Getting closer to the wall - line arrays?

[jwmbro]

Hello,

I've notices speakers sound best when several feet out from the rear wall. now this is of course ok, but in this day and age of flat panel TVs, mounted nearly flush with the wall, I'm curious how you can get your speakers nearer to the wall, without of course worsening the sound.

I notice companies like Klipsch selling floorstanders with 4 or 5 drivers in a row, which are fairly small in footprint (6x7 inches or so). Is it more possible to put these type of speakers closer to the wall (I haven't listened to them yet), or is this just a move by Klipsch to make the external dimensions smaller - and they stilll need to be away from the wall?

If this was a solution, one could probably take that to an extreme by building a line array with about a dozen 3" drivers or so.

Can anyone who uses line arrays comment on the sound of those type of speakers and whether they are any help in getting the speakers out of the room and to against the wall?

Thanks