Advice on Speaker upgrade vs System Component Upgrade

Always go for better speakers first if your existing speakers aren’t ’I think I’m done’

No audition these days (in any case you need to hear them in your space), go for returns accepted’.

ANY speaker, my recommendations:

No ports, if so front only.

Reasonably away from corners.

Tilted back slightly so the angle of dispersion is not parallel to floor/ceiling/side walls

Then tweeter aimed directly at ear height when seated.

Toe-In, each side aimed directly at single listening position, to maintain high frequencies which have narrow dispersion both horizontally and vertically

Listening distance a bit further back than the width between the speakers.

Ability to alter toe-in if you listen with a friend: say a small drink table between two chairs. aim left speaker directly at right person, right speaker directly at left person. That gives somewhat decent imaging, hearing both l and R results by the mix of increased direct dispersion opposite side with more volume of closer speaker.

Note: you might try the above with your existing speakers first, hear what I suggest.

IF subs to start or later: a stereo pair, front firing, located near primary. Very low bass is mono, but the overtones quickly become directional.

For a very long time I had dynaudio speakers that I loved, and when I went to upgrade my system I was seriously looking at Sonos Faber. When I listened, they were very musical, but I didn't feel they had enough energy/drive for rock.  I ended up getting Piegas (Swiss and not much represented here) which had the musicality I needed for symphony music but also enough punch that I could enjoy blues and rock (and made the muscular sections of symphonies much more exciting).

You will get your big upgrade in sound by changing your speakers

so  my recommendation is Vandersteen Quatros and here's why your room size 

Quatros can be tuned to your room place them for the best image and tune for the bass 

just a great sounding speaker have in my system 

Price 17k new  6-7k used

enjoy the journey 

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses.. I'll try to cover everything i've read..and my thoughts

So lets go

1. I think i'm leaving a lot of performance untapped with my current system unless i try some room treatment. Its a pretty small investment compared to new speakers, and i think i owe it to my dynaudios to get some bass traps in and some panels on front wall and behind listening position. @ghdprentice 

2. I think floor standers are going to probably be too much for my small room - even modest one's like the olympica nova ii's - and i'd just end up wondering if the small room was holding them back and keep wanting to move them to the living room to let them breathe 

3. @jeffseight I've looked at the electa amator iii's and thought that they might not be all that big an improvement over my heritage specials - more a different character. The amator maxima was another option.. I can listen to those locally, and these might work in my small room being a 2 way. The Guarneri looks amazing, but i'm not likely to get one used.. and if i was dropping 20k i'd want floorstanding end game speakers... But they sure are beautiful!

4. @pennfootball71 The Kayas look really interesting, but if i ever wanted to move them out to the living room, the WAF won't cut it. Nice recommendation - i'm ure they are amazing.

5. ​​​@elliottbnewcombjr Good tips - and one's i can try easily myself. I already have good spacing from wall, and do toe in to my listening chair (which i have to move from the wall to the listening spot due to space limitations ( dual role office/listening room). I could add a second sub, but won't until i've done the room treatments as there is plenty of bass now.

6. ​​​@ronboco The Rockport Atria's are a new one on me - and i'm just concerned about not being able to listen to them anywhere - i wouldn't buy used without being able to listen to at least something in the same family. Same on the vandersteens...

7. @tomstruck The vandersteens look really interesting, and used are right in the ballpark. again, i've read good things about them, but would really prefer to listen to them, however at the 6-7k used i might be tempted to roll the dice

So thanks again for all the good thoughts and recommendations. 

Wrapping up..

Going to work on my current room with treatments and get the best out of  my current system, and in the meantime I will also go back to the local dealer and listen to the SF's and some Wilsons and see which flavor i prefer really... but these are likely living room speakers. I can likely audition some in home, but that would likely commit me to that dealer (Wilson, SF and Paradigm). As for the other recommendations - i'm reluctant to pull the trigger without being able to listen first - i guess that will always limit me, but I will try and find somewhere local (nor cal) to listen to the vandersteens, rockports etc.

Thanks again gonners - happy listening!

I think you’re definitely on the right track dealing with your tough room first.  A lot of folks here say good things about GIK for both advice and products that aren’t astronomically priced, so they may be worth a call to pick their brains and maybe even get recommendations customized for your room.  Couldn’t hurt.  Best of luck!