In reply to:
Since the enclosures are sealed (other than the ports), I have a feeling they'll sound just fine if not wall mounted.
Actually, I would have guessed they don't.
The "Boundary Effect" must come into play very heavily with an in-wall speaker… maybe most of all with one that protrudes out from the wall an inch or two. If the in-wall speakers really
do sound much like their shelf-sized mates, I'm guessing that there's a different crossover or crossover point used to counteract the Boundary Effect. If the wall is taken out of the equation by using them as free-standing speakers, I'm guessing their mid-bass will sound a little thin.
