Ya know, Atom (I'm in a suburb of Cleveland, by the way), that's an interesting question. Since the Axiom FAQ says:
"Ideally, surround speakers should be.....slightly forward or rearwards of the listening area if you wish. Axiom's Quadpolar surrounds are especially versatile and can yield excellent performance with stand or wall-mounting to the rear as well as at side locations."
I'd say your proposed positioning would work fine. However, depending on how far behind the first row the QS8s would be, you might also consider putting them just behind the second row. The word "slightly" in the above is a frustratingly ambiguous term. To be sure, you might give Axiom a call. They'll be glad to help.
Bob. From the same FAQ, it says:
"Ideally, surround speakers should be.....from one to six feet higher than seated listeners' ears,....
So, the optimum position is NOT 6 feet off the ground, but within the stated range above the ears. Whatever height you place them, I'd think placing them at the same height is a good idea. You can be fairly flexible with your placement, though.
