Old Vandersteen model 2 vs. newer model 2

I will be able to put them with about 12" of space to the wall in an 18' 5" long room.  I could stretch that to 13" which is 1/17 the room length.  I'm married to an excellent decorator who has been willing to make some compromises, but I'm concerned that she will not like these compared to my current NHT 2.9 speakers.  This may be an upgrade that I only get to enjoy for a few weeks.  

They seem best to me with a few feet of room
(Grabbing the tape measure now…)

It says 45” behind and 55” to the front.

But I sort of moved them around quickly and thought, that seems OK few months ago… So it was not exact by any stretch.

Firstly; I know that the Mrs says that they are always too far out into they room.
Secondly; she often says that the sound is coming from behind the front wall.
And thirdly; that the speakers make no sound, and that all the sound it is coming from between the speakers.

She is an intelligent woman, but the phantom image is outside of her bailiwick of understanding.

…in an 18’ 5" long room. I could stretch that to 13" which is 1/17 the room length…

1/7th of 14 feet is about 2 feet and 1/7th of 21 feet is ~3 foot.

So 1/7th of 18’ should be about 2-1/2 feet I think?

(That is about the minimum IME.)

Thanks for the input!  It would be impossible to put them that far out.  However, if I achieve an upgrade with sub-optimal placement, then it would still be a win.  In other words, I don't need best, just better to keep them.  The NHT's are designed to work up against the wall, so they will have that advantage.

IME, the Vandy 2's are particularly critical of placement, more so than most other speakers. On the other hand, they are very accommodating with regard to amplification.

+1 @holmz 

If you can spring for the differences in cost, consider showing your decor-savvy spouse some good images of the Treo CT's.  In addition to better tolerating near-wall placements, their long but narrow profile seems to work better in many rooms than the wider 2's.