Listening room is 25lx15w viewing distance is 12.5F (right in the middle). If I were setting up a system with LCR, wall mount surrounds and two bipoles, would it be best to put the bipoles beside and slightly behind the listener or in the way back (several feet behind the listener). I know that the answer will be "try it both ways and see which sounds better". That is what I will probably do, but I thought the audio minds here might save me some work and get it right the first time.
Kill two birds with one stone? The midpoint of the room is perhaps the worst place possible for the listener, outside of being right up against a boundary.
The general recommended starting point for listener positioning in a closed rectangular room is 38% the length (doesn't matter from front wall or back wall). There is some variation, room to room, from 38%, and if anything it would more likely be less than it would more in %. Sometimes as low as 33% or so.
Therefore, at 38%, you would be at 9.5 ft instead from the back wall, and the side surrounds will probably then be located at or near an ideal location.
Of course, as I'm typing this all up, I have no idea if this is a possibility for you.
