Yes, our systems are vastly different, as are our rooms. I find I have to 'acclimate' when I first start to listen to someone else's system as the differences are initially distracting.
Yes, the 'slats' on the double door are acoustical treatment (ASC Soundplanks). They make a subtle difference - for better or worse. I don't think they're ideal; while I certainly don't enjoy reflected sound off glass, I suspect they absorb more frequencies than I'd like... They come on and off easily and are not there all the time as they block light into the kitchen...
The treatments behind the listening seats is to tame the bass reflections. Barely visible in the one photo of the listening chairs is a chair behind my main chair. I often go and sit there as the presentation there is superior in some ways (I'll spare you the nitty gritty details of my room challenges) and because that puts my ears close to the walls (none of which are parallel and create havoc) the treatments help in calming down the reflections.
Yes, I adore full orchestral music, especially early 20th century (or late 19th). Some of my favorites:
Stravinsky (the usual culprits plus some of the other not-as-popular ones)
Shostakovich (the 5th never ceases to amaze me)
Debussy
Ravel
Bartok (Concerto for Orchestra,
Mahler (I like the 2nd and 4th a lot; still exposing myself to more)
Bruckner (9th)
Tchaikovsky (his Violin Concerto is my favorite but I like a lot of his compositions)
Holst
Some lesser known American composers such as Hanson, Kennan, Fine etc.
That said, I very much appreciate earlier classical as well - especially chamber music. I listen to Bach with my morning coffee every day without fail.
