Some speakers are meant to be up against the wall. Maybe not many, and I don't know which, but I'd check those out...I recall Art Dudley saying that Moth Chicadas or something like that were supposed to be positioned not only against the wall but in a corner and they did work best that way. So, all is not lost. And even if you don't hear the system to its "best" advantage, you can hear it to a good advantage... good luck
price points vs. room treatment
does it make sense for me to spend 4k on speakers?:
is it reasonable to say that the differences between a wonderful pair of $2000-$4000 bookshelf speakers (e.g. ref 3a de capo, opera callas, sonus faber concerto, etc) and a fairly good pair of $700-$1500 speakers (e.g. devore fidility gibbon 7.1, soliloquy 5.0, von schweikert vr-1s, etc) would be rendered irrelevent in an acoustically untreated room? and, is it reasonable to say that no matter how wonderful a pair of speakers might sound in the store there is a very likely possibility that these same speakers will not sound as good in your untreated living room?
is it reasonable to say that the differences between a wonderful pair of $2000-$4000 bookshelf speakers (e.g. ref 3a de capo, opera callas, sonus faber concerto, etc) and a fairly good pair of $700-$1500 speakers (e.g. devore fidility gibbon 7.1, soliloquy 5.0, von schweikert vr-1s, etc) would be rendered irrelevent in an acoustically untreated room? and, is it reasonable to say that no matter how wonderful a pair of speakers might sound in the store there is a very likely possibility that these same speakers will not sound as good in your untreated living room?