The important thing is that when the reflections hit you they will be late enough for your brain to interpret them separately. They will also be in less amplitude relative to the direct sound due to their longer travel lengths.
The problem I have found with near-field listening is with speakers like EA MMThree's, you feel like two giant monoliths are towering over you. There also seems to be the issue of having to be far enough back for all of the drivers to blend together properly in such a tall speaker. Not to mention when being too close, the soundstage becomes a small circle in between the speakers.
It goes without saying that you'll be signing your death certificate if you bring a howitzer when dueling with pistols. Given the right speakers for the right circumstance, in this case a small space where treatment might not be applied for whatever reasons, it is the best bet. Just as there are people out there using speakers too big for their rooms, I've seen people use speakers forced to do things they were not designed to do. It's a painful thing to hear. I look at the straining loudspeakers and can't help but think of them as abused children in a Dickens novel.
I am at about 2 mts away from my speakers, lots of room back of them, love how it sounds. There is an interesting thread at the experts forum from Tom BTW...