JLM,
I am completely envious of your room and system. I do not think that any Audiophile, starting from scratch would not build his/her ideal listening room as the first step. However, even in your case there is the limitation(?) of 8' ceilings. I can only speak for myself, but I am limited to having my stereo system in a multi-purpose room. I must deal with the physical reality, and work around it. It is my personal belief that the overwhelming practical limitation that most audiophiles face is where they must place the speakers.
There is a purity to headphone listening that cannot be matched by any loudspeaker system. It is equally true that no headphone can match the visceral or emotional impact that loudspeakers achieve.
Headphones=Analytical
Loudspeakers=Emotional
IMHO
