*all* cd players are the problem. pick up a cheap tubed buffer-stage for the cd. like the z-man ase, or the musical fidelity (X-10?), then spend ~$1k on pretty much *any* analog set-up you can find, new *or* used. it will blow into the weeds *any* cd set-up at *any* price. if ya have more to spend on the analog set-up, so much the better. perhaps one of those new (i.e. cheaper than dcs) digital up-samplers would help out your cd's also...
It's not the sound I want!
My system consists of a Krell kav300i, Aeriel Acoustic 6s and AdcomGCD750. I have Cardas cables , Jenalabs interconnects and Synergistic Research ac chords. It sound great at times but I find many cds hard to listen to. I listen to vocals with acoustic guitar and the guitar sounds detailed but so metalic and unnatural. It sounds like sombody is playing a saw with a bow. Is this what digital really sounds like? Is it sytem matching? I dont think it is the speakers. Is it just a matter of settling for the best we can get for $8000.00 and limiting what we listen to?