Recess mounting for Arc or Beam soundbar

  • 21 December 2020
  • 7 replies
  • 3733 views

How much will the sound be impacted if I create a recessed shelf or cavity for the Arc of Beam soundbar under the TV?  The Arc has both side and rear facing speakers so I fear that a small recess in the wall would create a problem.  It looks like the Beam only has side speakers and no rear speakers to it might be better to at least recess partially. 

 

My goal is to either fully recess and use speaker grill fabric to cover the recessed speaker or have it partially recessed so the front on the soundbar is even with the front of the TV, i.e., 2” from the wall.  I have a Samsung “The Frame” TV and want to have a soundbar blend with the wall or the TV as much as possible.


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7 replies

How much will the sound be impacted if I create a recessed shelf or cavity for the Arc of Beam soundbar under the TV?  The Arc has both side and rear facing speakers so I fear that a small recess in the wall would create a problem.  It looks like the Beam only has side speakers and no rear speakers to it might be better to at least recess partially. 

 

My goal is to either fully recess and use speaker grill fabric to cover the recessed speaker or have it partially recessed so the front on the soundbar is even with the front of the TV, i.e., 2” from the wall.  I have a Samsung “The Frame” TV and want to have a soundbar blend with the wall or the TV as much as possible.

 

There aren’ t rear facing speakers on the Arc, there are upfiring speakers...and you would need around 10” clearance or you will interfere with the sound quality.  As you stated, the Beam does not have upfiring speakers, just side firing, and you’ll need 4” for that if I remember correctly.

 

My personal opinion, if you’re getting a nice TV, than get the better soundbar to match.  And although getting the soundbar to disappear is a nice idea, building an enclosure specific to your soundbar makes life a lot more difficult when it comes time to upgrade.  Also, a standard wall is about 4” deep, so you may not be able to fully recess the speaker anyway.

Thank you! Is the 10” or 4” clearance to the sides and top? In other words, if I made a recess for the soundbar should the recess have dimensions that are 10” or 4” wider (and taller for the upfiring Arc speakers?)?  I figure I have about a 4 1/8” depth (3.5” for the studs and 5/8” for the sheetrock).  I could also have the soundbar just sit on the shelf recessed about half way.  Thanks again.

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Why would you make use of a recess if you have to make it so much bigger than the speaker? Would the Arc look just as good (or bad) mounted on the wall instead of in a too large recess?

I agree - that’s why I was trying to clarify the clearance required.

We’ve designed a recessed space below the TV for a soundbar (see photo). I’d like to use the ARC bar but I’m concerned that the up firing speakers will be muted. Would another SONOS soundbar be better for this application?

Thanks in Advance.

Bruce

Mammoth Lakes, CA

 

Userlevel 7

The recessed space would not only block the two upward firing speakers but also might block the side firing speakers of the Arc. The Beam would probably be a better option although it may look a little small in that recessed space. The old Playbar could work too.

What are the exact dimensions of that box?

I certainly agree. I’d drywall that recess over, and use a wall mount for the Arc in that location.