60 foot by ?? With 12 foot ceilings and a small system will sound fine for near field.
I have a 18 x 22 room with 12 foot ceilings, bookshelf’s do function as defusers and have acoustic treatments. Norma 140B and several speakers, floor standers and stand mounts that sound fantastic in this room.
Is it perfect acoustically like my local concert hall?
Nope but sounds darn good to me and the bookshelf’s do work.
Scientific America is a fine magazine as is Nat Geo and Smithsonian.