole thing. If you want to deal with less wires, you can find one with bluetooth speaker capabilities.
What are the disadvantages of connecting your microphone with a soundbar?
There are some disadvantages in terms of connecting a microphone to a soundbar for karaoke. As mentioned before, there is no standalone connectivity for microphones. That’s why you will need a karaoke mixer.
Other than that, there may be some extra work that goes into making the connections needed. That’s why you want to make the setup as less stressful as possible and use less wires in the process. Again, this comes down to choosing the right kind of mixer that will have compatible inputs with your television.
What is needed for karaoke?
To setup karaoke, you’ll need the following: a microphone, speakers, amplifiers, mixers, and a television for video display of the lyrics. At this point, you already can use a sound bar as an alternative to a sound system that uses speakers and amps. This will save you time and money since you’ll be otherwise spending a ton of money tracking down on speakers that will cost a lot of money.
Plus, you won’t be certain if it has the sound quality that you want. If you are looking for a cost effective option, a sound bar might be exactly what you need to set up the perfect karaoke system.
Can you use a home theater speaker for karaoke?
Yes. You can use a home theater speaker for karaoke. However, the connection process may be a little more complex. For example, you will need to remove the audio input jacks and other devices each time you want to use it. This can be a waste of time and a lot of wires will be used.
Did you find this tutorial enjoyable? It is important to have the perfect karaoke system connection using the tools we’ve mentioned above. The list of setup steps are important because if you follow them one by one, you’ll be able to get the perfect setup for a karaoke party.
If you liked this tutorial or have any questions about your karaoke setup, feel free to tell us what you think in the comments and we’ll be happy to hear from you.
John Fleming is the senior editor for Audiophilez.com, covering everything from headphones to smart speakers. He is a graduate of Music Production and Technology. Before Audiophilez, John began his career as a staff writer for two different magazines, where he became a skilled storyteller across different mediums. When he isn’t writing, he can be found biking, reading books, and playing the piano.
If you’ve lost your remote and find yourself unable to turn on your soundbar without a remote, don’t worry. We are here to help make sure your Sanyo soundbar can still be turned on, so you can keep using it.
Sanyo soundbars are neat products, allowing you to boost the sound of your TV, or play your music loudly while you are cleaning the house. Unfortunately, what isn’t nifty is that the remotes are often very tiny.
Thankfully, depending on your soundbar, there are a few options, from using your phone to finding a code for your universal remote.
Keep reading to learn more about how to turn on the Sanyo soundbar without a remote.
What You Will Need to Follow This Tutorial
Images from Unsplash
Depending on which option you use, you won’t need much.
Besides having power and the soundbar, all you will need is a phone, the number for Sanyo’s customer service, and a universal remote, at most. By using these, you have the option to use a different remote instead of the remote they come with.
The phone also allows you to contact customer service if needed. Whether by phone, email, or chat. This is to help you get a new remote if you so desire, or get the code of your device to place into a universal remote.
Some Sanyo soundbars, but unfortunately not all, come with power buttons. The first step is to determine if yours has one. If it does, it will generally be on the right side of your soundbar. However, it can be anywhere, so check all of your buttons and make sure you know what each one does.
If you don’t have a button on your Sanyo soundbar, then you may not be able to manually turn on your soundbar. Instead, you might have to try other options, such as the ones we detail below.
If there doesn’t appear to be a power button on your Sanyo soundbar, one option is to download Sanyo’s app. If you have a smartphone and don’t mind adding another app, then the TV Remote For Sanyo app is an option.
Again, just like the power button, not all Sanyo soundbars will accept this soundbar, but it is an option to try out.
Some other soundbars also accept Chromecast or have a voice assistant. With Chromecast, you may be able to send something to the soundbar via your phone or a tablet and get it to turn on your Sanyo soundbar that way.
If it has a voice assistant and you’ve set it on, it might be just in standby mode. If you wake it up with its command, it should work for you.
Can I Buy a New Remote?
Images from Unsplash
It is possible to buy a new remote. The best option if you decide to get a new remote is to contact Sanyo’s customer service. They can point you to the correct remote for your device.
