Recommendations for HiFi Listening Room

I have both a preamp and an amp with Anthem ARC room correction paired with Paradigm speakers, in a treated room it REALLY will make your system perform in a very satisfying manner. No matter how much you spend on amp or room treatments, with room correction included it makes a big difference.

@northman Working with a good audio dealer is excellent advice. My local dealer is really good and that matters if you have questions, problems or upgrade or down grade

@brewerslaw - marginally more than a newb myself, so take the following with the appropriate dose of salt. 
 

 You’ve rec’d a ton of great advice already - lots to consider there. I would also endorse the Harley and Smith books mentioned, if you’re so inclined.
 

I have a similarly sized room, but with flat 18’ ceilings. You may not want to hear it, but one thing that I found hugely beneficial for a similarly-sized room - 2 subwoofers. I bought a couple of nice Rels, used. I have not heard other brands in my room and have no doubt other brands would work well.
 

The addition of the subs did wonders. I don’t think you mentioned your typical listening level, but I listen to similar music, typically no higher than 85 db. The subs were hugely additive, even (and maybe especially) at lower levels. 

If you’re interested in shopping local, check out Hifi Heaven and/or SOTA turntables. I bought a turntable (not SOTA) and cart through Hifi Heaven online and had a great experience. No experience with SOTA, but have heard great things. 
 

If you and/or your wife like the sound of the Paradigms, and are interested in mating with an amp that might counter the perceived (I’ve never heard them) brightness, maybe think about a tube integrated or preamp. On the other hand,if it’s the relative pop that you like, demo with some SS or class D amps too. 

FWIW, I have a Hegel 390 integrated w/ Sonus Faber Sonetto 3’s and the pair of Rel s810’s. Streaming is Qobuz via Blusound Node 2i, into the Hegel integrated DAC. Phono is Technics 1210GAE via Modwright 9.0x. The Rels, the Modwright and Technics are keepers, planning to upgrade the other components - not because I’m at all unhappy with their performance, but because I’ve realized I want to spend more discretionary cash on this passion than when I started! 
 

@jjss49 ​​​​@ghdprentice have been very helpful to me and I’d particularly echo their comments. Good luck!

We have a lot in common, except I'm not a newbie. I'm a long time Paradigm owner, and have been an audiophile since the age of 12, back in the late 70s.  Spoiled by my older brother's system he brought home from the Navy.  Been round and round the audio shows, and owned or roomied with a lot of hi quality systems my entire life.  Every speaker I've personally owned has been the entire lineage which lead to the Persona series.  I started with the Paradigm Studio 100 v.2, and complete surround complement.  I moved on to the Paradigm Signature S8 V.3, which introduced the Beryllium Tweeters and blew the socks off the audio review experts, and I now own the Paradigm Tributes.  The Tributes were a limited edition (600 worldwide) Paradigm which they tested all of their new tech developments through.  Everything in the Tribute went directly into the Persona line, with a few items further upgraded and refined for Persona.  The 3f is the exact direct improved duplication of the Tribute.  Both weigh in at 95 lbs, with 5 drivers, a pure beryllium tweeter with wave guide, and 3 x 7" woofers with corrugated surrounds. Whereas the Tributes used an aluminum 7" midrange, the 3f ofcourse went to beryllium.  They both have the same frequency range down to 44hz at +/- 2 db, with a sub extension down to 23hz.  We even have very similar preferences in music. 

While you can go round and round on similarly priced floor standing speakers to the 3f, with a million opinions from respondents here on competitors from Revel, Wilson Audio, Magnepan, Legacy, etc, it comes down to this:  iff you enjoy the sound you're hearing from the Personas, you can't go wrong with them, with perhaps the exception of putting them in too small a room without room EQ.  You however, have a HUGE room.  While the Persona line has tremendous air and soundstage, the 3f may leave you wanting for bass in your Great Room.  Don't get me wrong, the 3f will absolutely give that room what it needs when you turn it up a little,,,but for casual comfort listening volumes, you may be left wanting with the 3f, and quite frankly most any speaker in its price range, in your Great Room.  My room is 14x20, and the Tributes are just right.  Anything larger, and I'd want/need more bass, or to play at louder volumes then I prefer for casual relaxing listening.  Bearing in mind I'm not a 'bass freak' of any kind, but am all about balance and the true sound of a live band on stage in a small venue.  For most any speaker, including the 3f, you're probably going to need to budget for a quality subwoofer, or, per one other respondents suggestion, check out the Paradigm Founder 120H at $9,000. Nothing under $20k is going to compete with its bass, and the rest of its sound is very well balanced and pure.  Personally I'd stick with the 3f, live with it for a few months, and then if needed add a quality cost effective subwoofer, such as an SVS, or other.

