"Yeah, still enjoying the EP 500 on my second night."
That feeling will pass and you'll want an EP800
You gave a very good description of what Ian was always targeting and it sounds like he's achieved. I'll tell you it was a long process for him punctuated by misfortunes but he persevered through it and certainly did have some serendipity along the way.
House of the Rising Sone Out in the mid or far field Linearity and mid-woofers are over-rated