Advice on Speaker upgrade vs System Component Upgrade

@gmdodd 

I recommend an audition of the Rockport Atria ii speakers. They are very good and should be able to work in your room. You should be able to find used in your price range. Good luck ! 

Try Vivid Audio Kaya 45 $18,000

They have no sharp edges and all drivers are connected to a tube in the back to eliminate any back wave resonances from the cabinet & the driver. They sound like open baffle speakers, but make more bass.

Call GTT Audio and Bill will help you compare them to those other box speakers really well (908) 850-3092

Always go for better speakers first if your existing speakers aren’t ’I think I’m done’

No audition these days (in any case you need to hear them in your space), go for returns accepted’.

ANY speaker, my recommendations:

No ports, if so front only.

Reasonably away from corners.

Tilted back slightly so the angle of dispersion is not parallel to floor/ceiling/side walls

Then tweeter aimed directly at ear height when seated.

Toe-In, each side aimed directly at single listening position, to maintain high frequencies which have narrow dispersion both horizontally and vertically

Listening distance a bit further back than the width between the speakers.

Ability to alter toe-in if you listen with a friend: say a small drink table between two chairs. aim left speaker directly at right person, right speaker directly at left person. That gives somewhat decent imaging, hearing both l and R results by the mix of increased direct dispersion opposite side with more volume of closer speaker.

Note: you might try the above with your existing speakers first, hear what I suggest.

IF subs to start or later: a stereo pair, front firing, located near primary. Very low bass is mono, but the overtones quickly become directional.

For a very long time I had dynaudio speakers that I loved, and when I went to upgrade my system I was seriously looking at Sonos Faber. When I listened, they were very musical, but I didn't feel they had enough energy/drive for rock.  I ended up getting Piegas (Swiss and not much represented here) which had the musicality I needed for symphony music but also enough punch that I could enjoy blues and rock (and made the muscular sections of symphonies much more exciting).

You will get your big upgrade in sound by changing your speakers

so  my recommendation is Vandersteen Quatros and here's why your room size 

Quatros can be tuned to your room place them for the best image and tune for the bass 

just a great sounding speaker have in my system 

Price 17k new  6-7k used

enjoy the journey