That point, along with the dealers recommendation of the McIntosh, leaves me not a fan of the dealer you're speaking too, on face value.  The Mac is just not a good choice.  Way better options are out there.  Also, I noticed a respondent here recommending the Krell.  I've heard Krell through my Tributes when I was shopping them.  Either the Krell is also lacking, or it just doesn't pair well with the Paradigms.  I've run a number of different amps through my paradigms of the past 15 years:  EAD PowerMaster 1000, Parasound JC-1, and now, my perfect match, which I highly recommend for the Personas, the Bob Carver Crimson/Raven 350 Tube MonoBlocks.  It just mates so well with the sound characteristics of the Paradigms, and really brings out the Paradigms true potential from its tweeters and midranges.  It takes any slight perception which some people may have of 'bright' out of the equation, while enhancing the Paradigm's strengths of air, soundstage, detail, depth, on and on.  They just work beautifully together.  Keep in mind, these Tubes replaced my Parasound JC-1 monoblocks, which I already found superior to the McIntosh or Krells in the sub-$15k range.

Ofcourse this will leave you needing a pre-amp.  Since you're speaking exclusively about a 2 channel system or 2.1 channel system, I'd go with something that is more of a direct switch than an actual processor/pre-amp.  Parasound has well regarded options in that arena.  But there are many great options.  Personally, I picked up a 4 year old used Classe Audio SSP-800 (7 channel) for $2500, and can definitely recommend you look at Classe Audio's 2 channel processor/pre-amps. 

Finally, you have to leave $ for interconnects and speaker wires.  Do NOT buy Monster Cable.  lol.  You're in the hi end audio now, which will reveal system weaknesses or shortcomings.  Hi quality speaker wires and interconnect cables matter a great deal.  Spend too little, and you will limit what your Personas can do.  I've been through a lot of cable types with my systems over the years.  MIT works well, though, if you go with the Carver Amps, that may be adding too much 'warmth' to the sound.  MIT has a leaning towards 'warm' in its sound characteristics.  On the low end of expense, good cables from Wire World or Blue Jeans Cable, should be okay ... at least to start.  Personally I run Audio Magic Liquid Air speaker wires.  They are a liquid cable with a solid silver core conducter.  They extend the highs so smoothly on my Be tweeters, and bring an absolute beauty to voices and the twangs of instrument.  For interconnects I've become a big fan of Silnote Audio.  Tremendous sound quality for a reasonably low price (factory direct...no middle men price hikes,,,retailer price hikes, or high marketing expense).  They are very transparent and FAST.  They muddle nothing, and let it all through.  Ultimately though, which interconnects you should go with depends on which amp you pair to the Personas. 

Finally, one last comment.  If you are going to stray from the Paradigm line to consider other speaker systems, I highly recommend you consider the Tekton Encore.  It's possible you or your wife may deem them to be ugly.  Outside of that, at $6,000 they rival anything under 30k, and you'll have absolutely NO bass shortage.  The money you save there will enable you to go into room EQ, quality pre-amp and quality cables, with plenty of $ left over.

Just my two cents.  Hope you find some of it helpful.  Best wishes in your first system build!

On different speakers you plan to audition, which you asked for input on:

KEF - Ofcourse they're voiced somewhat different than Paradigm, but they are the same market target...  fast, detailed, good air, great soundstage.  I haven't auditioned KEF and plan too, but in direct comparison reviews (which are hard to find these days - pro reviewers are commonly sold out to advertisers to not diss one over the other) I've seen, the pro reviewers have stated the Personas do it better.

Golden Ear - IMO, way over hyped because the 3 founders of Golden Ear are reveared Engineers from across the industry, whose booty the magazines kiss.  Yes, they have great air, but I auditioned their top of the line when shopping my Tributes.  They lack solid soundstage, I could distinctly hear the crossover point between the mids and the Air Motion/folded Ribbon Tweeter, and they just didn't possess the resolution of most of the other gear being discussed here.

Focal - No personal experience

Legacy Audio - They'd be amongst the bests choices for classical and jazz, but it ends there in my listening experience.  I've heard their mid range and lower end stuff...sub $15k.  Just not impressed.  There's too many competitors that do a number of things better for the same money.  Those huge woofers just move too slow, and didn't bring the snap to produce the tones I look for in Bass guitar and other notes below the 60 hz range, in my observation.

Sonus Faber - Direct competitor to Paradigm for many years.  People either prefer the sound of one or the other.  Sonus adds a house "color" to the sound that make them pleasing to many.  Paradigm, despite some complaints about "brightness" (mostly small rooms without room correction, and paired equipment, quite frankly), are more purist than Sonus.  But again, you may love the Sonus sound for your listening preference, and that's all that matters.  You're the one living with them, and flipping the big bucks on 'em.

Horns - I'm just not a fan, though I've only listened to middle of the line Klipsch horns.  The Personas Be is often referred by pro-reviewers as having all the strengths of the horns, without the odd order distortions and other associated issues.

Monitor Audio - This is a totally different approach to sound.  Much more laid back.  They do that great, but don't bring the live impact and actual way a band sounds when its right in front of you.  Again though, its about how you prefer to hear your music.  But if you like Monitor Audio, then you have to look at Dynaudio.

Best Regards!