Sounds like you have a fault. Only one channel is working. Speaker 1 and 2 are essentially connected together though you can only mute speaker 1.

Thanks for the quick reply Peter.

Well...i thought that it was all working when i first played it this afternoon...and it did definitely stop working on one speaker...and now i have just switched it all off and reconnected the speakers into Speakers inputs 1 R and 1 L...switched it back on and they now both work?!

Good...glad about that...hope that doesn't happen again!

Btw...why doesn't the 'mute' work on Speakers 2...what is the reason for that?

It could be that the speaker relay in your BeoMaster 5500 needs to be replaced. The contacts almost always go bad after a while (or more than 20 years....😕)

There is no speaker relay on the Speakers 2 connection, because this connection is used for the MCL system. And it would not be very good if the linksystem would completely mute if someone pushes MUTE in the living room. 

I've just spent the afternoon replacing the Spkr 1 mute relay on my Beocenter 9500 - LH speaker (connected to Spkr 1) didn't come on when the Beocenter was switched on at low volumes.  It works on the same principle as the 5500 hence seems a possible cause of the problem that you experienced - the fault on mine was intermittent for a few years.  What it doesn't explain is why Spkr 2 R was not working though - hence there could be another problem.

I spoke too soon...after the amp warmed up the right hand speaker stopped working again?

Blackrix...you may well be correct but then as Guy1680 just pointed out...wouldn't the speakers both work on Speaker 2 if there is no speaker relay in it?

I will have a chat to the chap who just repaired my CD5500.

Btw...when working this 5500 System certainly sounds superb through the Redline 60.2 speakers.

Well the good news could be that it is simply a cracked solder joint if it comes and goes. Still have to find it though!

Just a quick update...after a bit of use this Beosystem is now all working...i was having a problem with the radio sound stopping too after about 15 minutes of being turned on...but all is now fine and dandy.

My parents hadn't used this Beosystem for about 3 years since being told by a dealer that the CD5500 was dead...and i had it sat in the corner of a room for over a year until i just got the CD5500 repaired (which needed the dry joints repairing...it actually started to work after the technician tapped the unit!)...so the sound problem may well have been down to a bit of dampness (we live in a 200 year old cottage) and oxidation.