Very attractive looking setup... Is that a VPI TNT I see looming in the background
(he he I know it is!)
what arm and base are you using? Any VPI produced tweaks in there, like Valhalla wire or the Anti Skate attachment? The cartr. is not so important to me, as this is the perpetual argument of Moving Coil vs Magnet.
As for the Cardas setup. I used it for the longest time, though sacrificed bottom end by a lot. I got rid of the Big Screen 53" RPTV and now added a Panasonic 50" Plasma on a shorter equipment stand which holds all of the Video gear. This has allowed me to move the speakers back toward the rear wall about 18". Due to my odd shaped room; a combination of different sized rectangles with the speakers firing into the long end of the room against some reflective surface surfaces compounded by a short 7.5ft ceiling. The bass is not as potent as it should be. I have bigtime bass suckouts and room nodes because of it. the best I could hope for is to diminish some of the nodes with prudent use of room tunes et al.
Before:
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c227/gin.../IMG_0002-1.jpgAfter:
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c227/gin.../IMG_0003-2.jpgI can't imagine using horns in a room as narrow as yours and more confounding double Subs!
My best imaging is with Ls3/5a ojn stands using a passive woofer x'd over at 100hz. My Thiels don't image as well.