2.1 or 4.1 with rear speakers not placed ideally

[admin_exported]

I am in the process of buying a new house. We have a live fireplace in the middle front of the room and for aesthetic reasons will not be able to place a centre speaker so will split this between the FL and FR speakers.

The problem is that the living room is about 3.5m (w) by 5m (l) and then backs into an open dining area.

I am not clear that it would be good to have the rear speakers behind the dining table (as would probably be too far away to get proper rear sound effects). So we were thinking of placing the "rear" speakers on the side wall, parallel to the back sofa (rather than behind it).

Given that this isn't ideal, would be better to just have a 2.1 set up?

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry - should have mentioned that I was considering RS6/8s as FL and FR and RS5s as RL and RR channels

 

[Dave_]

mephistophelean:

So we were thinking of placing the "rear" speakers on the side wall, parallel to the back sofa (rather than behind it). Well, that's were 'surround' speakers should be placed in a 4.1/5.1 system or slightly behind if at all possible. You would usually only have 'rear' speakers positioned behind your listening position in a 6.1/7.1 set-up!