With my seven π's, I find that as long as I'm further than about a foot and a half back, I can move around in the room and the balance doesn't change much. The speaker images pretty much the same thoughout the room, except at extremes like right up against the wall.With three π's and four π's, this is true for the most part, but their placement dictates that to some degree. If they're in corners, it's nearly the same. If they are against a wall but walls on either side are very far away, then they have a cone where sound is good. They act like you're talking about. If they're pulled out away from walls, out into the middle of the room, then they seem to form pockets of good sound.
The one π, two π and two π towers are best when toed in to within 30° or so. Best listening is on-axis, and distance from them changes their character, not as much as movement off-axis, but more than the other models of π speakers.
That's how I would describe the models I'm most familiar with, in 500 words or less.