Since humans are predatory, our eyes face forward(unlike prey animals to the side) and our hearing is indeed designed to hear in front of us more than above or behind. Stereo playback is designed to create a soundstage as constructed by the sound engineer. Be it to create an image of sitting behind Neil Pearts drums, or a car driving off screen. Speakers speakers can only image so far so they need to be in front of the listener as to create images as designed.
