Soundbar as kitchen speaker?

[donkmeister]

Has anyone fitted a soundbar under kitchen cabinets to use as a kitchen sound system?

Following some reading and reviews I can see that the IKEA Symfonisk speakers I was considering unfortunately don't support multiroom casting with non-Sonos stuff. It struck me that I could mount a soundbar under a run of kitchen cabinets and connect a spare Chromecast.

Only issues I can see stem from the soundbars generally having controls on their top - I'd need to install it upside down which would reverse stereo effects and invert any displays. Not too important for light music duties.

[clockworks]

Use voice control (Alexa) rather than pressing the buttons?

I went for a stereo ceiling speaker (Monitor Audio) and a Tangent Ampster.
Handles my kitchen TV audio, as well as Bluetooth streaming and stuff played by the Echo Show.

[donkmeister]

Thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately ceiling speakers aren't an option as I don't want to deal with the upheaval. I put in 4 for Atmos in another room and it's not something I would do apart from as an addition to a greater project. Hanging something readymade underneath the cabinets, a 10 minute job with a drill, is really what I'm after. Feels wrong after decades of telling people "buy hifi separates!!!"

[clockworks]

Yes, it can be a bit of a faff.

How about an Echo Show? Display and speakers in one box, can stream to it using Bluetooth AFAIK.

[dickymint]

donkmeister said:

Thanks for the suggestions, unfortunately ceiling speakers aren't an option as I don't want to deal with the upheaval. I put in 4 for Atmos in another room and it's not something I would do apart from as an addition to a greater project. Hanging something readymade underneath the cabinets, a 10 minute job with a drill, is really what I'm after. Feels wrong after decades of telling people "buy hifi separates!!!"

Most come with a remote? Or make a shelf with drawer runners?

[JimbobVFR]

Some sound bars sound a bit rubbish for stereo music though so maybe careful selection will be required but I don't see why it can't work

I use an old Q Acoustics M4 soundbar for music in my bedroom and I've never even touched the buttons on top. The optical input is auto sensing so as soon as my Chromecast Audio starts playing the bar turns on automatically. It can take a few minutes once playback stops to power off.

I've been very happy with the Q Acoustics, it sounds better than the poorly positioned separates I had in there before.

[Snow and Rocks]

My parents gave some variety of Samsung sound bar mounted as you suggest in their kitchen and it sounds pretty unpleasant playing music. Speech based stuff is fine but it's not a patch on the ancient (free!) Denon hifi I have rigged up in mine with the speakers sitting above the units! Appreciate all soundbars are not created equal.

Edited by Snow and Rocks on Tuesday 6th August 21:06