Is it true that speaker placement really can make a difference in sound quality?

There are different theories but rooms and tastes are different so it's tough to specify a correct placement. We suggest you experiment with different locations to see what works for you. As a general rule of thumb for the best sound stage balance, the speakers should be equidistant from side walls and a different distance from rear walls. Our rear-ported speakers (such as the A5+, HD6, and HDP6) pretty forgiving when it come to being placed near walls, but we do recommend keeping them at least a few inches from the rear wall for adequate ventilation.