Budget Strategies forTightening up Bass?

Cwlondon-- was that "good luck" with my speakers or "good luck" with my marriage??? ;o)
Musiclug-- I will try brass!
RE: speaker cable and power cords, my speaker cable is 20', so upgrading it significantly will, I'm guessing, cost a good deal more than $ 350, but used, maybe not. Any suggestions?????
I've got Transparent Power Link Plus power cords, now.
I'll try borrowing something else from my dealer, see what happens.

its time for diy acoustical treatment..Thick as you can get and not over done.

Rear port, right? Firing into corners...I'd try different schemes of port damping using various plug materials.

My opinion.

As for your speaker cables, I've tried many and settled on Speltz anticables, even over cables that list for over $1200.00. There is a clarity, and open clean window on the sound that is beautiful and incisive on VMPS speakers. Can't comment on other speakers bu the Absolute Sound sure loves them too. You can buy them in bulk, easily attach spades and do it for under 100.00. i have a 10 ft. run and and 18 ft. run because my equipment is now on the side vs. between the speakers. I used to have an 8 ft. pair. You can't tell the difference in the longer cables or in a mismatched length. How many cables can do that number and still be clear as a bell?

I tried moving speakers 4" further away from back wall-- seemed to make a difference

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If your initial distance from back wall was 10", you may now have almost same distance of the front baffle from rear and side walls.
This seems to infringe one of the fundamental speaker placement rules. It may work for you, but it's largely discouraged.