Something just isn't there

I have heard the GIK panels and I think they do a pretty good job.  The fabric on the panels can be printed with whatever you want so they are relatively easy to work into the décor.  But, even such modest treatment may not be necessary.  I've heard terrific sounding rooms that were treated with nothing more than decorative tapestries on the wall.  It really does not take much to improve the room.  A rug between the position of the speaker and your listening chair would help a lot; hardwood floors act as a giant sound reflector; the ceiling also acts in the same way which means that a lot of sound is bouncing back and forth between those two surfaces. 

The most important thing is to find the right placement of your speakers and your listening position.  This can take quite a bit of trial and error.  Even a movement of a couple of inches can make a big difference.

I get a lot of that "something missing" impression with a lot of equipment these days--the sound is cold, bloodless and lifeless (makes one push the volume up high to compensate).  I would suggest going to different dealers or regional audio shows to at least get a general impression of the type of sound you want to pursue.  That would include listening to brands whose sound is outside of mainstream sound, such as Audio Note and Devore (richer, meatier sound), or different way of reproducing sound (planars, like Magnepan). 

Good luck on your search.