Can You Put a Soundbar in a Cabinet?

As you are setting up your new television system, it is important to carefully consider where you place each item. The right placement of the soundbar, TV, subwoofer, and any other accessories can help the system work best. But can you leave your soundbar in a cabinet to help keep it out of the way?

You cannot leave your soundbar in the cabinet as this leads to a muffled and distorted sound from your system. It is easy to turn the volume too loud, which can cause vibrations and damage to the system. Always place your soundbar to promote the best sound quality, like mounted near the TV.

Also read: Can You Put a Soundbar on the Floor?

This article will look at some of the reasons why you should not place your soundbar in a cabinet, as well as some of the best locations where placing the soundbar will give you the best sound quality possible.

Should I Leave My Soundbar in a Cabinet?

While you can technically set the soundbar in your cabinet, this is not recommended. The soundbar is meant to be placed right in front of you to allow for the best sound.

When you place the soundbar inside a cabinet, it will muffle the noise. While you may not want to look at the soundbar all the time, or you want it put away for safe-keeping, the soundbar should not end up in the cabinet unless you have some breathable material right in front of where the soundbar will send the music.

It is best not to leave the subwoofer in the cabinet. The main reason is that when it is closed up in a small cabinet, the sound of your TV or music will not come out well. The thick material of the cabinet is hindering the sound from being heard clearly.

The cabinet will hold onto all the music. It will sound muffled and bad, and you may need to turn the volume level up to hear anything, which will cause more damage to the whole system. Having the soundbar inside one of your cabinets may also cause vibrations and other jiggling sounds when you have high volume, ruining the sound even more.

Even though leaving the soundbar inside a cabinet may make the area look nicer and avoids you needing to look at the attachment, it is not a good idea and can ruin how well you experience the sound of your system.

Where Should I Place My Soundbar?

Now that we have determined the soundbar should not be placed inside a cabinet, we need to figure out the best place to set this.

The ideal location will be open and allow the sound of the system to be heard throughout the whole room, without causing the volume to ruin the system. The exact location will vary depending on your setup. Some places to consider:

Mount the Soundbar on the Wall

The most common place for your soundbar to go is on a mount on the wall, usually right under the television. This doesn’t take up much space in your home and keeps your wires out of the way. This is also one of the best places for sound quality as well.

Since your television will often be front and center, and this is also the best place for high-quality sound, it is the perfect location for the soundbar.

On a Flat Surface

This could include a coffee table, kitchen table, end table, or another location that is flat and free of clutter. If your coffee table frequently has clutter all over, then this is not the place for your soundbar. The higher up the table, the better as well.

One thing to note is that the table you choose should be placed as close to your television as possible. The connectivity, and the quality of sound you receive, is higher when the soundbar is as close to the TV as possible. It will still work if you need to leave the soundbar across the room, but the quality won’t be as good.

Behind Your Couch

While this is a possibility, if you have nowhere else, it is not recommended at all. It will affect the sound quality. First, the couch will block a lot of the sound that is meant to reach your ears. Read my article “Can You Put a Soundbar Behind You?” to know why.

The signal from the soundbar to the TV and back is extended here as well, reducing how well the item will work. And the sound comes from behind you, instead of in front, which will affect the quality here as well.

Placing It on the Floor

Again, this is one that depends on your setup and is not necessarily recommended, though it is common for buyers to choose to do this.

You can technically place your soundbar anywhere on the floor, though a level surface can help it not fall over or get ruined. Like with the other positions, the closer you can have this to the television, the better for sound quality.

One thing to note about placing this item on the floor is if you have pets or kids. They may potentially harm the soundbar if you leave it somewhere they can easily reach. It may be best to mount on the wall, even though it takes a little bit more work.

Should I Mount on Top or Below the TV?

If you choose to mount your soundbar on the wall to keep it out of the way and to get the best sound quality, you may be curious about which method works better.

Both methods work well, so it depends on what you like the best. Adding the soundbar above the TV makes it easier to control with a basic remote control. It often looks nicer on top of the TV rather than below, so your setup has more eye appeal this way.

Below the TV will work as well. If your TV is higher up and doesn’t have room for the soundbar above it, then this may be the best option. Some decide to add the soundbar behind the TV to get it out of the way. This may muffle the sound you get depending on the setup, so do so with caution.

How Should I Mount My Soundbar?

Since mounting the soundbar is often the most common setup for it, it is important to know what steps to use. A few options include:

• See if the soundbar is able to connect to the top or the bottom of the TV. Some systems are set up this way and can make mounting a lot easier.
• If you do need to mount the soundbar, make sure that you do so securely. You do not want the soundbar to fall down and hurt someone or break.
• Never let the soundbar get in a position to cover up the infrared light on the TV. This will make it hard to use your system the way that you want.
• When mounting the soundbar, make sure that you don’t have anything in the way that will affect the sound that comes out.

Conclusion

Placing your soundbar in the right position is important to ensure you get the best sound out of it each time. While it may be tempting to leave the soundbar in a cabinet to keep it out of the way, you should never use it there.

This will affect the sound quality and may require a higher volume that will ruin the system. Always have the soundbar out in the open, preferably front and center for the best experience.

Check out Best Soundbars Without Subwoofer

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