For me, its not so much what I like but rather what my room+gear+budget can produce. I think its important for any 'phile to be reasonable with expectations, esp when a budget is in place, or you'll go broke trying.
My ultimate room would produce a holographic & somewhat life sized stage that gives the impression that it is 200+ square feet in size with 5'+ tall musicians in front of me, totally separated from one another (when the source material allows it). To anyone in the room, most types of music would sound real & pleasing, rich & significant. The physical position of the speakers would be baffling & appear to have no bearing on where the music is perceived to be coming from. Hebrew Hammer's old room came very close to doing all this (is it ok to mention him again??!!).
My room now has the flexibility to put speakers in line with the tv screen on a long wall, or a diagonal/corner set up. the diagonal sounds/performs much better but puts me kitty corner to the tv...so i accept a shallow stage (5' deep or so) with musicians lined up kinda shoulder-to-shoulder, when the speakers are arranged on the long wall (a 50' long wall). Musicians are audible up to 3' outside of both speakers, about a 15' wide stage now...just not deep when compared to the diagonal set-up. A vast, disappearing wall soundstage is a lot of fun, IMO.
Blair, a lot of the descriptions you listed above can be overcome or altered with acoustic treatments & bass trapping.
