I'm a believer in clearing the space between and behind the loudspeakers (regardless of design) completely.
My current set-up is purist, (2) Buchardt A500SE monitors on trial-legged stands well removed from the front wall with a 7" x 2" x 4" fully wireless hub sitting on top of a GIK 244 absorption panel. In the past I've had small systems that sat on a single shelf spiked to the floor, like the amp stands of decades ago, finding that anything between the loudspeakers disrupt the soundstage.