If you have a nice system why do you really need room treatments?

Listening Space Absolutely Symmetrical? Doubtful for most I bet.

Just to clarify, AFTER measuring with test tones and Sound Pressure Mic, and AFTER trying tone controls, or dual channel 31 band 1/3 octave equalizer, if problems still exist: then I would consider room treatments.

Like others have mentioned, I have never felt I needed room treatments, current space: somewhat symmetrical, speakers slanted back and toe-in adjusted for tweeter dispersion to seated ear height. (wheels for alternate positions and alternate toe-in

Planning for success can make a big difference. I re-worked my office especially for Imaging when working, everything centered on the monitor. Had to weed/discard/move a bunch of files downstairs to achieve it, very glad I did.

Luckily my restored AR-2ax speakers have level controls because left side is adjacent to a wall, right side not. To live without balance controls is something I would never even consider.

Prior Wharfedale Speakers, surprisingly old AR-2ax sounded better.

@emergingsoul , Thank You for the complements. But that did not help, because seeing makes a difference and helps understand better, at least for me. And you did not mention anything about your room size, treatments, etc.

I do have Carpenters and Van Morrison albums. A couple of years ago, Spotify surprised me at the end of the year, by letting me know that I listened to 58 different genres of music. And all that time I thought I was focused on only 10-12 at the max.

@milpai

Big fan of Karen Carpenter, especially a live concert from 1974 performed in Japan. Remarkably entertaining and sound quality is pretty darn good. Video is called carpenters Live at budokan 1974 one hour and seven minutes, has some pre-concert footage too which is interesting. She was doing like 150 performances a year and overworked very sad situation

Treatments consist of corner base traps extending up to the ceiling, a couple absorption panels throughout the room, a 20 x 20 thick wool rug and an assortment of furniture. Not much more I can do with the room other than throw some panels on the ceiling which is 8 feet high, room size of 20 x 18. My system includes A McIntosh MC 901, Conrad Johnsen gat2 preamplifier, a lumin x one streamer dac, BMW speaker from 800 series and transparent speaker cables and interconnects. network switch from english eight, a nad av processor and a five channel mcIntosh solid state amplifier for centre and rear speakers.

Thanks for the details @emergingsoul . I was under the impression that you did not have any panels and had set up your system in such a way that it sounds amazing, as-is. I was trying to understand the context of your post.

I think however good the equipment is, the room physics will always play into the equation. Even with golden ration room, there have to be some nulls. So a room without acoustical treatment would be wonderful, if you can adjust to the fact that you can have less than ideal sound.

BTW, you do have a nice sized room and some very good equipment.

You have a 20x20 rug in an 20x18 room?🤔