WOW! Thank you Dean for all the info on this thread, I just found it because I just upgraded my receiver to an Onkyo TX-NR807 and I want to reconfigure my 7.1 layout (I used to have back surrounds); and what a coincidence I have AXIOM speakers, not as big as yours because I bought them a few years ago on a budget, I have:

Center: VP100
Front: M22ti
Surround: M3
Back: M3

At the time I didn't have enough money to buy surrounds from the QS series or the bigger center channel, but I've been quite happy with them, they sound amazing and my room is not that big so they fit just right.

Anyway, what I want to ask you is if you have to choose would yo go with: front heights, front wides or back surrounds? I can't have all... what do you think?.
Thanks again for all the help.