Contributor I

Beam mounting option

6 replies
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I'm looking to expand my pair of Ones in the living room with a Beam in the kitchen, to effectively get surround sound with the Ones next to the sofa and the Beam right in front, since the sofa is facing the kitchen. First of all, is this a good setup? I'm mainly using the speakers for music, and sometimes video via airplay.

What are the dimensions of the two holes under the Beam? I was thinking mount the Beam flush with the kitchen cupboards, by drilling two holes in the cupboard under the microwave (picture attached) where there is space for screws (that are in the two bottom holes of the Beam), flip the speaker upside down, and secure it with bolts/nuts & rubber washers (to minimise vibrations) from above. Avoiding a Flexson mount would get the Beam closer up to the cupboard.

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melvimbe

If the Beam isn't getting audio from the HDMI-ARC connection (or with optical adapter) you aren't going to get surround sound. You'd get a stereo effect with greater room coverage. If it were me, if I'm not using a TV, I'd look to put a pair of play:1s or sonos ones in there instead. I'd just set them on the counter in the corners, mount them later if you want. That would be separate room in Sonos app, so you'd have the option of playing them with your sofa speakers or not.

I actually have a pair of play:3s in my kitchen, used as surrounds for a playbar. One is on the counter and one is on top of the fridge.

Danny

Airgetlam

Flipping it upside down would reverse the right/left channels, and currently there's no way in software to adjust that.

I'm pretty sure that the holes are VESA compliant, have you looked at the sales data on Sonos' website? Hmm, just looked at it myself, doesn't seem to be helpful. I'd take a look at various mounts and see what each one says, there's likely to be a measurement somewhere on one of those pages.

Honestly, I'd be much more tempted to do a simple drop down shelf, and situate the Beam on top of it. You could potentially make it out of thin steel or plastic, since it's not holding a bunch of weight, just 6.2 pounds, and a more slender support shelf would minimize the amount of space taken from your kitchen counter. That way, you wouldn't have to deal with the flipping of the right and left channels.

But then again, why not mount the Beam where the TV is, instead of in the kitchen? The further away it is from the TV, the more disconnected it will seem from the video. If it were me, I'd put the Beam either above or below the TV set, and then put a PLAY:1 or Sonos One or PLAY:5 in the kitchen, and you wouldn't have to place it underneath the microwave.

Bruce

C

clarence81Author

Contributor I

If the Beam isn't getting audio from the HDMI-ARC connection (or with optical adapter) you aren't going to get surround sound. You'd get a stereo effect with greater room coverage. If it were me, if I'm not using a TV, I'd look to put a pair of play:1s or sonos ones in there instead. I'd just set them on the counter in the corners, mount them later if you want. That would be separate room in Sonos app, so you'd have the option of playing them with your sofa speakers or not.

I actually have a pair of play:3s in my kitchen, used as surrounds for a playbar. One is on the counter and one is on top of the fridge.

thanks for your response, melvimbe!

i didn't realise your point with the surround sound & hdmi-arc connection.

i have considered just to add another sonos one, since the whole space is so small (about 14 m2 (150 sq ft)) - see attached drawing. maybe that's enough, since i feel the current placement of the two sonos ones are in the corner, something is lacking in the kitchen. would one more speaker improve the sound or would the current stereo effect be affected?

C

clarence81Author

Contributor I

Flipping it upside down would reverse the right/left channels, and currently there's no way in software to adjust that.

I'm pretty sure that the holes are VESA compliant, have you looked at the sales data on Sonos' website? Hmm, just looked at it myself, doesn't seem to be helpful. I'd take a look at various mounts and see what each one says, there's likely to be a measurement somewhere on one of those pages.

Honestly, I'd be much more tempted to do a simple drop down shelf, and situate the Beam on top of it. You could potentially make it out of thin steel or plastic, since it's not holding a bunch of weight, just 6.2 pounds, and a more slender support shelf would minimize the amount of space taken from your kitchen counter. That way, you wouldn't have to deal with the flipping of the right and left channels.

But then again, why not mount the Beam where the TV is, instead of in the kitchen? The further away it is from the TV, the more disconnected it will seem from the video. If it were me, I'd put the Beam either above or below the TV set, and then put a PLAY:1 or Sonos One or PLAY:5 in the kitchen, and you wouldn't have to place it underneath the microwave.

thanks, Airgetlam!

yes i had a look but couldn't find any specs about the mounting holes. i think i'll just go in to a store to see if it'd work.

since i don't have a tv and that it's such a small space (14m2 (150sq ft) - see attached drawing), the idea was just to have something more powerful in front of me when seated in the couch or by the kitchen table facing the kitchen/beam, with the Ones to my left and right behind me. When i watch something on the laptop via youtube for example, airplay would stream the sound to the speakers, but not give me that surround effect that melvimbe suggested above? (unless i connect via hdmi-arc)

about your reservation about flipping it upside down: there is a mount that is designed that way, which suggests it's not the best way to get the channels right? https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/shop/flexson-wall-mount-for-beam.html

Airgetlam

I don't see any indication on that link that the speaker is upside down. But I don't own a Beam, so I'm not as conversant in its direction. Ah, wait, I do see in that last picture that it says it "can" hold it upside down. I'd do my best not to do that, unless someone from Sonos pops in here and says that the Beam has a sensor that automatically flips the right and left.

I happen to own many of Flexson's products, and have found them to be extremely well constructed. But in this case, I'd mount it right side up, and not worry about access to the buttons on the Beam. But just because I'd do it that way doesn't mean that it's the only way to do it 😉

Bruce

melvimbe

thanks for your response, melvimbe!

i didn't realise your point with the surround sound & hdmi-arc connection.

i have considered just to add another sonos one, since the whole space is so small (about 14 m2 (150 sq ft)) - see attached drawing. maybe that's enough, since i feel the current placement of the two sonos ones are in the corner, something is lacking in the kitchen. would one more speaker improve the sound or would the current stereo effect be affected?

It can't hurt to try out a Sonos One in the kitchen, Sonos has a good return policy. For one thing, it will be anther point for Alexa to hear you.

I have a somewhat similar situation with my bedroom and attached bath. They are separate rooms, but much of the time the door is open. It used to be a pair of play:1s in the bedroom (now the pair + beam) and then a play:1 in the bathroom. I never felt like the two rooms interfered with each other at all.

Regarding flipping the beam upside down...I don't think it's a bad idea, but then when used with a pair of Ones, your left and right will be crossed, if that makes sense. Of course, you could left and right on your Ones as well.

Danny

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