Amiga 500 sound does not work???

[Ilwrath]

welcome to Amiga.org, RMC64.  :-)

I'd try plugging the Amiga into a stereo with an AUX input, to make sure the Amiga is outputting sound properly.  The configuration you've described should be working.  I used to use a Y split with my 1084 (not stereo model).

In hindsight, it would probably be better to use a gated Y joint than a simple Y splitter.  This would remove the possibility of shorting your left channel into your right one.  ;-)  I, personally, don't know of anyone who ever damaged an Amiga by this, though, so I'd think it unlikely to happen.

[Ilwrath]

I have a question: since I did not hear any sound, when you first boot up the machine am I expected to hear any sound at all just like in MS Windows start up? or do I need to have a game or application in order to test any type of sound?

There is no default boot-up sound.  The "SAY" program on your workbench (or extras?) disk will speak a word that you type in, though.  Also, I think there is a default error beep.  So workbench can make some sounds, but not many.  There is a key command that will beep an AmigaDOS 1.3 machine, but I forget what it is.

Out of mere curiousity: Do you know if an Amiga A2500 or later models are capable of playing most of the premium games released for the A500?

Well, yes, and no.  Most will play, if you turn off certain custom features, kick down to 1.3, etc...  It's kind of a magical art getting old games to work on high-spec machines.    And not an easy learning curve for it.  :-(

[Ilwrath]

The default error beep is not an actual audible sound, as from what I understand, there is not an onboard hardware speaker like the PC's. From what I remember reading from the Autodocs ( I could be wrong here), the error beep is simulated by a flash of the screen.

I kind of mis-stated.  You are correct, there is no hardware speaker.  The default beep is a flash of the screen, and a software generated beep out the regular Amiga audio-out.  In WB2.04 and later, you could customize this "beep" or replace it with a sound sample.