Also, if the remote isn’t available, they can direct you to the next best option that will also work with your soundbar, even if it isn’t the actual remote that it should come with.
However, we understand that customer service can be a pain. So it is also possible to look online, especially on sites like eBay, to see if someone is selling a remote for the soundbar you have.
Other online stores like Amazon may have remotes individually for sale, though from our searches that seems to be unlikely.
Can I Use a Universal Remote?
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
It is also possible to use a universal remote. There are both physical universal remotes and universal remote apps.
For the app, you can find a universal remote app that seems trustworthy. Most people appear to have the best results with the Google TV app. We recommend trying this first, especially if you don’t have a universal remote already lying around as you can search for a device instead of trying to input codes.
Find the remote button. The first step is to find the remote button. This is usually in the bottom right of the app.
Scan for devices. At the top, there should be an option to scan for devices that are nearby.
Find your device. If you are lucky, your device should pop up in the list of available devices.
Pair to your TV and/or soundbar. If your soundbar responds to your TV, you can just connect to that, but otherwise, you may have to connect to your soundbar. The app should walk you through the steps you need to follow to pair the two devices.
Test out the remote. Once it has been paired, you should be ready to go. Give it a quick test to make sure everything is okay.
If that doesn’t work, the next option is to use a physical universal remote. Unfortunately, if you can’t get your device to turn on without a remote, you will have to be lucky and get a code. Depending on your Sanyo soundbar, there can be a variety of options. Look online for some of the most common codes and see what works for you.
Also, if you don’t mind calling customer service, you can call them and see if they know the code for your product, and they should be more than willing to help. This can help reduce the trial process and get you to use your soundbar faster, and hopefully without the headache.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by the end of this tutorial, you are at least on the way
to getting a soundbar that will turn on again. Whether you got it to work, or are waiting on a remote to come in, you should be well on your way to having your Sanyo product functioning as it should.
If you enjoyed this tutorial or found it helpful, please leave a comment below so we know that we were able to help you. You can also ask any questions you may have that are still unclear after this.
John Fleming is the senior editor for Audiophilez.com, covering everything from headphones to smart speakers. He is a graduate of Music Production and Technology. Before Audiophilez, John began his career as a staff writer for two different magazines, where he became a skilled storyteller across different mediums. When he isn’t writing, he can be found biking, reading books, and playing the piano.
When you need to reset or restore your JBL soundbar, it may be as simple as a press and hold five seconds sound button, but the instructions aren’t always great.
Has your JBL soundbar been struggling, or not working properly and you want to give it a quick reset? Even if you managed to keep track of the instructions, they don’t always list how to do much more than a factory reset, if even that.
Thankfully, we are here to help. No matter which soundbar you have, we can help you learn how to reset your JBL soundbar so that it works like it should.
What You Will Need to Follow This Tutorial
Images from Unsplash
There are a few things that you may need to update your soundbar. Though they may not be necessary, depending on the issue with your soundbar, they are good to have just in case you need them. These items are:
A phone or computer to read these instructions as you are working
Overall, all you should need is to be able to reach the buttons on your soundbar, your remote, and a power source for your soundbar. However, if you need to see if the problem is actually with your soundbar or if it needs an update, it can be helpful to have the other things nearby so you can take care of everything at once if more is needed.
Step-by-step Instructions
Photo by Olia Gozha on Unsplash
Unfortunately, most of the JBL instruction manuals don’t list explicit methods for resetting your JBL soundbar. Thankfully, people have come up with solutions and methods that seem to work and have shared them online.
We have compiled them all to help you, no matter how you want to reset your JBL soundbar, and what model you have.
Determine What’s Wrong
The first step is to determine if a reset is actually what you need. When your JBL soundbar isn’t working as it should or seems to be glitchy or struggling, it may simply be a setting that needs to be changed or a simple error.
Since most resets for JBL soundbars involve factory resetting the system, it is best to eliminate all other possibilities first.
When your soundbar isn’t working there could be a few issues.
Power Issues
If you find that the soundbar isn’t turning on, or is turning off randomly, then there may be an issue with power.
Check to make sure that your power cord is plugged in fully, both to your JBL soundbar and your outlet. They may be a little loose and causing problems.
