This paper considers detection schemes for the combined space-time block coding and spatial multiplexing (STBC-SM) transmission systems. We propose a symbol detection scheme which allows to extend the limit on the number of transmit antennas imposed by the previous group detection scheme. The proposed scheme allows to double multiplexing gain as well as provides better bit error rate (BER) performance over the group detection scheme. It is shown that the proposed QR-SIC (combined QR-decomposition and successive interference cancellation) symbol detector provides good trade-off between the BER and computational complexity performance and, thus, is the most suitable detector for the combined STBC-SM system.