First "audiophile" system, now what? Suggestions for best "bang for the buck" upgrade?

Etwilley,

Loved reading your post above.  You're right.  The vast majority of us who care enough about audiophilia have walked the same road that you are now on.  You did the research, you took that absorbing path leading to a purchase.  As good as your system sounds now, and I have no doubt of its musicality, if you are like most of us, you WILL walk farther down the road as your listening experiences reveal how much better it can get.  I speak from recent experience after making my first speaker purchase in 22 years.  Until I experienced my new transducers with my system I never would have known how good it can get.  I WAS satisfied with my other speakers for all of those years until these babies burned in.  I hope you get to have such moments of aural surprise as you continue to realize what's possible.  Enjoy the journey!

There's never enough money is there.
So if you want amazing speaker cables on the cheap you could try what I did. I had a whole lot of used Cat5 cable (saw a good review of measured outputs of various cables) get six Cat5 cables for each speaker 25% longer than your needs. Twist two together x3. Then braid those three twisted pair. The real diy fun is separating the dark from light at both ends, striping, and attaching banana plugs. Be sure to purchase a continuity tester ($15) to make sure a stray wire didn't cross over (do this before you attach banana plugs) plus it's an amazing work out in your wrists. You'll look like Popeye when you're done. 
I am also impressed that there are a lot of guys out there keeping the cost down on amazing equipment like Sandy Gross with his Goldenear speakers. I also wanted the most bang for the buck for cheap. 
PrimaLuna Prologic integrated tube amp, Sony HapS1, and Goldenear Triton Ones, my homemade cables, power conditioner, and good power cords. The variations and recommendations are endless so enjoy YOUR journey. 

How is the imaging? Top to bottom? Left to right, front to back?

In whichever dimension that is lacking, add diffusers and absorbers.

Best,

Erik

ewilley, You have been given a lot to think about in the above posts, for sure! I would add the fabulous Spin-Clean record system for about $100. Then try to find the right dish drainer (I bought a cool bamboo one at Target) to finish air drying your records as you wash more. 

I recently bought a used ultra-sonic record cleaner. I had been thinking about upgrading a fantastic MM cart that cost me $1,200 for an MC cart in the range of two to three grand. But, wow, running my seemingly clean disks through my new machine has been a huge sonic upgrade to my analog front end! The Spin-Clean may not be quite the system as my Audiodesk Systeme, but it will get you most of the way there and I guarantee it will be about the best $100 improvement you can make in what already is a very promising system.