How to Mount a Soundbar to a TV

Soundbars are a great choice for a home theater. They are compact and stylish, and they are better than ever in terms of quality. When it comes to placement, they can sit on the mantle or bolt to the wall just like the TV (our guide), but why not take it to the next level and mount it to your TV? Here's how:

1. Purchase a universal soundbar-to-TV bracket
2. If the TV is mounted, remove it from the wall
3. Remove the TV mount (if needed) and eyeball the bracket placement, which will vary based on the mount
4. Attach the soundbar bracket and the TV wall mount bracket to the TV
5. Double-check that your soundbar will fit the brackets, then re-mount the TV on the wall
6. Attach the soundbar to the bracket and test

Mounting a soundbar to a TV isn't a difficult process, but it's important to make sure that you are setting yourself up for success from the beginning. You'll want to purchase a great soundbar-to-TV bracket and then ensure the bracket fits your components properly.

Here's our YouTube video that goes through this entire process:

You may also wonder about some of the pros and cons of mounting a soundbar directly to your TV, and what some good options are for the project. If you're connecting a soundbar like the Bose 700 or Bose 900 (our comparison guide), note that you likely have other speakers to manage.

Pro Tip: If your soundbar has Dolby Atmos built in, it likely has upward-firing speakers that could be obscured if you mount the soundbar directly to a TV.

But for now, let's dive into the mounting process:

1) Purchase a Universal Soundbar-to-TV Bracket

You can find universal soundbar-to-TV mounting brackets on Amazon, in electronics stores, and in major retailers like Walmart. There are also soundbar-to-TV brackets available that are made specifically for certain products, but they are usually unnecessary and overpriced.

We recommend the Mounting Dream Soundbar Mount (on Amazon), which will work with most soundbars, as well as most TV wall mounting systems. This is important if your TV is going to be mounted to a wall as well as having the soundbar mounted to it.

2) If Mounted, Remove the TV From the Wall

You may already have your TV mounted when you decide to add a soundbar, and if that's the case: don't worry. It may be a bit of a hassle to remove it and get the soundbar sorted out, but if you do it right you'll only have to do it once.

If your TV isn't mounted, you can skip this step. If you have a new TV that isn't mounted yet, and you need to mount it to the wall during this install, go ahead and get the wall-mounting bracket set up, because the soundbar mounting bracket placement is based on where the wall mount placement will be.

3) Remove the TV Mount and Eyeball the Bracket Placement

As mentioned earlier, you may already have a wall mounting bracket on your TV. That's OK. In fact, that's crucial, because the soundbar mounting bracket will need to use the same holes as the wall mounting bracket, so you need to figure out how these brackets will lay together.

This should be easy to do: with the TV laying flat, place the TV wall mount on top of the TV in the place it has to be for the TV to be mounted on the wall properly. If you haven't already tested the wall mount on the wall yet – you need to do that first, so that you know the right holes to use on your TV mount.

Next, lay the soundbar bracket on top of the wall mounting bracket to visually determine which holes on the soundbar bracket you'll be using based on where the soundbar needs to hang. You'll likely need to have the soundbar nearby to confirm. If you have some painter's or something else you can use to mark the holes, go ahead and mark them.

Remember to leave enough room between the bottom of the TV and the top of the soundbar to work any buttons that are on the top of the unit.

4) Attach the Wall Mount and Soundbar Bracket to the TV

Attaching the mount and soudbar bracket should be a piece of cake at this point. Just use the holes you've marked to make sure everything is in the right place, and use the hardware that came with your mount and bracket to secure them.

One note here, you may need to get some new screws from the hardware store if the originals are no longer long enough. If you're using one bold threaded through the soundbar bracket, and the wall mount, then into the back of the TV, you may run out of screw depth to play with.

And this is not a time where you want to skimp on something like this. These screws are the ones holding your TV onto the wall.

5) Check that Your Soundbar Will Fit the Bracket, then Re-Mount the TV

Now that everything's fastened, go ahead and check that the soundbar will fit the brackets. If it does, you're ready to go ahead and re-mount the TV on the wall, with the soundbar still not attached. This is to prevent any extra weight or added risk of dropping the two devices together while you're remounting the TV.

6) Attach the Soundbar and Test

You're finally ready to attach your soundbar to the bracket now, so go ahead and use the hardware that came with the bracket to fasten the soundbar in place. Now, you're ready to connect up to the TV or media device via HDMI/HCMI Arc, Optical, RCA or Bluetooth to test the unit.

