Speakers to beat wife-factor ?

You would not get Forte like bass from the Magnepans or any panel speaker ... they just don't produce bass the same way. A good box speaker that allows placement relatively close to the rear wall is the Aerial Acoustics Model 6. It is small (for a floor stander) and quite handsome. Unfortunately the UK price is probably high compared to the US price. Good luck!

I have a similar problem with my martin logan quest z's (for which a minimum of three feet from the wall is recommended. I placed ASC studio traps (www.tubetrap.com) behind each with good results. However, the speakers are still about two feet away from the wall. You might be able to get the Maggies closer than that. Good luck!

The Gradient Revolutions are supposed to sound great next to a wall - I have not heard them, though. I would avoid having to move speakers all the time, if I were you. To me, the NHT 2.9s sounded like crap the one time I heard them (at hi-fi '98). I don't like Meridian speakers either, but some people do - and they have built in equalizers so that you can ajust them for wall placement.

I'm with Sksnyder - maybe there is a way you can use the Maggies. I've gotten decent results with 1.2's one to one and a half feet out from front wall and as close as possible to side walls, tweeter to the inside. Toe them in. More. More still. If the sound is too bright you may find a way to put some Sonex discreetly behind the panels, perhaps on a small frame. If you want, you can remove the iron "feet" on the 1.2's and bend them a little so that the panels lean back a bit more. This makes them more physicially stable and kidproof, and gives tall standing adults a better chance at hearing the highs. Imperfectly set up Maggie 1.2's or 1.6's are still going to sound better than any comparably priced box speaker, or my name isn't Captain IMHO.

Get rid of your wife.Music is more important.And children can be tought to stay away from adult things.Give it a try,it'll work.