Do QSx speakers need to be wall mounted?

Hello,

I'm setting up a new HT system and am considering Axiom for the speakers. I'll be building a 7.1 system and I'm wondering what I should do for the rear surrounds. My theater area in my rec room is laid out such that I don't have a rear wall so would QS speakers still be appropriate? I'm wondering if not having them against a wall will affect the acoustics adversely. Would a more appropriate choice for the rears be something like the M2 or M3?

Thanks,
Jason

JasonA,

My wife didn't want them on the wall in the den and also with the brackets putting them on the wall would be very tight. I bought the stands and set them at ear level and calibrated the speakers and they sound great. I have them on the side instead of behind me. The brackets with the QSx series has a lot to be desired. If you have wall on the side I think you will be ok.

LSUDAN

Hello Jason,

I have a sense of deja vu--that I already answered a direct email question from you but perhaps not. By the way, the term "rear surrounds" (even I use it) is a misnomer. Dolby Labs specify that surround speakers be mounted to either side of the listening area, not at the back, except for the genuine rear speakers used in a 6.1 or 7.1 setup. QS multipole models are accommodating enough that you can mount them almost anywhere and achieve an enveloping soundfield but I feel they're at their best located to the sides of the listening area, somewhat higher than ear level. They don't need to be wall-mounted. The enveloping soundfield provided by QS surrounds is much easier to achieve than with direct radiators like the M2 or M3.

Regards,

Thanks Alan,

We didn't trade any direct emails so it must be deja vu. :-)

Anyway, I'm rather new to this so I'm sure my terminology isn't quite correct. What I was referring to by the "rear surrounds" are the rear speakers for a 7.1 setup. I plan on putting together a full 7.1 setup - 2 surrounds for the sides and 2 for the back. My theater area is essentially one end of a long room so I have a front wall (where the screen is) and side walls but open space to the rear. I've read that some speakers are designed to placed so they reflect off the walls so I was wondering if the lack of a rear wall would affect this. From what you and others have said I gather it shouldn't be a problem but I just wanted to be sure.

Thanks,
Jason