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dturrill
Contributor I
February 8, 2021

Placement of Arc

Hello all,

New to Sonos community and can’t wait for my install!  I am upgrading my current 49” TV to an LG 65” OLED CX series, and also (finally) getting a Sonos Arc with a sub.  It seems I have three options for the Arc:

  1. Sanus mount (https://www.sanus.com/en_US/products/mounts/wssatm1/) which will hang just below TV.  It is adjustable for both height and depth.  Mount was designed in collaboration with Sonos.  This is the option that the installers are doing unless I change my mind between now and then.  
  2. Separate Sonos wall mount.
  3. Place on current console, which is 23” tall.  The top of stand is 11.5” below bottom of TV (edges are marked with paper), which is 34 1/2” above floor.  This puts the center of the Arc about 9 3/4” below bottom of TV.  * Tried to post a picture, but can’t seem to get it to work.
  4. Get a new TV stand that is taller, in the range of 26-27”.  

For what it’s worth, my viewing distance is 9’ and the living room is pretty small--I live in a condo.  

I’ve researched it a lot and see that the general advice is that sound bars should be at least 4” below TV, but not no more than 7-9”.  But since the Arc has up firing speakers, it seems as if mounting it just below the TV is not good, but since Sanus collaborated with Sonos to make the mount in #1 above, it seems like a decent solution.  Plus, it is adjustable.  

I’ve done tons of research and honestly, it might not make much difference in my small space, but I’d like to get it right, acoustically and aesthetically, the first time :)

Thanks for any advice! 

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14 replies

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GuitarSuperstar
Lead Maestro
February 8, 2021

If you can mount the TV a little higher, I would go with the 70” primarily because it gets the Arc 7” closer to the ceiling which would help you get a better height effect from the upward firing speakers.

Here’s an updated graphic with the new dimensions:

I moved the TV location up for the 70” console.

 

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
dturrillAuthor
Contributor I
February 8, 2021

I feel like I’m going to owe you for the advice and making these sketches!  They are much appreciated, as is your advice!  I tend to get obsessive about shopping for home theater stuff...well, I tend to get obsessive about everything.  

Moving the TV would be easy, since mounting is already part of the installation I have paid for.  If I got the 70”, that's what I would do.

To circle back around to my original post (because I don’t like to leave any stone unturned :)), you would definitely put the Arc on a console instead of the mount that attaches to the TV?  It would hang just below the TV and would actually connect to the TV mount, so would be even closer to the ceiling.  This mount allows you to move the Arc out so the TV does not impede on the up firing speakers.  It even allows you to move the Arc down also, if one chose to do that, although not sure what that would look like with wires, etc.  

GuitarSuperstar
Lead Maestro
February 8, 2021

I’m a graphic designer, so those images are pretty easy for me to create. I did the same thing for my setup and it really helped me too.

I honestly don’t love the look of the Sanus mount, but if you want the flexibility the mount offers, it might be worth it. 

The main reason I chose placing the Arc on the console is to get the Arc closer to your 9 ft viewing distance. By placing it on the console, you could potentially get the Arc almost a foot closer to where you are sitting which I believe would help get you closer to the “sweet spot” of where the height channels of the Dolby Atmos audio will be heard the best after it reflects off of the ceiling. If your viewing distance was 7-8 ft away, I would say either mounting or placing the Arc on the console would work about the same.

"Receive with simplicity everything that happens to you." - Rashi
dturrillAuthor
Contributor I
February 8, 2021

Cool that you’re a graphic designer.  I’m a college music teacher, on sabbatical, so I have time to obsess about home audio and TV :)  My initial reaction to the Sanus mount of the Arc was the same as yours.  I wasn’t crazy about it, and in fact wrote to Best Buy to see if I could change my mind and either mount it separately or mount it by itself.  He assured me it would look nice, but said I could change my mind and get a refund on the mount and labor if I decided to place it on the console

I get that the mount is most useful when attached to a full-motion mount because it can pivot with the TV.  I do not need to do that because there is no need for different viewing angles.  

I am certainly now inclined to put it on the console, which saves me money on the mount and labor, but will cost a bit more in a better stand (I’m fine with that).  The stand I’m currently looking at comes in 70” and 60” and both lengths are 30” tall.  I just taped out what 70” would look like and I think it’ll work in my space.  If I could post a pic, I would, but the top of the console is 4” below the bottom of the TV, and with the Arc being 3.4” tall, that leaves .6” between, so moving the TV up will definitely be needed.  The stands are 20” deep, so can get them away from the TV about 17-18” depending on how flush the TV is.  I believe I ordered a tilt mount.  

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