You are there-they are here

Definitely check out the thread Al referenced. I would definitely emphasize the word illusion in your post, though, especially with respect to they are here. Simply not going to happen if you listen to large ensemble music. And I would agree with Charles that this is also very recording dependent.

No matter what your preference is, oftentimes the recording will dictate the presentation, but of course, the overall power response of your speakers and the way they interact with your room will always have a strong influence. I personally prefer the "you are there" experience most of the time, as I feel I can get a better perspective of the total picture.

I prefer a "you are there" presentation. I like a deep, 3-dimensional soundstage presentation. I like to think of it as a 'mid-hall' perspective. I do not care for the forward, 'front row seat' type of sound.
That said, I don't know how much the speakers themselves have to do with this sound. Speakers pretty much output what they are fed. Feed them 'you are here' sound and you will hear 'you are here' sound. The same can be said for 'they are here' sound. FWIW, my current speakers are Soliloquy 6.3i's.

For large scale musice (eg, symphony), I prefer the "you are there" presentation where you feel like you are in the large concert hall where the music was recorded. For more initimate music (eg, small jazz ensemble), I prefer the "they are here" presentation.

My preferences are the same as those of Dracule1. Unfortunately, the room for my reference system somewhat compromises achieving the "you are there" presentation for large scale music. In my experience - "they are here" is easier to achieve.