Surround Speakers (Side and Rear) Placement Advice

[Robot Chicken]

Hi all, my tv room is not a great shape for the best speaker placement and I am hoping someone here will be able to suggest the best place to put my side and rear surrounds.

My dilemma
- Yamaha recommends that the side surrounds be behind the rear ceiling speakers but if I do that a bulkhead will block most of the audio if I use wall mounted speakers
- My rear surrounds if wall mounted will be over 18 feet away from the viewing area

My options as I see them
Sides
1. Ignore Yamaha's recommendation and place the side surrounds in between the front and rear ceiling speakers (90 to the listening position or
2. use ceiling mounts to hang bookshelf speakers behind me

Rears
1. Again use ceiling mounts to hang book shelves
2. Wall mount the rears 18' back - please note that the speaker spread would only be about 7 feet.

I am really not sure what the best option would be here. Below is Yamaha's recommended speaker placement

I appreciate any advice or suggestions

 

[connta]

basically rear surrounds should be where side surrounds option 2 are and side surrounds you really do not have a good position for :/ those stylish rooms are never taking surround systems into account...

your whole setup needs to move closer to the tv, shouldnt go back further than side surrounds option 2...

 

[Robot Chicken]

basically rear surrounds should be where side surrounds option 2 are and side surrounds you really do not have a good position for :/ those stylish rooms are never taking surround systems into account...

your whole setup needs to move closer to the tv, shouldnt go back further than side surrounds option 2...

Thanks Connta - appreciated.