Without having heard your particular Yamamaha amp and without knowing your priorities I would think to change it first. Not only is it both preamp and power amp, but is doubtless encumbering the sound with video,tuner,etc circuitry. On top of all of that you have a preponderance of warmth (Yamamha, Cardas, Vandys) that almost has to yeild some sluggishness, slowness and/or veiling. The first place to begin with this to my mind would be the amp and a couple of different high end cables as loaners as is mentioned above after that.
Cable angst and Vandersteen 2 ce signature
I've been lurking here quite a while. Informed folks on the analog forum helped me to select a Rega P5 turntable I'm very happy with. Listening to all the buzz about speaker cables makes me wonder if I'm missing something. I use a Yamaha 100 watt HT amp into the Vandersteens with usually the analog source. When digital, it's a Denon 2900. For those of you with experience with these specific speakers, can I do better, much better, or fantastically better than the Cardas cross link basic cables sold to me by my Vandersteen dealer 9 years ago (they're bi-wire with spades). Many thanks for your expertise. My budget is somewhere south of $800 for a 6' pair.