Terrific! Thanks! That gives me a really good impression of how your preference evolved. It sounds like you've had one of those hoped-for-audiophile experiences of buying a speaker that is, for the most part, across the board better than your previous speakers. Sound like keepers.
I can't say I've had that experience, at least to that degree. The closest would probably be the Thiel 3.7 speakers I owned which just seemed to have strength in every single category from astounding imaging, clarity, dynamics, image focus and density, truthful timbre. They were just too big aesthetically and ergonomically for my room so I had to replace them, but during a huge "listen to everything out there" search I just couldn't find anything truly better. I'd say a made a sideways move to my Joseph speakers, which are a far better size fit for my room.
Speaking of which, I know what you mean in being excited by hearing a drum kick impact sounding more convincing. Long ago I reviewed some Waveform Mach Solo speakers, the manufacturer was all about dynamics and impact, and I'll never forget hearing kick drums actually have a similar room feel as a real kick drum - that sharp "bap" of the head on the bass drum with the lower end "push" of air/low frequencies in to the room. I'm getting some of that with my Joseph speakers, more than most I've owned, but not quite to the Waveform degree. But it's actually one of my "must have" ingredients. I want room feel, to feel the kick drum and bass, rather than a too buttoned down "audiophile bass" which just places kick drums and bass in a distant sound field, to be observed but not felt.
Though that's not ultimately my preference I still know just what you mean. I've set up my system for size and envelopment. But I hear plenty of speakers that do a more precise, controlled, monitor like presentation as you describe and I always appreciate it. There is something relaxing and satisfying about that presentation, where things are really well controlled happening in a nice distance in front of you, and I often get a feeling of a bit more insight in to the exact nature of some recordings.
That said, since my preference is ultimately envelopment I can start to crave that if it's not there. Once I've experienced a sensation on my system of a wide open soundscape for, say, orchestral work, that can almost make me feel like I'm there, it's something I can't give up.
As to settling on a last speaker: I'm fortunate to live in a city that still has quite a number of high end audio stores, so I can hear lots of the talked-about speakers. As well I'm nearby professional audio stores where I can hear the usual list of pro suspects, Genelec, Neumann, Dynaudio, Adam, JBL and on and on. (Though I haven't heard your particular model Genelec yet). Plus I still have friends in the audio review gig, so I am exposed to a constant array of different expensive loudspeakers that way too.
I always expect to hear something that my own system isn't doing as well, or "it would be nice if my system had a little more of THAT." And yet, despite hearing all these other systems, I have yet to hear one I'd actually want to replace my own. Every time without fail when I come home and spin the same tracks on mine it's like "oooh my God, this is soooo much more of what I like!" So I just know for me there's no perfect speaker, and I enjoy what I have.
Cheers and congrats on your happy days with the Genelecs!