Sanus has long been a leader when it comes to HDTV mounts of all shapes and sizes, everything from full-motion to low-profile mounts. With so many options to choose from, it can be hard deciding which is best for you and your HDTV. Thankfully, Sanus has an app for that. But for most a simple, straightforward, widely available mount will do, which is where Sanus' Classic lineup of products comes in. Available at most large retail chains, Sanus' Classic line of mounts are aimed at the everyman, or at least the everyman who shops at Wal-Mart, Target or the like. I recently moved into a new home, which required my going to such stores to procure more than a few new items, chief among them two new HDTV mounts. For my living room setup, I went with the MLT15 mount from Sanus' Classic line.
Since I review a lot of displays, big and small, from all the various manufacturers, I needed a mount that would facilitate all my mounting needs, which the MLT15 does. The MLT15 is a relatively low-profile, tilting, universal HDTV mount that fits displays ranging in size from 32 to 70 inches diagonally. It can support up to 200 pounds when properly installed. The MLT15 features Sanus' own Virtual Axis technology, giving it the ability to tilt up to 15 degrees (plus or minus) with the touch of a finger to combat glare and/or improve viewing angle for those who have to mount their displays higher than normal. The mount itself measures 32 inches wide by 20 inches tall and can vary in depth between one-and-a-quarter inches and three inches, depending on your level of tilt.
Installing the MLT15 is easy and straightforward although, depending on the size of your display, you may want to enlist the help of a friend or family member when the time comes to hoist your HDTV onto the back plate. The included hardware is good for almost any HDTV on the market today, provided your display falls within the MLT15's acceptable size range. My 50-inch Panasonic plasma mounted to the MLT15 system with ease and the whole installation took less than an hour. Once installed, the results looked good and rather professional - not bad for a sub-$100 mount that can accommodate up to 70-inch HDTVs.
Read about the high points and low points of the Sanus MLT15 on Page 2.
High Points
• The MLT15's build quality and materials are first-rate and feel strong enough that I feel Sanus' claims may be on the conservative side.
• The ease of installation is second only to the mount's ease of use.
• For larger HDTVs, you'll most likely need a friend's help, but I can't think of a wall mount that is as accommodating as the MLT15.
• While technically not a low-profile mount, the MLT15 is surprisingly low profile.
Low Points
• With bigger displays like Sharp's 80 and even 90-inch LED HDTVs hitting the market and even being sold via the same channels as the MLT15, it's 70-inch limit may leave some customers out in the cold.
• Sanus does make some fancier mounts that can accommodate large displays like the MLT15, but they typically cost more and are available only through select retailers and/or custom installers.
Competition and Comparison
As with HDTVs, there is seemingly no shortage of companies that make HDTV mounts. Sanus' competition includes OmniMount, Chief and others. Within the core competition group, I personally have always gone with Sanus, for their products suit me and my needs just fine. As a longtime Sanus owner and customer, I've yet to have an issue with any of their mounts. However, for those of you who may be on a tighter budget (who isn't), there are some less expensive options available to you, among them HDTV mounts from Monoprice. I cannot vouch for nor speak to Monoprice's mounts in terms of quality, but I have noted that they are considerably cheaper when compared to all aforementioned competition.
For more on HDTV mounts and accessories, please visit Home Theater Review's AV Accessories page.
Conclusion
Depending on where you choose to shop, the MLT15 HDTV mount from Sanus will run you somewhere in the neighborhood of $100 or less. For that, you get a rather low-profile, tilting HDTV wall mount capable of hanging any display ranging in size from 32 to 70 inches. That's quite a range, meaning the MLT15 is a mount that can grow with you and your viewing habits should you start small today but choose to end big tomorrow. For that, I consider it to be among the most universal of the universal mounts available today. I'd buy it - hell, I did.