One thing to watch out for here: be sure that there's enough room to operate the soundbar if it has buttons on the top. If there's not enough space, you may need to take the TV off the wall and change up the mounting bracket situation.

Should You Mount a Soundbar to a TV?

Mounting a soundbar to a TV is a lot different than mounting a soundbar below or above the TV by itself. There are pros and cons to each of the different configurations, and we have some more in-depth discussion on above vs. below mounting and whether or not surround sound might be a better option based on your situation.

But for now, let's look at some of the details around how mounting your soundbar to your TV or not can change your experience.

Mounting a Soundbar By Itself

If your TV and soundbar are mounted separately, your front speakers' sound, which is almost always provided by your soundbar, will stay in the same place even when you move your TV.

If your TV is on a fixed mount, this probably isn't a big deal, if you have a large room, you might have your TV on an articulating mount so you can turn it in different directions. In that case, a TV-mounted-soundbar is critical.

Mounting a Soundbar to a TV

When you mount your TV to your soundbar, there are a lot of benefits. First, the sound moves with the TV. Whether you tilt your TV or move it to face another direction, you can ensure that sound will be directed at the person or people watching the TV.

A mounted soundbar, even when done vertically which we have a guide on, by the way, will also increase sound quality because it's not sitting somewhere or bolted flat against a wall where the sound vibration can be absorbed by the surface. This gives your home theater a new level of sound that you will love and allows sound to travel further from the front of the room.

Not Mounting Your Soundbar

When your soundbar sits on your entertainment center, it collects dust, gets dirty quicker, and has a greater chance of getting damaged, especially if you have children or pets. It can also add to a feeling of being cluttered. Mounting your soundbar is a great way to avoid damage from accidents and keep your home theater room tidier, but as we've explained before, some configurations are better than others.

However, there is something to be said about whether or not you should be mounting your TV in general. In some instances, you don't have a choice, because your room design only allows for a TV to be up high, but if you do have a choice, you really want your TV to sit at eye level.

Recommended Soundbar-to-TV Mount

Soundbar-to-TV mounts have become popular, so there are a lot of options to choose from. As with any other product you purchase, you want to make sure it's high-quality, you're not being ripped off, and it will last for many years to come.

Even though there are soundbar-to-TV mounts that are created for specific brands, a few really great options we've found are the Mounting Dream Soundbar Mount (on Amazon) which was discussed at “Step 1” in the article, or the Mount-It! Universal Soundbar Mount (on Amazon) which is pictured above.

The Mount-It! Universal Soundbar Mount sits at a great price for the quality and performance you will get from it, and based on the reviews, it's a product that you can trust.

It can fit TVs from 32 to 70 inches, which is great for large home theaters, and it fits major brands like Sonos, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio. The design is created to be flexible so that it will fit with any brand and model of TV and soundbar. It connects with all types of TV wall mounts, including fixed, tilt, full-motion, articulating, and interactive.

So even if you decide to get a different TV mount in the future, you will be sure that it will attach to it, as well. The Mount-It! Universal Soundbar Mount is not flimsy or cheap. It is made with 2.5mm thick high-strength steel which can hold up to 33 lbs – far more than you will ever need, but it is good to know that it is created with durability in mind.

Plus, it is easy to install. All you need to do is screw in four bolts and watch the installation video to ensure you're doing it properly. The hardware is included.

Brand-Specific Options

If you like the peace of mind of having a soundbar-to-TV mount that is created specifically for your soundbar, there are options out there for you. For example, the Sanus Soundbar Mount (on Amazon) is created to be compatible with the SONOS Beam and work with any TV mount.

If you decide mounting your soundbar and TV together isn't necessary, there are a lot of options for wall mounts created for specific soundbars or lines of soundbars, like the Bose Soundbar Wall Mount Bracket by Dinghosenn (on Amazon).

Tips for Optimized TV Mounting

As mentioned before, it's important to keep in mind that eye level is optimal for your TV or screen in your home theater. So when you are mounting your TV, here are some tips to ensure that you're mounting your TV to avoid eye strain and neck strain and optimizing your viewing and listening.

• If you decide to mount your TV much higher than eye level, choose a mount that can be tilted downward.

• Make sure your seats are a good distance away from your mounted TV to avoid neck strain.

• Choose a location by starting at the lowest height possible, and if you decide to mount it higher, test it out in small increments.

• The more flexible the mount, the better. There are some high-quality mounts now that are very well-priced, which can satisfy many different viewers' preferences for height and move around freely. Check out the full motion mounts like the ECHOGEAR Full Motion Articulating TV Wall Mount (on Amazon).

Happy mounting!