Will a DAC mellow Denon DCM 360

Your low end DAC is a potential solution to your dilemma, but I strongly suggest that you consider utilizing Stan Warren's services at Supermod. He serves to help the budget audiophile achieve the kind of sound that you are looking for. Stan recently told me that he had found a budget Pioneer player, that after modification, holds its own against the big buck D/A's. Stan can be contacted at 541-344-3696. P.S.- If you want to try a better DIY cable design, you may want to read my recent posting under "Best Wires for Cost".

Yo Dark, I think you would be better off skipping the cheap DAC upgrade. I had a similar problem with my system. I bought a Parasound D/A1500 ($300) and connected it to my used ($25)Yamaha CD player. It sounded more dynamic but also more fatiguing. What opened my eyes (or ears) was a Rotel 990 cd player and better speaker cables. I was using AQ Type 6 and found that Purist Audio Designs Elementa speaker cables removed out the overly bright sound from my Apogees. Try replacing you DIY stuff with Elementa interconnects as well. I have no idea what your DIY cables and connects are doing to the sound, and until you try some good cables, neither do you. You can find them used for about $60 (1M interconnects) and $100 (2M speaker cables).

You can't go too wrong trying the Soundstream DAC. If you don't like it you should be able to resell it an get your money back no problem. I try out equipment this way a lot. In my experience Rotel equipment also tends to be on the bright side with the one exception being the Rotel RCD-990 CD player mentioned (and probably the RCD-991). I use to own a Rotel RCD-940 years ago and found the Van Den Hul "The First" Interconnects worked wonders. It is a very detailed but still laid back cable. Read the reviews at Audioreview.com that confirm this. They are pricey new, but I've seen used pairs for $90 to $125 depending on length.

Hi Dark: For free, you can try mixing your DIY IC's and the Radio shack Gold's. Try different ones in-between the preamp/power and the source/preamp. This may eliminate some of the glare that you are experiencing. You can also try hanging a blanket or tablecloth on the wall behind your speakers or work some more with speaker placement. I usually level my speakers (using a level) and then work with small degrees of tilt to adjust the sound. This seems to have almost as much effect (on the mid and HF's) as raising or lowering the speakers. I also have a moderately priced system and know where you are coming from. If better recorded CD's sound good at least you have that much:-) I have added some things to my system that have helped reduce glare as well as improving other areas of the sound. These additions are Vibrapods under the CD Player for $24.00 (follow Craigs instructions at Vibrapod), an updated power cord for the CD player (Harmonic Tech. Pro 11 for $125.00 used), HT Truthlink IC also for $125.00 used (really helps with poorly engineered CD's and sounds great on the good ones) and also a Monster HTS power conditioner (discounted to $125.00 new on line (you may not require power conditioning, I live in a congested area and benefit from it). The Vibrapods and the PC were the biggest improvements in my system and I started out with the Pods, again just a $24.00 investment plus a scrap of MDF, or use Maple if you happen to have a spare cutting board around the house. I am now adding a better DAC to my CAL player but am glad that I started off with the inexpensive basic tweaks that are now out of the way. I have wanted to try the DIY cables, but am always confused by the on-line instructions. Good luck.