Front-Center and Subwoofer

• Your speakers have specific places they need to be in a room. The manufacturer created each speaker to serve a specific purpose, and it's your job to achieve that purpose. To start, the center speaker should be placed directly above or below the TV and aimed at ear level. All of your other speakers will revolve around this center speaker, so it's a great starting point. The subwoofer will give the best performance in the front of the room, near the TV and about 6 inches from the wall. You don't want it right on the wall because of vibrations and rattling.
  
  

Front-Left and Front-Right

• The front-left and front-right speakers can be mounted on walls or sit on stands and should be mounted no more than 2 feet above or below the center speaker. Each of the front speakers should be the same distance from the center speaker that you--the viewer--are. If these speakers have rear channel bass ports, according to C-Net.com, place them on stands instead of mounts.
  
  

Side and Back-Center Surround

• The surround-left and surround-right speakers should be mounted on the side walls of the room slightly behind or parallel to your sitting position (about 2 feet above the front speakers), according to C-Net.com. If you have a back-center speaker, mount it on the wall behind you close to the ceiling, exactly halfway between the right and left speakers. Some of the newer systems have back speakers on the right and left (instead of just one in the back-center). If this is the case, simply place them on either side of the wall, still between the side speakers.