Remote Control Power
You also want to check the batteries in your remote. If it seems there is a problem with your soundbar when you use the remote, but the buttons work fine, then it is likely a problem with your remote.
Try changing out the batteries with fresh ones to see if it helps.
Speakers
Another thing to check is the speakers. A lot of issues can actually be just because the speakers are under a different setting.
First, make sure they aren’t muted. Muted speakers can make it seem like your soundbar isn’t working and they won’t always have settings to tell you they are muted.
Check by pressing the mute button on your speaker and remote and see if that helps.
If you are using external speakers that are connected to your soundbar, make sure they are on as well.
Even though the soundbar is on, the speakers might not be. Check to make sure they are receiving signals from the soundbar and are turned on.
Additionally, you may have to go into your TV settings and make sure it is sending audio to the speaker.
If you have the subwoofer that comes with the device, make sure it is on as well. Usually, the power button will be lit up with JBL products.
It will generally be lit up white when turned on and orange when in standby mode.
Some of these devices are set to automatically turn to standby mode if nothing is playing on them for about 5 minutes.
So if you pause the show to do some laundry or dishes, the sound bar does turn off.
So if you get up, make sure you turn on the speaker again before trying to continue to play audio.
Next, make sure that the speakers are connected properly.
If you are using a Bluetooth device, make sure the speakers aren’t too far away. Generally, you only have about a 30-foot distance before they become disconnected and stop working properly.
Also, make sure the Bluetooth is still connected correctly. Sometimes, Bluetooth devices can disconnect from one another, leading them to not work very well.
Another thing to check is to make sure that the audio you are supposed to be playing is actually what the speaker is connecting to.
For example, if you want sound from your TV, make sure it is set up with the speaker, and not instead of trying to pull audio from the Xbox or your phone.
Sometimes, you need to make sure audio is turned up on the device you are playing from. Even if your speaker and the soundbar has the volume turned up, your device that is streaming must have the turn on.
For example, if you are playing music or a video on your TV, make sure the TV audio is turned on and not muted.
If the bluetooth connection isn’t working
While Bluetooth connections are a great technology, they can be a bit of a struggle to learn to use, and sometimes they may disconnect without warning.
Most often, this is because the speakers and the soundbar are too far apart. The speaker may disconnect if it can’t get a strong connection.
Try to keep the speakers and soundbar closer together so you don’t have to worry about them disconnecting.
Also, sometimes, it is a good idea to disconnect the devices and reset them to see if that helps.
This may be a good idea as well because if they did disconnect due to the distance, moving them closer and reconnecting them can help make sure everything is working properly.
If you connect multiple devices to it as well, it can be difficult to keep your speakers and soundbars connected as well, as it can be confused and try to connect to the wrong device, so if you are having problems, try and make sure you are only using one connection. By connecting your phone, tablet, or other devices, it can lead to struggles for Bluetooth as it tries to figure out where to connect.
Usually, the subwoofer and the soundbar are paired out of the box, so you don’t even have to do anything. However, sometimes they don’t end up connecting as they should.
In that case, you will have to repair them. You do this by pressing the wireless pairing button on the soundbar and the back of the soundwoofer immediately after. It should take about 30 seconds to pair and there will usually be a sound or light to alert you that they are paired.
If your JBL soundbar isn’t connecting to the TV, the issue is most commonly due to the connection itself, rather than the soundbar itself. Check the HDMI connection or whatever connection method you are using to see if it is working properly.
The best way to test this is to replace it with another cable and see if it works better. Even if you bought the cable brand new, it may have issues with it.
Also, make sure you are using an updated HDMI cable. Some outdated cables don’t have the technology to work with newer systems and will often struggle with keeping up.
If your soundbar isn’t turning on, make sure that your breaker is on. You can check this by finding your breaker box and seeing if one of them is flipped. You can also test other outlets on the same breaker to see if they are facing the same problem.
If not, there are other reasons why your connection might be
Your circuit might be overloaded, or the power strip may be damaged. To check to see if the problem is with your soundbar or something in your home, try plugging it into a different area and see if it works better.
Try a different power cable if you can, or a power strip as well, and see if that makes the situation better.
