Rear speaker placement - symmetry

[Yael]

How important is symmetry for the rear speakers?

I have a side wall on the left side of my sofa, but none on the right side. I can put both speakers on a back wall (about a meter behind the sofa), but then the left speaker would be placed right where a door opens (i.e., when you open the door, it would cover the speaker).

Should I put the left speaker on the side wall and the right speaker on the back wall, or just put both on the back wall and keep the door closed when I'm using surround?

Thank you!

 

[djoxygen]

It's better to get them as symetrical as possible. Acoustical treatment of the side wall might make it disappear a bit to be more like the open side where there won't be any reflections. As far as the door goes, keep it closed.

 

[plhart]

Symmetry and distance are very important for proper surround "immersion". Sounds like you're talking about a 5.1 system in which case the surround speakers should NOT be put toward the rear. They should be at your sides and at angles from 90 degrees to 110 degrees from the 0 degree center speaker. If you are using monopoles aim them back toward their own rear corners or experiment with aiming them toward the opposing rear corners. The idea for movies is to form an "enveloping" rear soundstage.

Rear placed surround speakers can be used with a 6.1 or 7.1 system. But for 5.1 you get much closer to the film mixing studio with the set-up described above.