D38s will be way too big for a 13x10 room IMO. However I was highly impressed with those speakers and figure I may have a pair in my future. They were simply sublime with CJ's latest electronics.
My feeling about ARC gear is apparently similar to yours - they can be uninvolving with the wrong speakers.
I would recommend you check out JM Lab Electras/Utopia Bes as well - they are directional enough to not induce too many room colorations in a smaller room and yet have remarkable soundstaging capability with plenty of real life and emotion to make you fall in love again. Good luck!
Arthur
My feeling about ARC gear is apparently similar to yours - they can be uninvolving with the wrong speakers.
I would recommend you check out JM Lab Electras/Utopia Bes as well - they are directional enough to not induce too many room colorations in a smaller room and yet have remarkable soundstaging capability with plenty of real life and emotion to make you fall in love again. Good luck!
Arthur