Upgrade help requested

[ex audiophile]

Greetings; hoping to obtain input from the gang on my upgrade choices. I have 3 systems (detailed below) and I'd like to improve the quality of two channel music reproduction in each. The sole source for all music is streaming currently from an iphone7plus using pandora/spotify/tidal. The surround system includes PlayFi via the Anthem AVM60; the other 2 systems utilize Audioengine B1s to stream via bluetooth. All cables are Bluejeans. The budget for each system is indicated and all improvements that involve the local network must be wireless. Improvements need to result in audible improvement detectable by old fart ears. This is my first post; if it is too long, in poor taste, or irritating in any way just tell me to shut up and go away. I'm married so I'm used to it.
system 1. 15x15 living room 5.2 surround setup, very warm with heavy furniture, drapes, carpet. Anthem AVM60/Anthem MCA525/Oppo 103/Revel F228be mains/Revel C208 center/Def Tech surrounds/SVS sb16 (pair). Anthem ARC helps. Budget 5k
my thoughts: I think the AVM60 DACs are the weak link with regard to music so maybe something like a Vega G2 to link wirelessly to the network and stream music to the analog inputs of the AVM60? I should add that, thanks to Amirm, I have a Benchmark AHB2 amp ordered for use with the mains. We still have the 5k to play with.
system 2. 16 x 20 bedroom, nice room acoustically with coved ceiling, carpeting, large bed, light drapes. Anthem STR pre/McIntosh MC312 stereo amp/Kef LS50s on stands/GoldenEar XXL subs (pair running in stereo mode). ARC helps here also. Budget 4k.
My thoughts: Bluetooth input to STR is weak link, consider Auralic Aries G1 into Anthem STR. Another approach would be to upgrade the Kefs but I think it would take serious money to get better sound than the Kefs. I could also upgrade the subs; the recent Audioholics pod cast on subs (ported vs sealed) indicated that passive radiator subs are like rat poo (not is so many words).
system 3. 20 x 20 garage workshop. awful acoustics, hard floor and walls, big shiny machines, etc. Parasound P6 pre/Anthem MC225/Dynaudio Excite 14s on stands/SVS sb2000. Budget 2k.
Just retired and find myself out here most of the time. My thought is that the "room" is the weak link and investing in a miniDSP/Dirac might be the best bang/buck. I have to say I know NOTHING about the EQ game except that I can run ARC and like the results. Bluetooth is another weakness and perhaps there's a budget solution like a Node 2i that would help. I've read that Android phones have better bluetooth codecs than iphones so i guess that's another option (changing phones).

 

[amirm]

Just retired and find myself out here most of the time. My thought is that the "room" is the weak link and investing in a miniDSP/Dirac might be the best bang/buck.

Commenting on this part, your garage is likely a very "live" space with a ton of reflections. No DSP can fix this. And because it is large, likely you don't have a lot of bass anomalies that need fixing. I don't have good ideas for a workshop to make it less reflective as it would require fabrics and such that don't have a place in a garage.

This is actually a project that I will be tackling in the future myself.

For now, I would say don't spend more money on it.

 

[amirm]

system 1. 15x15 living room 5.2 surround setup, very warm with heavy furniture, drapes, carpet. Anthem AVM60/Anthem MCA525/Oppo 103/Revel F228be mains/Revel C208 center/Def Tech surrounds/SVS sb16 (pair). Anthem ARC helps. Budget 5k
my thoughts: I think the AVM60 DACs are the weak link with regard to music so maybe something like a Vega G2 to link wirelessly to the network and stream music to the analog inputs of the AVM60? I should add that, thanks to Amirm, I have a Benchmark AHB2 amp ordered for use with the mains. We still have the 5k to play with.

DACs make a tiny difference if any. I would not spend any money on that unless you are doing it to get other features as you mention. Indeed, streaming functionality is a necessity in my opinion.

You have great speakers and getting a great amplifier. I would just play around with ARC and placement of speakers/subs and where you sit if you want to improve things.

 

[amirm]

system 2. 16 x 20 bedroom, nice room acoustically with coved ceiling, carpeting, large bed, light drapes. Anthem STR pre/McIntosh MC312 stereo amp/Kef LS50s on stands/GoldenEar XXL subs (pair running in stereo mode). ARC helps here also. Budget 4k.
My thoughts: Bluetooth input to STR is weak link, consider Auralic Aries G1 into Anthem STR.

For sure Bluetooth compression degrades sound versus an alternative. Even in my car I hear the degradation that causes versus local playback using a USB thumb drive.