No disrespect. After all you are the Audio Doctors! (and I am merely a physician, haha.) Never the less, I would say that with a dipole the sound perpendicular to the panel is canceled because of opposite polarity. So less side wall pressure and less ceiling pressure. The proportion of direct sound to the listening position relative to the reflected sound is greater than it would be with a conventional speaker. Sound pressure diminishes with distance (3 dB per foot if I remember correctly.) The ceiling reflections are not even 1st reflections, but 2nd or 3rd+ reflections at best, and so are much diminished in volume on that basis. Since the OP doesn't want room treatments clogging up the decor, I prefer to stand by my assertion that panel speakers will help to minimize room acoustic problems. I've had many electrostats and many box speakers. In my experience stat panels cause fewer room acoustics
problems. On the other hand, I am like everyone else on these forums. I'm pretty sure of myself even when I am wrong. ;)