I've always been more comfortable with iterative approaches too, probably a result of my computer background.As you approach new ideas for modeling features, please feel free to kick it around here. Sometimes it's easier to roll your sleeves up and dig in on your own, but sometimes it helps to toss ideas around. It would be great to have improved models that included some of the unusual 3D acoustic features that are impossible to describe with a 1D model.
Whatever paths you take, I'm confident you'll be as thorough as usual. I'm very interested in what you come up with.