It's attention, not money, we should budget

@erik_squires 100% agree spending time/attention and experimenting with an open mind can pay huge dividends.  It has for me. It seems to me many give up on a component/speaker prior to finding their true maximum performance and assuming a more expensive  purchase will be the solution. Often times leading to a  string of purchases feeding the used market.  In my case, I bought a used $9000 highly resarched/regarded amp to replace  a $3000 amp that had several easy tweaks.  The hugely disappointing new amp had inferior SQ and resold. However, other less expensive component changes have payed off after research.   Another example is when I restarted this hobby 3 years ago I bought a pair of speakers for $1400 shipped thinking I  could grow into them and then replace as they reach their max. They have shocked me with what they can do..I still own these speakers and I still hear SQ  improvement's out of them. (Tubes, fuses, cables, components, power…) In fact, I am hesitant to spend a lot more money to upgrade them and get inferior SQ and deal with the difficulty reselling large heavy speakers.  Granted this is just me, my ears and pretty modest system.

My take…No doubt your room is very important.  Percentages are just a rough guide that may or may apply very differently to audio junkies.  They are most applicable to dedicated  room treatments or construction and may very minimally apply to living areas. Sooo many factors are involved that sku the percentages. In my living area working off a corner, valted ceiling, open access, built-ins, furnishings…very little can and needs to be done and it works out pretty well. Tried temp panels and drapery fabric with no improvement and ended up just using a bass trap in the corner behind my system.

Yikes… I know when shopping for home furnishings with my wife the stereo system does and will never take priority or even be considered or discussed.  i am enjoying my happy relationship and her tolerance as it is now 🤣.