If the soundbar keeps cutting out
If the soundbar keeps cutting off, make sure the speaker isn’t too far from the soundbar, especially if it is Bluetooth. If the connection is too thin, then you won’t be able to get a solid connection and the sound will fade out.
Replacing the HDMI cable is another option if that is what you use. HDMI cables can get worn or be bought in poor quality, and may not connect properly so that they are unable to play sound evenly and consistently.
Also, sometimes the Dolby Digital settings on your TV have been known to cause issues with your speakers and sound bar. Try changing the sound setting and see if that helps.
Soundbar keeps turning off
JBL speakers and soundbars are designed to turn off automatically. If there is no sound, make sure that your soundbar didn’t turn off.
Also, if the speakers are too far away, the sound may be cutting off.
Also, check HDMI and the power cable to make sure they are plugged in fully and aren’t damaged.
While each soundbar has slightly different steps to reset the system, there are some general steps you can try first in an attempt to attempt to reset your system.
If that doesn’t work, then you can scroll down to learn more about your individual system and how to get it up and running.
Turn on your JBL soundbar. This can usually be done with a button on the soundbar or on the remote.
If your soundbar has been on, it is worth trying to turn it off and turn it back on again. Let it rest for a few minutes on the off position to see if that helps.
You can also try to unplug it to really let it relax for a bit. Usually, 10 to 15 minutes or so is enough.
Sometimes, you can attempt to unpair the soundbar and repair it by going into your settings and disconnecting.
If that doesn’t work, you can also try to factory reset. Since this sets everything back to factory settings, it isn’t recommended you do this unless you can’t find another solution.
To factory reset the system, you will need to press and hold the source and power button at the same time. Make sure you have the right buttons and press and hold.
This can usually take 15 to 20 seconds. Both of the buttons have to be pressed down the whole time.
On the soundbar, you will either get a LED light that changes colors or flashed or on your LED screen, it will say something along the lines of ‘Reset’ on the screen.
This will set your JBL soundbar to factory settings.
This is one that isn’t listed in the manual, unfortunately.
There are two methods that seem to work for others.
Press and hold both the volume+ and the source buttons until there is a flashing light or your LED screen says it has been reset. This can take up to 15-20 seconds, so don’t be too quick to take your finger off.
Press and hold both the volume+ and the surround buttons until there is a flashing light or your LED screen says it has been reset. Again, this can take quite a few seconds, so be patient.
You will want to press the source and power buttons at the same time. Initially, your light should be a solid blue color. It will change colors to orange and flash for a moment before staying on a solid orange light. This means it is resetting.
This is another one that doesn’t seem to mention how to reset it in the owner’s manual. There are again two methods to try.
Press and hold the surround button. At some point, your LED should change to flashing orange light.
Another option is to press the power button. This should put it in standby mode so you can let it relax for a moment before turning it fully back on. This doesn’t fully reset the bar but seems to work well for people. The light here will again turn orange.
For this one, the manual states to press and hold the volume- button down and the surround button down at the same time. Eventually, a white light should flash, which means you have successfully reset your system.
If that doesn’t work, though it isn’t in the manual, there is another option. Some people have found that it works better for them than the method listed in the manual.
If you press the power button on the top of the soundbar, you will enter standby mode, which will be shown by a solid orange light.
JBL Cinema SB300
Images from Unsplash
For this one, you will want to press and hold both the volume- button and the surround button until a white light flashes. This indicates that it has been reset.
You can also turn this one to standby mode with a quick press of the power button. You should see an orange light indicating that it is successful in this mode.
Note: According to Amazon, JBL Cinema SB300 is discontinued by the manufacturer.
Press and hold both the volume- button and surround button at the same time. A white light should indicate it has been reset. Hold this button for about 3 to 5 seconds.
If that doesn’t work, repeat the process but with the volume+ button and the surround button.
The best method people have found to reset this JBL soundbar is to press the power button at the top of the soundbar. From there, the light display should change to an orange light and you have entered standby mode.
Unfortunately, standby mode is the only way people have found to somewhat reset this JBL soundbar, and it doesn’t always fix the problem. You can experiment with different buttons to see if something works, but it may be worth calling JBL customer service if the problem persists.
