Speaker placement in a room with the best performance if it is close to a wall?

Magico in particular need a lot of side space.  In a big room they throw a wide, stable sound stage, but cramp them at all and it all collapses.

Of course these issues can be tamed if you can place big thick absorbers around them.

I have the same problem, I also suggest “bookshelves” size speakers and a sub(s), which is the way I went. Also, either sealed cabinets or ones with the port in the front. 

OP. What constitutes not a large distance from the wall? Specifically, what are the dimensions of the room length and width wise? For absolute clarity - what is the distance from the front wall - location of your speakers to the back wall - situation of your listening chair? All high resolution speakers' performance will be impacted by placement, so it helps to be clear about the measurements we are dealing with.

There are speakers specifically designed to function best close to walls. Check out the Larsen speakers.