Code:
$ aplay -L
null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
default:CARD=Intel
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=Intel
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Digital
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
dmix:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=Intel,DEV=1
HDA Intel, ALC889A Digital
Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=Intel,DEV=3
HDA Intel, HDMI 0
Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=Intel,DEV=1
HDA Intel, ALC889A Digital
Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=Intel,DEV=3
HDA Intel, HDMI 0
Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=Intel,DEV=1
HDA Intel, ALC889A Digital
Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=Intel,DEV=3
HDA Intel, HDMI 0
Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC889A Analog
Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=Intel,DEV=1
HDA Intel, ALC889A Digital
Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=Intel,DEV=3
HDA Intel, HDMI 0
Hardware device with all software conversions
If I run "speaker-test -Dhdmi:Intel -c 6 -twav" my receiver sees a 2 channel input, and I hear the front left and front right channels
I have also tried "speaker-test -Dhw:Intel,3 -c 6 -twav" & "speaker-test -Dplughw:Intel -c 6 -twav" with the same results.
Your suggestion of "speaker-test -c 6" produces no output, presumably because the default output is analog, and I only have HDMI connected.
If in xbmc I play the Fraunhofer AAC test
https://www2.iis.fraunhofer.de/AAC/ChID-BLITS-EBU.mp4 my receiver sees a 2 channel input, and I hear the front left and front right channels.