Meadowlark Shearwater vertical orientation.

I too have wondered about the backward slant. If I get the idea properly, it is a feature not a bug. It is meant to help with pulse or step response, by offering a useful time delay so that the tweeter wave arrives at the ear in sync with the mid-woofer's. I read this on the Meadowlark web site.

I would say that three conditions need to be fulfilled for this to work at its best. First, the speakers have to be properly leveled. Second, the ear needs to be at a minimum distance from the front baffle in order to benefit from an integrated sound wave; Meadowlark say at least seven feet IIRC and I certainly concur. Third, the ear cannot be too close to the floor--better if your couch or other perch is on the high side.

Other than these, no matter what your speaker it is fun when you deal with first reflections, by absorption or diffusion or both. Those fiberglass panels sound keen, Douglas, and I'm itching to try some (not literally--I hate it when that happens with fiberglass).

Got the Owens Corning fiberglass panels for $5.50 per! Found rich looking acoustically transparent fabric today at $2/yard. So far, panel cost is $7.50/panel! Now THAT's a deal! With decent but not too expensive wood trim, I should be able to build each one for under $20 as opposed to $100 each from some company. And they'll look worlds better!

Tim had the Vandersteens too in which the drivers were time aligned, but not angled backward. Seems to me Tim's comment about when he stood up the "image focus and clarity was much better" validates my point that the backward angle doesn't improve the sound of the speakers. My guess is that if Tim could somehow simulate the drivers being more directly facing him (i.e. leaning forward significantly- I'll let him do this test at his own risk) he would enjoy their sound significantly more. Straight up, it seems to me it's a design that more favors aesthetics over performance.
Of course, this could all be avoided if Tim determines to get rid of his listening chair! But maybe he won't stand for that (sorry, couldn't resist pun).

Tim, easy solution to all this: sell the Shearwaters and get yourself a pair of Eminent Technology LFT-8A's! (You are invited to come and audition mine).

Hey Doug,
Nice to hear from you again. As for acoustic panels, check systems belonging to Boa2 and Kehut. They have pics of acoustic panels on dispal. Boa2's panels are inline with what I intend to build as soon as my deck is finished.
As for the sloped baffles, they are designed to provide time alignment of the speakers. The tweeter is placed at the same distance from the listener as the center of the woofer to ensure the sound from both drivers is coincidental.
I did try tilting them forward slightly but brought them back to the upright position. By the way, Vandersteen uses the same principal. I agree with Tobias when he says keeping the listening position well off the ground is an advantage.

Tim,
Yes, I'll definitely look at those other systems for their sound treatments...
Yes, I get the time alignment thing, but Vandersteen doesn't tilt the axis of the driver like Shearwaters.
If you did tilt the speakers forward but brought them back to upright position because you didn't hear any distinct advantage, then possibly the reason you're liking what you hear when you stand up is due to the reflected sound coming off the ceiling. Possibly that effect is stronger closer to the ceiling and makes the speaker sound "fuller". Effects like that can be very subtle but pleasing. Just a guess.

Doug, you could be right about the reflection from the ceiling although the sound is cleaner with better image clarity, not what would be expected if reflections are the cause.
As for the Vandersteens, take a look at their web page. The 1C in particular has the drivers configured on a slope. Not a baffle as Meadowlark but they are tiled on a slope. Same principle.