You finally got the TV on the wall, and it looks great. Then the family sits down for a movie and everyone keeps asking, “What did they say?” Thin TVs have thin speakers, and a room full of people makes it worse. A soundbar fixes most of that. But a soundbar set on the stand, with its cord hanging down the wall, undoes the clean look you just paid for. Soundbar installation in Kansas City is usually a small add-on to a TV mount, and doing it right comes down to a few decisions made before anything gets drilled.
Want the TV and soundbar done in one visit? Call or text (913) 674-9723 with a photo of the wall, your TV size, and the soundbar model, and I will tell you what the job looks like.
You want sound you can hear and a wall that looks finished
Most people who ask me about soundbars are not chasing a home theater. They want to hear the dialogue without cranking the volume, and they want the wall to look clean. No second set of cords. No soundbar balanced on the edge of a dresser. Homeowners in Lenexa, Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, and Leawood tell me the same thing: “I hear the same thing all the time: they bought the soundbar, but it never looked right.”
Mounted under the TV or sitting on a stand?
If the TV is on the wall, the soundbar usually belongs on the wall too, right under the screen. That keeps the sound pointed at the couch instead of at the furniture, and it makes the TV and soundbar look like one piece. A stand or console still works if you already have one you like and the soundbar sits flush at the front edge. What does not work well is a soundbar tucked inside a cabinet. The cabinet walls muffle the sound you bought it for.
What I check before mounting a soundbar
1. The gap between the TV and the soundbar
Too close and the soundbar can block the TV’s sensor or bump the bottom of the screen when a tilt or full-motion bracket moves. Too far and it looks like it is floating on its own. I set the gap so the TV can still tilt or swing and the two still look like a matched set.
2. The bracket
Some soundbars come with wall brackets that screw into the wall below the TV. Others attach to the TV bracket itself, so the soundbar moves with the TV. If your TV is on a full-motion mount, attaching the soundbar to the TV is usually the better choice, because a fixed soundbar on the wall stops lining up as soon as the TV swings out. I will tell you which fits your setup before any work starts.
3. The wires
This is where most do-it-yourself soundbar jobs go wrong. A soundbar needs power, and most connect to the TV with an HDMI cable. If those cords hang below the soundbar, the wall looks unfinished again. When the wall allows, I run the soundbar’s cables in the wall along with the TV’s, so you see the TV, the soundbar, and nothing else. When in-wall is not an option, a paintable cover on the wall keeps things neat. My post on concealing TV wires in Kansas City explains in-wall vs. raceway.
4. The connection
Mounting the soundbar is half the job. The other half is making it work with one remote. I connect it to the TV’s HDMI ARC or eARC port when the TV has one, check that the TV remote controls the volume, and test it with your streaming apps and cable box before I leave. If the soundbar has a subwoofer, I help you find a spot for it where it sounds right and stays out of the way.
Over a fireplace? Plan the soundbar too
Fireplace installs are common around Kansas City, and they need a little extra thought. The mantel may sit right where the soundbar wants to go, and heat rising from the firebox is not good for electronics. Sometimes the soundbar goes on the mantel, sometimes under the TV on the bracket, and with a pull-down MantelMount it needs to move with the TV. My guide to mounting a TV over a fireplace covers the heat and height questions.
Soundbar or surround sound?
For most living rooms, a good soundbar is plenty. If you want sound coming from behind the couch for movies and games, surround sound or in-ceiling speakers may be worth it. My post on soundbar vs. surround sound walks through which makes sense for your room, and the whole-home audio guide covers music in more than one room.
Getting ready for the holidays?
The holidays are when the living room gets the most use: big family movies, football with the neighbors, and a lot of people talking over the TV. If you are picking up a new TV or soundbar this season, check Dan’s Deal Drop. I post new TV deals every Monday and Thursday, priced to save 15% or more against big-store prices plus tax, and delivery is free when I install it.
I install soundbars across the Kansas City metro
I am Dan, the owner of SmartHome Connect, based in Lenexa. Homeowners in Lenexa, Overland Park, Olathe, Lee’s Summit, Shawnee, Leawood, Prairie Village, Mission, Kansas City, KS, and Kansas City, MO find us through over 190 Google reviews at 4.9 stars.
TV mounting starts at $150, and that includes the bracket and concealing the wires. A soundbar can be added to the same visit, and fireplaces, brick or stone, Samsung The Frame, and a few other setups can add to the price. I confirm the price on site before any work starts. For the full breakdown, see how much TV mounting costs in Kansas City.
The plan is three steps
- Send a photo of the wall, your TV size, the soundbar model, and your city.
- Get a firm price before any work starts, including how the soundbar mounts and how the wires get concealed.
- I mount the TV and soundbar, conceal the wires, set it up on one remote, and make sure everything works before I leave.
What you get, and what you avoid
Skip the planning and the usual problems show up: a soundbar that blocks the TV remote, a second cord hanging down the wall, a soundbar that will not line up when the TV swings out, and three remotes on the coffee table.
Do it right and you get clear dialogue, one remote, and a wall that looks finished, with the TV and soundbar working together the way they should.
Ready to hear your TV?
Call or text (913) 674-9723, email info@smarthomeconnectllc.com, or use the contact form. Tell me your city, your TV size, and the soundbar you have or are thinking about, and send a photo of the wall.
