Of course you can use them at any distance like any bookshelf speaker, but be aware you will definitely lose a lot of quality. It's not just that they won't go very loud. You lose a lot of quality due to the increasing room influence / decreasing direct sound. No, that doesn't sound the same and is just less loud. I listen to my Genelec Ones at way less than 1m. At 2m I can easily achive the same SPL (I have a meter), but it's just not the same. Way more diffuse, less detailed, somehow just not that focused anymore.
So yes, you can do that, but it's not giving you the best possible sound quality.
PS: For me it's clear: For maximum performance listen to your speakers at the closest recommended distance.