My M22's are placed on their sides and are also above ear level. When they arrived I tried them at ear level in the upright and side positions. I really didn't notice much difference in their sound in either the upright or side position. They sounded full, dynamic and smooth in either position. When I moved them to their permanent position(i.e., above ear level) they don't sound quite as good as they did at ear level. They still sound great, better than my Celestions or Polks did, but there is a little loss of detail and clarity. The soundstage is still terrific- very large and open. My M22's are are also placed very close to the back wall (could I do anymore to screw up their placement?) and I get a far better bass response than I did with either the Polks or the Celestions. Overall, I find them to be far less sensitive to room placement than any other speaker I've owned.
