Airtunes via Airport Express to Hifi plays only on one speaker

[xgano01]

Hi All,
This is driving me mad!
I've have an issue with streaming of music from my MAC (Macbook Pro) to my HiFi (Sony CMT-HX80R) via Airport Express. Airport Express and HiFi are connected via 3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack cable (HiFi has a 3.5 stereo jack audio in). The problem is that, when trying to stream, the HiFi only plays sound from one speaker (left one)!

I have already tested the following:
- plugged headphones to AE directly to check whether the problem is with the AE itself - it works perfectly on both sides
- plugged my iPhone directly to HiFi via the same cable I use to connect AE and played from iPod app - it works perfectly on both sides
- plugged my MAC directly to HiFi via the same cable I use to connect AE - the problem occurs again (HiFi only plays on left speaker)
- tried the all of the above with brand new set of cables - the problem remains

Any ideas? Many thanks

 

[oculus42]

If the problem occurs from the Mac and from the Mac over AirPlay, have you checked the balance settings in Sound: output in the System Preferences?

 

[xgano01]

Yes, the balance is correct - right in the middle. If I move it to 'right' the sound disappears.

 

[mchalebk]

It sounds to me like the plug isn't inserting fully into the jack on the Airport Express and the Mac. Perhaps there is too much plastic and it won't go in all the way? Have you tired a cable with smaller plugs? If you don't have another cable with a smaller plug, you could try shaving down the rubber/plastic around the plug.

 

[oculus42]

Do the headphones work properly in the Mac itself? If not then you probably have some hardware issue with the sound. If so I'm tempted to go with the cable isn't fully inserted or was poorly manufactured, but you've mostly ruled that out with testing.

 

[waw74]

if you have an extra optical input on the hifi, you can use a toslink to mini toslink cable. the port on the airport express also has optical like most of the newer macs.

 

[Hammie]

Make sure the 3.5mm plug is stereo and not mono. The plug née to have two black bands to be stereo. If there is only one black band, then it is a mono plug/cable and why you only get audio out of one speaker.

However, your best bet would be e optical cable mentioned by waw74. You will get the highest quality audio that way.