Question

Rear surround placement advice

  • 8 January 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 6329 views

I'm planning to use two Play 1s for my rear surround speakers but my room doesn't have a convenient way to place each speaker the same distance from the viewing position. The easiest setup would have the right rear located 6 feet behind the viewing position at a 45 degree angle (slightly elevated) and the left rear almost directly behind the viewing position.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Would this arrangement totally compromise the surround experience.?

Thank you!

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2 replies

Probably too late for an answer here but at least for movies or tv -- or anything else mixed 5.1 -- speaker placement is critical. I want to be in the sweet spot, the exact imaging matters, and I know sound designers in hollywood they MIX in the sweetspot so that's the way to get the best experience they intended. Check out the Flexson website, they have a variety of Sonos specific mounts and stands that may help. We bought the stands and put on long cords...so we kind of tuck them away for everyday music etc but if we are going to sit down and enjoy a film or the latest binge we bring them out into proper position.
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OP, in a 5.1 setup, think of the "rears" as surrounds, not "rears". In a 7.1, the rear is really that, in back. In a 5.1, the surrounds go almost directly to your right or our left if not "a little bit" behind. I would not recommend putting the speakers in the position you described.

https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/surround-sound-speaker-setup/5-1-setup.html