What can I do to improve my 2nd system?

Remove any flexible footers from under any and all of your speakers. You want the speaker to be held firmly in a fixed physical position. Otherwise energy put into the speaker by the amplifier is partially being used up to move the speaker, rather than to move the speaker cones. This results in smearing. I know there are many who like to put cushiony devices like Springs and sorbothane, etc pillows under their speakers, but in my opinion this is plain wrong. The practice is encouraged by dealers and manufacturers, because of course it sells product.

The above principle is another reason to get better speaker stands, and when you get them make sure your speakers are firmly anchored to them. I’d even put some lead weights on top of the speakers.

@lewm that is an interesting position on vibration isolation for speakers. As more and more high end speaker manufacturers are using devices like the ISO Acoustics Oras as standard equipment for isolation.

I will stick with what the QLN and Magico engineers built into their product. Also can not deny the science in the Townshend ISO platforms.

May be the case for ELS speakers and ribbons..

I have no idea what QLN or Magico do.  Can you elaborate?  I cannot believe that either company would countenance placing rubbery supports under their speaker cabinets, but I am all ears.  I have a better idea about Townshend ISO platforms.  They seem to constrain speaker movement while also claiming to isolate the cabinet.  I am not preaching against isolation. I am preaching against mushy or springy feet that allow the cabinet to move in response to a musical transient.  How could that be a good thing?  Has nothing to do with the type of speaker, in my thinking.

Not all speaker manufacturers….but if ya throw time and phase out w trash, what’s a bunch of doppler distortion ? It’s product specific, in the OP system, might help…