One speaker observation from the New York Hifi show.

1st, Do not buy ported speakers. Buy line source speakers.
2nd, "IF", your stuck with ported speakers? Purchase a good, servo controlled, subwoofer.
3rd There always seems to be a "sweet spot", just off axis in all "point source" speakers. So "Toe In", to your hearts content!

And since I read a little above about the distancing, I have a question. What about an infinite baffle system? Are there drawbacks to such a design? Your still dealing with refraction and such from five planes. But not that pesky sixth that is behind the transducers forward wave, "And wave diodes on four", especially if cylindrical in nature.
  Thoughts??
I think the "Periodic Baffle" utilizing charged, non-congruent planes will solve most of our "Audiophile distress syndrome" in the near future.
    Hee hee, Imagine transients at lightspeed! Delta-Y! Here we come!

In my experience it is impossible to hear anything at an audio show due to the non-stop yacking by all the patrons. I go for the tchotchkes.

If you have a small or small-medium room like me, i suggest using a sealed speaker. I am new to hifi. Discovering a nht superone 2.1 and zero 2.1 are aweone. I can place these a few inch away from wall and get amazing sound with very good bass from superone.

I have electrostatic highbred speakers (Martin-Logan Summitt X) - any  thoughts on distance from The wall behind the speakers or the side walls? And toe in?