Why does pulling out main speakers from wall improve sound?

As I reflect back on all the hours viewing system set ups as lovely as they are with all those expensive components, I dare say most of these pictures have the speakers pretty damn close to the wall.  Dealers Display the speakers pretty damn close to the wall.  Then I began noticing a few set ups where the speakers looked weird being pulled so far from the wall. 
 

My large basement on the habitable side has my speakers right in the middle of the room and they are older and they really fill the room extremely well. I thought it was just the speakers but it was more than that.  In my other rooms and systems it's tougher to get those speakers very far from the walls, but I am rethinking things with a goal of pulling the speakers way the hell away from the walls.  Rectangular rooms are difficult where the long wall is being used for the system.  Points of egress and windows and doors make it difficult to use the Wall on the short side of the room for the system, very sad.

So have you ever had trouble coming up with something to say while sitting across from your date.

Great news! read up on the posts herein and you're all set.

Audiospyder,

I like the idea about walking from the wall and listening to your voice. A very effective tool to learn from. 

Thespeakerdude

Very interesting comments dude, I like the idea about putting a absorption panel immediately behind the main speaker even if you pull it out a bit.  Maybe this will reduce the muddiness because all those waves bouncing off the wall may be a bad thing.

I have a down firing speaker so the absorption panel would need to rest on the floor