Yes, I really like 9448-2. I think being able to see the entire window is much better. I also like the lighting and coloration better. I do think the cropped version is a little too tight. I know how you feel about not being able to go any wider. I’ve been shooting a lot with a 12-24mm lens, and even at 12mm I still sometimes find myself wishing I could go a little wider! The problem is that lens distortion starts becoming an issue, especially with buildings.
Are you using Photoshop? If so, here’s a link that might be helpful with the halo problem http://lorrifreedman.com/correcting-halo-in-hdr/