Rives Audio Consulting - Advice?

"I'd get the best help you can afford, and you'll still likely get better than you would on your own, by a lot."

Not if they have different listening tastes you won't.
Otherwise, I concur with you overall. And yes, People are simply amazing. That's what makes them fun.....

FWIW - I am not sure that Rives or any acoustician will always get accolades - except perhaps from professionals who want the uncolored "truth" out of their recordings. Frankly there is no "standard" in home systems and people's concept of how things should sound varies wildly (many based on expectations from listening to colored impressive sounds for decades). This means it is a daunting task to please even the majority of people. What I mean is that precise and properlty calibrated acoustics are not actually desirable to some listeners who will be disappointed with midrange clarity and the all too obviously missing boom boom tizz.

Proper acoustics may be like fine wines....over time, a professional wine taster has learnt to recognize and appreciate an exquisitely balanced wine... something just right where you can taste each of the various flavors, smells and after taste - all perfectly proportioned: a wine that is in no specifc way impressive other than for its overall perfect balance and the way it completes food.

Good analogy shadorne. Alot of popular wine these days is like an "impressive" over the top room/system which seem at first glance to be so inviting and easily accessible but which hold little long term satisfaction for those seeking all the nooks and crannies. These take a long time to appreciate and many will not ever " get it" which is O.K. To each his own. I enjoy Shiraz occasionally without food but I'm fascinated by Burgundy. - jim

What about a 'do-it-yourself' method - use a good spectrum analyzer and a good EQ like a Behringer 2496? Hey, at least it's cheaper....