The Horror

I for one have never gone to one of the big audio shows, probably for the same reason as the poster, I’m sure mt system would be woefully inadequate after hearing the megabuck systems put together by experts.

@k600r I look at it quite differently.  Years ago I was at a show and heard a Wilson Audio setup with pricey BAT electronics that sounded really excellent with one of David Wilson’s chosen demo songs (and I wasn’t even a big fan of Wilson speakers back then).  Using that as a sonic benchmark I immediately bought a copy of the same CD to see if my system retained what I heard at that show, and very thankfully it did to a surprising degree.  BUT, if it didn’t I wanted to know that and would’ve immediately started to explore what I needed to address to get closer to that benchmark rather than just settling for what I had.  To be clear, my entire system at the time only cost one third the price of just the Wilson speakers alone I heard that day so the potential solution wouldn’t have required throwing big $$$ at the issue but rather making better individual equipment choices.  My point is that hearing megabuck systems doesn’t need to be self defeating and can be highly instructive in improving your own system within any budget level, it may well just require making some different/better equipment choices.  
 

And while I totally agree that room treatment is very important to getting the best out of any system, in this case I don’t think it’s the fix the OP is looking for.  In the above example the demo system’s room was carefully treated and mine was untreated and I was still able to hear that my system was in well within the ballpark of what I heard with the Wilson system.  Despite whatever room/setup limitations may exist in the OP’s system, the vast difference he’s hearing needs to be addressed largely through different equipment choices to get more what he’s looking for.  Not that treating the room or some repositioning can’t help significantly, but it won’t get him to the promised land in this situation IMO because the differences are just too fundamental and severe.  Even without room treatments and optimal positioning the OP still should be hearing many, if not most, of the positive aspects of the show demo systems if his system was more geared to what he now knows he’s shooting for.  And again, and to avoid potential flames being thrown, I’m not downplaying at all the importance of dealing with room/placement issues, but I highly doubt it’s the solution in this case.  Just my take on it. 

You should throw a quilt or blanket over the TV — it won’t solve your problem but may provide a meaningful improvement.

Yes I have heard the W5s at Alma Audio, 2 miles from my house.

@grislybutter Good for you, and you’re certainly entitled to your opinion. 

And I would avoid the Boenickes for sure. Lot better choices in the W5 price range

@grislybutter Have you even heard Boenicke speakers?  I highly doubt it. 

I hear what you’re saying, and you have my deepest sympathy because I know exactly how I’d feel in the same situation.  Then I started thinking, my system isn’t anything special, but I never came home from a show feeling disappointed with my system.  On the contrary, I was happy to find I was still hearing at home most of the goodness I heard at the show.  What occurred to me was that the systems you drooled over involved speakers with dynamic drivers — hmmm.  I like and respect the sound of Maggies a lot, but that sound just isn’t for me so I find myself wondering if maybe you should try to demo another speaker with dynamic drivers in your system if possible.  Frankly, and just spitballing here, with your electronics I bet if you heard a pair of Boenicke W5s in your room you might discover a lot of what you feel you’re missing versus what you heard at the show.  I could be totally off base here, but to me the Maggies are sticking out like a sore thumb as the potential source of your disappointment (assuming they’re properly set up and appropriate for your room).  If I were you I’d buy a pair of used dynamic speakers I was confident I could resell for little/no loss and see, for peace of mind if nothing else, if all becomes more right in your world again.  Just a wacky thought FWIW.