Surround Speakers Placement

[kingtut]

I recently purchased a pair of AR215PS from Woody Jacobs, who was a fine gentlement. He packed the speakers really well and sent them the next day after I paid him. The speakers arrived in good condition, w/the usual couple of minute scratches and nicks on the bottom-- typical of used speakers. I am planning to replace my JBL surround speakers w/the AR for surround duties.

My listening room is 15' wide x 13' in depth x 9' ceiling. The sofa is placed next to the rear wall (which is 15' wide), due to the short distance to the TV (13' depth). My current JBL surrounds speakers are mounted to side walls (in the corners -- facing each other) 1" below the ceiling (8' from the floor to the bottom of the JBL) This placement was chosen because my wife wanted the surround speakers to be small, discrete and out of the way. I am not sure if due to the height of the current surround placement, I can't hear much of an impact from the JBL surrounds. Polk recommended mounting the surrounds 2' to 3' above the head of the seated listener. 1)Are the bottom of the surround speakers supposed to be 3' above the listener's head or the top of the speakers to be mounted 3' above the listeners head in the seated position? 2)Is the current placement ok, or should I lower them?

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

Depend on the size of the speaker, it may not matter...ideally you'd want the tweeter to be 2 feet about your head...I'd definitely lower them a little from where they are now...

[therockman]

I would definately move the couch closer to the front speakers. The prime listening spot is approximately the same distance away from your front speakers as they are apart. If your front speakers are 8 feet apart, you should be sitting abour 7 to 9 away from them. This 8 foot figure is derived from the fact that your room is about 15 feet across, and each speaker should be about 3 to 4 feet from the side walls. The perfect spot for surround sound is equidiscent from the fronts and rears. The prime viewing area for a video moniitor is about 3 X the screen size: that is if your screen is a 42 inch, you should be about 120 inches from the screen, if your screen is 32 inch, you should be about 90 inches from it. I think that you need to rearrange your seating area.

[kingtut]

Unfortunately, the wife dicatates that the couch has to be against the wall so the family room would be roomier. Furthermore, the side wall on the left side is about 3' wide, than it opens up to the kitchen. So moving the couch closer to the front of the speakers would not be feasible. Any other suggestions on the placement of surrounds?