You will want to hold down both the volume- and the surround button at the same time. You will see a white light when it is complete and has been reset.
To factory reset the JBL Bar 9.1, you will want to press and hold the power button and the source button for 10 seconds.
Link Soundbars
Unfortunately, JBL really only ever lists how to factory reset their soundbars, and now how to do a quick reset.
If you already have your preferred settings and pairings on the system, you won’t want to factory reset if you can help it.
So instead, you just want to turn your soundbar off for a few minutes and see if that fixes the issue.
If not, you may have to factory reset. To do this, go to your device preferences and then click reset.
If you have the JBL Link Portable Speakers, they work slightly differently from a soundbar. To reset these, you will want to hold down the microphone mute button for 13 seconds or so.
JBL Bar Deep Bass
As with any bar, the first step is to turn the system off and let it rest for a minute.
If that doesn’t work, you will have to attempt to factory reset the system. To do that, you will have to press and hold both the power and the source buttons until the display shows ‘Reset’.
JBL Bluetooth Sound Bar
To restart JBL systems that use Bluetooth, you simply hold down the power and source button on the top of the sound bar for 10 seconds.
JBL Bar Surround
Again, to do a normal reset, you simply turn the system on and off again. To do a factory reset, you’ll have to press and hold both the power and source buttons for 10 seconds.
To know if you’ve done it right, the screen will say ‘reset’, then ‘load’, and then ‘ready’.
JBL Soundbar Subwoofer
Sometimes, you get a system that has both a soundbar and a subwoofer. If this is the case for you, you may see you have to reset the soundbar and the subwoofer.
Of course, the first step is to simply turn on and off the system to see if it fixes the problem.
If it doesn’t, then the next step is to try and reset both the JBL soundbar and the subwoofer.
To do this, press and hold the volume+, volume-, and source buttons at once until you see the word ‘Reset’ displayed on the LED screen
If none of the buttons are working and the whole system seems frozen, you may need to just unplug the system and let it breathe for a few minutes.
JBL Soundbar Remote Control
Images from Unsplash
Sometimes, it isn’t your soundbar at all that is causing the problems. Sometimes the remote controls come with a glitch that causes them to not work properly. When this occurs, you will have to reset the remote.
This is a simple fix usually just taking out the batteries for a few minutes and then putting them back in.
If that doesn’t fix the problem, you may have to unpair it from the system and repair it via Bluetooth.
The JBL Bar Studio works a little differently than other JBL soundbars.
There are different models of the JBL Bar Studio soundbars, but the method of resetting works very similarly.
First, you press and hold the volume+, volume-, and source buttons.
Depending on your model, you will either have a light that changes color, or it will say restart on the screen.
Update the JBL Firmware
Sometimes, an issue doesn’t require a reset, but a simple firmware update.
To update the firmware on your JBL, you may find that your connections work better, or issues that you faced are now gone.
You can turn off your soundbar after updating as well, to make sure your soundbar fully accepts the update.
To update the system:
You will need a USB drive that can fit into your JBL soundbar and has the update available on it.
Then you will take the USB drive and plug it into your soundbar.
Then, find the volume- button and press that and the power button down.
You will want to press the buttons down for up to 8 seconds.
Then, the firmware update will start.
There should be a display or flashing color LED to indicate it is updating.
Wait until the updated light stops.
Once it stops, the update is complete.
Your soundbar may restart after this, but if it doesn’t, you can restart it yourself.
Conclusion
And that are the various ways to try to reset your soundbar. We hope that one of them has ended up working out for you so you don’t have to spend hours fighting with customer service. We understand that your time is just as precious as anyone else’s and you don’t have time to waste trying to get in touch with someone.
If we did help, please let us know below in the comments, or leave a message on any other help you need. We want to make sure our readers are satisfied and have the help they need.
John Fleming is the senior editor for Audiophilez.com, covering everything from headphones to smart speakers. He is a graduate of Music Production and Technology. Before Audiophilez, John began his career as a staff writer for two different magazines, where he became a skilled storyteller across different mediums. When he isn’t writing, he can be found biking, reading books, and playing the piano.
