[kach22i]

George, given my constraints with my HT set up in my family room I was forced into such a set up and it can work. But as others have said, it is speaker, room treatment and seating position dependent. Luckily for the OP, while his room may be square, it's a good size square which helps.

I once heard M/L CLS's at a stereo store in a heavily treated squarish room (cubic as it was tall too), they resorted to a nearfield listening position.

It was like listening to a giant pair of headphones, but in a cool way.

[JLM]

Yep, first exposure to non-desktop near-field can feel like a cross between in-room and headphones.  Years ago had a very wide mid-field (speakers 10ft apart, 8ft from listening position) setup, thanks to "Late Ceiling Splash" tweeters the center soundstage remained intact.  Unfortunately moving back to a stereo power amp from mono-blocks reduced the reach of my captive speaker cables (a remnant of my purist days), so no longer an option.  The advantage of the very wide mid-field over equilateral mid-field was a larger presentation. 

[tonyptony]

Well, it’s settled. I happened upon a house that had the right combination of house + location + cost + all the other stuff. It will provide me with a 14x16x9 room that I’ll be able to call my own. 

[JakeJ]

Damn, that's pretty sweet, Tony!! Congrats!

Pictures or it didn't happen.    Sorry just kidding.  It would be nice to see your system setup in your new room when you get there.

Yeah, me want to see those Shahinian Diapasons in their new digs.

As a teaser here is my setup and I just measured the layout and I am in a perfect equilateral triangle at 10' on each side.  5 feet behind and at least 7 feet to the side walls.  I just need some diffusion between the Maggies and some position tweaking.



Oops, This picture is out of date!  I'm not using the Analysis Plus Big Silver Ovals at this moment.  The JENA Labs Twin 19's are between the X350.5 and the 3.6r's.  Also I see my JENA Labs Symphony XLR interconnects, that's also incorrect as I'm not using the Audio Experience A2 all balanced preamp.  I'm using the YBA Signature 2-chassis preamp (which turned out to have incredible synergy with the X350.5) and my Cardas Golden Cross RCA I/C's.  For those interested.

[tonyptony]

Thanks Jake. My Shahinians, as it will turn out, will be relegated to secondary service in the house’s so called great room (how pretentious). It’s 17x20 and is too asymmetric and has too many openings to be IMO a proper sound room. It’s also in what I call the house’s common space. My system is in a room like that now, and I was determined not to do that again for my main system. So the 14x16 will be hosting my new reference (to me) speakers - my Von Schweikert Endeavor SE’s. That will be the no compromise music room. The Shahinians will make music in the common space as part of a secondary system.

[mcgsxr]

Exercising control over all that happens in your audio room is a great place.  Nice work. 

Enjoy it!

[Rob Babcock]

You can also set up on the diagonal if the room is big enough to not have you sitting in a corner.  You'll still want to use some bass absorption but at least you're not sitting in the width mode that is also the length mode.

This is probably your best option.  Combined with absorption that can yield good results.