Recommendations for HiFi Listening Room

@brewerslaw

suggestions:

get recommendations from 2-3 other decent high end hifi dealers for equipment - be sure to get them to come see your room, and suggest treatments if needed - equipment proposals should reflect the room in which they will be used, and the best dealers don’t just sell components, they deliver superb sound in the customer’s room

the equipment suggestions made by the one dealer is suspect imho... sony server, mac ss amp with autoformer, paradigm speakers... none would be in my top 8-10 candidates for great all around sound in a reasonable room for your stated budget

hear as many speakers as you can, get a sense of what type of sound you like (sharply detailed crystal clear ... or warmer less detailed more natural ... snappy with rhythmic bass, and so on)

of the brands mentioned, i personally would lean towards vandersteen, sonus faber, magnepan (understand the special placement demands of this special speaker), potentially harbeths devores proacs in your price range ... i personally favor sound that is not hyper detailed, with some warmth and body, especially in presenting vocals, solid but unobtrusive bass - this to me is much more listenable over long stretches, sounds great with many kinds of music, sounds more like real (acoustic) musical performance

then electronics follow from speaker chosen

@brewerslaw

Quboz and Tidal are the top hi-rez streaming services.

Check Roon software interface.  Try to demo at a high-end audio dealership as it's  often available.  View an online promotional video.

Seek information and guidance from multiple audio dealers, separating truth from marketing bs including pandering fear of missing out on a limited timed deal (real meaningful bargains excluded).

Google: TAS 50 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio to give you a good price/performance baseline to start your research.   

The very best bang for buck is to buy used.  This is what I did to maximize price/performance.  However, since this is a one-shot-deal perhaps buying your complete audio chain from a dealership may be a better option.  It's better to have a audio chain with complimentary components and MUCH better to demo before you buy. 

I'm not in any way associated with the dealer @audiotroy , but his posts are sound and his products compete with the best at their price points.  With your 35k budget, I'm confident that @audiotroy can assemble a fantastic sounding system.  

Also, budget for some room treatment. I popular resource for info, advice, and products at reasonable prices check out "gikacoustics.com" (when I try to copy/paste a link it gets imbedded in a very large box)

Take your time. Do not rush into any of the purchases until you really understand the sound of various speakers and what matches well with them in terms of a preamplifier and amplifier. When you audition speakers try to do the auditioning in a room of similar size. You will not be able to find a room with that ceiling height but certainly the other dimensions should be close. You need to hear how the speakers can load the room. Realize that windows and a fireplace are not going to add positively to the room. Windows can have window treatments that will reduce their negative aspect, harsh reflections. The fireplace needs to be examined closely. Setting your speakers up on either side of it will have a negative effect so if this is how you thought you would be placing the speakers then maybe you need to think about how you can shield the sound from not being swallowed by the fire box and chimney. You should eliminate any stand mounted speakers from your list due to the size of your room.

@kennyc TAS 50 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio

Hadn’t looked in ages - interesting though, that Magnepan speakers come up in 4 of 5 categories. Got to say that a pair of Magnepan DWM (woofer) panels really improved my system.