Scott: We seem to be very much on the same page, even to our envisaged immersive sound systems. The only difference in mine is the use of Revel Gem2s as surrounds, including +/- 60 deg locations, and the likely be the use of Revel elevation speakers - not timbrally better or worse than the JBL 705i alternatives. The SDP-75, yet to be delivered, will allow for anechoic response refinements, sound field managed bass, and many interesting experiments. I attach a photo of the present situation. The acoustical "secret ingredient" is the scattering from bronze statues of the female form
As explained in my new book, I delight in the challenge of delivering superb sound without cumbersome and ugly acoustical devices - a "stealth" approach is more rewarding to me. Not having a "dedicated" home theater is a deliberate choice for our life style. Those suspecting that wall mounting of the Salon2s is a problem (and it is a popular challenge) should note that that surface is deliberately very irregular - it is really a low/mid-frequency scattering surface, and adjacent boundary issues are minimal. Having enjoyed the interim system for a while, it is my impression, and that of other trusted ears that have heard it, that the inverted speakers might sound better than they do in conventional floor-standing mode. The soundstage is at the right height (determined by the height of the tweeter) and the sound is remarkably open and clean. They also liberate several square feet of expensive real estate
Yes, the current VR/AR activities are bound to generate new knowledge and supporting technologies. The reward will be fascinating experiences for gamers, personal movie goers, and video concerts. It is a huge asset to have credible visual cues to help guide our aural perceptions. Recordings of live concerts should be especially persuasive with surround visuals and audio. My traditional 10 ft screen and surround audio system provides superb entertainment from the handful of excellent video concerts (most are mediocre, sadly), and it does it for a room full of people.