The short version
- Centered under the TV, with a small gap so it doesn’t cover the screen or the TV’s remote sensor.
- Wall bracket for fixed and tilting TVs; TV-attached bracket if the TV is on a full-motion arm.
- Dolby Atmos bars need open space above them — don’t tuck them under a shelf.
- One HDMI cable (eARC/ARC) between TV and soundbar keeps the wiring simple.
1. Below the TV, centered
Dialogue should sound like it comes from the screen, so the soundbar goes directly under the TV, centered on it. Leave a small gap — a couple of inches is typical — so the bar doesn’t block the bottom of the picture or the TV’s remote sensor, which usually sits along the bottom edge. Check where yours is before the bracket goes up.
2. Wall bracket or TV bracket?
- Wall bracket: the soundbar is fixed to the wall under the TV. Best for fixed and tilting mounts — the TV and bar stay in the same place.
- Bracket attached to the TV: the soundbar hangs from the TV’s mount and moves with it. Best for full-motion mounts, so the sound turns with the screen.
Many soundbars come with a wall bracket in the box; TV-attached brackets are usually sold separately for your soundbar model.
3. Above the TV?
Only when there’s no room below — for example, a TV sitting low over a console. Sound coming from above the picture feels less natural, so below is almost always the better spot.
4. Dolby Atmos soundbars
Atmos soundbars with up-firing speakers bounce sound off the ceiling. They need open space above the bar and work best with a flat, hard ceiling — Polk, for example, recommends ceiling heights between 7.5 and 12 feet. Don’t mount an Atmos bar under a shelf or tuck it behind the front edge of the TV.
5. Cables
- Connect the bar with one HDMI cable to the TV’s HDMI eARC or ARC port; optical works as a fallback.
- The soundbar also needs power. Its power cord, like the TV’s, can’t run inside the wall — use a cord cover or an outlet behind the TV. HDMI can go inside drywall. See how to hide TV wires.
6. A shelf instead
If the soundbar or a streaming box needs a place to sit, a floating shelf under the TV works too.
Soundbar installation is +$65 (you provide the soundbar), a floating shelf +$60 (you provide the shelf), connecting a game console +$50. Hiding cables: cord cover $59, HDMI inside a drywall wall $89.
