How to improve?

What I had as a wow experience is probably best explained by my set history. I started with surround. Lexicon + Arcam AV8/P7 with T&A Talis speakers + QED Genesis cabling. First I exchanged the speakers for the B&W with bi-amping the P7 (the B&W needs juice!). Then I changed to the JC-1's. Sounded even better. But.... I exchanged than the AV8 for the ARC Ref 3 + cardas cabling. What happend was that I created a situation where before I was listenig to stereo music but now I was able to move around the performing artist (like anne sofie von otter, maria cantates) complete new experience. But now it looks that the way around is more difficult, sometimes a little amount of "dust"has to be removed. I'm curious what to do next (ps the ref has now 800 hrs on the tubes so that should not be the issue).

What I have done till now is taking the lexicon under my arm and spend listening a lot of music at dealers comparing there prefered digital source in their system with the lexicon exchange as only variable. I was not very much impressed. Favorite music to compare, Von Otter with Handel Maria cantates (Archiv); Vivaldi's Maria Vergine vespers (Opus 111, SACD); Wagner orchestral works 1 , de Waart (exton, SACD);Kraus collection (Rounder records); Kathleen Battle and Wynton Marsalis duets (Sony classical);Perahia Bach Goldberg variations (Sony SACD);Holiday Lady in Satin (Columbia SACD) and Ella and Louis (Verve SACD)

have you listened to ARC Ref CD7 cd player? This may be what you need for a wow factor...and to remove the layer of dust.....although at a price.

If you don't have acoustic treatments in your room your system doesn't sound nearly as good as it can. I mean it's not half of what it probably should be. If you have treated your room you may consider adding a TACT digital equalizer into it or even a Behringer DEQ 2496.

Even in my LEDE room with bass traps the little 300 dollar Behringer has helped immensely.

If you don't have bass traps then your bass has to be muddy and interfering with the midrange clarity. Also modal ringing is no doubt a problem at a minimum of 3 frequencies.