Not really trying to accomplish anything but filling my living room with sound. I have an open floor plan and the living room is 36x36 not counting the kitchen that is 20x20 and is open to the living room. I like my music loud. Stereo at one end of the room just doesn't do it for me, unless I am limited to sitting in a chair in front of the speakers (and that's just not me)
I would place one pair AL iii at one end, another AL iii at the other and silvers center to the kitchen. This way walking around downstairs i'm not limited to just sitting there.
Surround sound I have solved. I'm not really a TV/Movie kind of guy, though I do have a 90" Sharp LCD with AV system in the bedroom. It gets the party started and its fine.