Hi @Garrrry.

Welcome, thank you for reaching out to Sonos Community, We appreciate your time and effort in posting your concern here in our community.

With the rear speakers, you can only hear the background music of the movie you’re watching.

But if you're going to set up the smaller speaker as a separate speaker and put them as a group with the Sonos Arc you will hear the same music with the front speaker.

To know more about stereo pairing click here.

If you need help with any other information, please be sure to let us know.

@Garrrry From a 5.1 audio source, you will hear MUCH more than just “background music” from the rear surround speakers. You will also hear any sound effects and dialogue that is happening on screen behind the camera. If a car explodes on screen behind the camera, you’ll hear the explosion from your rear surround speakers. That’s the whole purpose of having rear surrounds. So if you move the two surrounds to the left side of the room where you are seated, your wife will now hear the audio, that should be coming from behind her, coming from the left side.

Also, if you just group the speakers as separate speakers rather than as surrounds, TV audio will have a very slight delay. But music will be in sync.

Hi G 

Can you even see the screen from where you are sitting  

My rear Symfonisk Speakers with Sonos Beam  are spread out much like yours and are more to the side of me than behind , but you still get the same effect 

Its funny since having the rears its amazing how much TV content doesn't have any surround sound added excellent sound when it does happen though , and the set up is great with Music 

Cheers

Thanks for you response… that is what im about to buy the Ikea Speakers. I just didn't want it to sound strange for my wife that doesn't have the speaker behind her. Sounds like you have a similar set up.  But as you say it will only be on films. And the rear sound from the left will sound good, i  presume?

And yes  I can just about see the TV from my angle. She definitely has the best viewing position.  

@GuitarSuperstar  thanks for the response…  I just didn't know if it would sound strange for my wife having sound come from the left? She like to moan about this stuff.  

That is why I want them for those very reasons,  the cars exploding, the sound effects etc… 

Hi G

Yes the Ikea rears are very good and for the money i paid £80 each they are a excellent buy…

Just a couple of little things make sure you get them as a Surround Pair on the Sonos app (+LS+RS)

first time I tried it went straight to Stereo pair without offering me Surround pair ( So Stereo pair you get the voices as well as background through the rears ) so I reset the speakers and it worked 2nd time

Also the plug cable from each rear is quite short ,about 3ft so make sure you check your placement to your socket before you set them up …please let us know how you get on and what you think of them 

There are some good Surround Sound videos on Youtube , Helicopters flying etc.…. worth trying when you first set up

Cheers

@Winchesterclub  thanks for the heads up…  I have plug sockets very near where they will be placed and one can be plugged in the router.