In a 7.1 system the side surrounds go to the left and right of your seating position and face you. The rear speakers go behind your seats, angled in. Your surround channels should at least be at ear level, and can sound even better when elevated by a foot or two.

For 5.1 surround sound, place the left or right speakers between 100° and 120° from the center speaker, putting the speakers slightly behind the listener. For 7.1 systems, the side surround speakers have a wider range, going from 60° up to 110°, which means the side surrounds can be slightly in front to slightly behind the listener.

The ideal angle for side surround speakers is 90-110 degrees. Recommended tweeter position is 2 feet above your head. 7.1 speaker placement should take into account the nuances of rear surround speakers allocation. They usually have an angle of 135-150 degrees and stand behind a sofa or other sitting place at the same height as side ones.

Put the front left and front right home theater speakers about 3 feet from the sides of the television, in front of the viewer, and at ear height. Tower speakers can manage this on their own, while bookshelf monitors may require stands.