Should a soundbar go above or below a TV?

A soundbar should almost always go below the TV. The soundbar should be as close to the TV as possible and centred horizontally with the screen. Placing a soundbar above the TV creates a spatial mismatch where sound appears to come from above the picture, which is acoustically and perceptually wrong. The only exception is a specific below-screen obstruction that makes below placement physically impossible.

How far should a soundbar be from the TV?

The soundbar should be as close to the bottom edge of the TV screen as practical, typically 2 to 5 cm of clearance. This ensures the sound source is spatially matched to the picture as closely as possible. Some soundbars with upward-firing drivers need a few centimetres of clearance above the driver to allow the reflected sound to develop correctly, but this is still directly below the TV rather than moved further away.

Where should a soundbar be placed for a wall-mounted TV?

For a wall-mounted TV, the soundbar can be placed on a shelf or TV unit directly below the TV, or wall-mounted on a soundbar bracket immediately below the TV screen. Wall mounting gives a cleaner look and keeps the soundbar at the correct spatial position relative to the screen. Ensure the soundbar is centred horizontally with the TV and as close to the bottom of the screen as the bracket allows.

Soundbar Placement Guide: Where to Put a Soundbar with Your TV (2026)

Audio Setup Guide · 2026

Soundbar Placement: Where to Put It

Soundbar placement is simpler than most people think. There is one correct position in almost every setup. Here is where it goes, how high, and what to avoid.

🔊 Below vs above TV🔨 Wall mount placement⚠️ Common mistakes

The Rule

Soundbar position: one answer

Put the soundbar directly below the TV, centred horizontally with the screen, as close to the bottom edge of the screen as possible. That is the correct position in almost every installation.

The rule

Soundbar goes below the TV. Not above it. Not to the side. Not on a shelf three feet below. Directly below, centred, as close to the screen as the physical setup allows. The goal is to match the sound source spatially with the picture as closely as possible.

When dialogue comes from an actor on screen but the sound appears to come from above or significantly below the image, it breaks the spatial illusion of cinema sound. The brain notices when sound and picture are misaligned. Keeping the soundbar immediately below the screen minimises this disconnect.

Common Setups

Placement for every TV installation type

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TV on a stand or unit

Place the soundbar on the TV unit directly in front of and below the TV screen. Centre it horizontally. If the soundbar is deeper than the TV unit shelf, consider a wall mount instead. Do not place the soundbar behind the unit front edge where it is partially obstructed.

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Wall-mounted TV

Two options: a soundbar shelf or bracket on the wall directly below the TV, or a freestanding soundbar on a unit below. Wall mounting looks cleaner and holds the soundbar at the correct spatial position. Soundbar-specific wall brackets are widely available and take a single wall fixing.

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TV above fireplace

If the TV is above a fireplace mantel, place the soundbar on the mantel itself, centred below the TV. This is often the only practical option and works well acoustically. Ensure the soundbar is not positioned where it will overheat from the fireplace below.

Height from the floor

The soundbar does not have a fixed ideal height from the floor. Its position is relative to the TV, not the floor. Whatever height places it immediately below the TV screen is correct. For a wall-mounted TV with the center at 100 cm, the TV bottom edge is approximately 60 to 65 cm from the floor for a 65-inch TV, meaning the soundbar sits at roughly 50 to 60 cm from the floor.

Distance from the wall

Most soundbars perform best with a small gap (5 to 10 cm) behind them rather than pressed flat against the back of a TV unit. This allows rear-facing bass ports to breathe and prevents bass build-up from the wall surface. Soundbars with front-firing drivers only are less sensitive to this gap.

What to Avoid

Common soundbar placement mistakes

Mistake	Problem	Fix
Soundbar above the TV	Sound appears to come from above the picture	Move to below the TV
Soundbar too far below TV	Spatial disconnect between sound and image	Mount on wall directly below screen
Soundbar off-centre	Centre channel dialogue shifts to one side	Align horizontal centre with TV centre
Soundbar inside a cabinet	High frequencies absorbed, muddy sound	Move to open position in front of unit
Soundbar blocking IR sensor	TV remote stops working	Lower soundbar or use IR extender
Soundbar on carpeted surface	Bass coupling into floor	Use soundbar feet or a thin hard surface

Blocking the TV IR receiver

A common practical problem: a tall soundbar blocks the TV's infrared receiver, making the remote control unreliable. The simplest fix is to lower the soundbar slightly by placing it on a thin riser, or to use the TV's smartphone app for control. Some soundbars include a built-in IR pass-through that routes the remote signal from the front of the soundbar to the TV behind it.

Recommended soundbars coming soon.

Get your TV height right first

The soundbar position depends on your TV mount height. Calculate the correct TV center height for your seating.

Mount Height Calculator Wall Mount Height Guide

FAQ

Common questions: soundbar placement

A soundbar close to the width of the TV looks best aesthetically and provides the most natural stereo image width. A narrower soundbar works fine acoustically. A soundbar wider than the TV is not a problem acoustically but can look imbalanced visually. The horizontal centre alignment is what matters for accurate stereo imaging.

Not ideally. Enclosing a soundbar inside a TV unit cabinet significantly reduces high-frequency output as the cabinet absorbs and reflects sound. If the soundbar must be inside a unit, leave the front door fully open and ensure there is no obstruction directly in front of the drivers. A partially open or glass-front cabinet is better than a closed one but still impairs performance compared to an open position.

Subwoofers produce bass frequencies that are largely omnidirectional, meaning the ear cannot easily determine where they come from. For a wireless soundbar subwoofer, placement is flexible: anywhere in the room within the wireless range works. Common positions are beside the TV unit, in a corner (corners reinforce bass), or at one end of the sofa. Avoid placing a subwoofer inside a closed cabinet, which restricts airflow from the bass port.