Your comment about the last 5 or so years is very interesting. I'll have to see if that holds true as I watch movies.

By the way, my set-up is also calibrated to an almost zero reference level as I have all my speakers almost equidistant from my sweet spot. And I too have a very bright room but only 4,000 cu. ft. with a centre turned up to 2.5dB most of the time.

You don't have speakers listed under your name.