Newbie with "bright" system

Mraybeck: Considering what your components are resting on at this time, I would (in your position)invest in Vibrapods at $24.00 per set of four and discuss with Craig @ Vibrapods how you can incorporate the Pods with your wire rack. The Pods and an inexpensive sheet of MDF may cure your sonic problems for very little money. Investing in cables, components etc. when your electronics are situated as they are will not have anywhere near as great an impact on the sound for the money spent as inexpensive isolation devices will. You have not even heard what your current setup is capable of as the source player and the other components are being hampered by vibration. Start with the CD player and your investment should be well under $30.00 including the platforms. If you happen to have a Maple cutting board hanging around then use it in place of the MDF. I am using more sophisticated isolation products right now, but will never forget what the first set of Pods did to my system (when placed on the source) and I still use them on a second mini system and now on the new CD burner with super results considering the small investment. I like to get the most out of what I have before moving on.

Mraybeck, in answer to your question--there are a lot of fine preamps out there that you'd be happy with. I've enjoyed the BAT gear that I've owned, but there are many others that would work well. Classe and Pass Labs come to mind as two that you can probably find in your price range. But back to what I said originally--if all you're looking to do is take the edge off your system, used cables are a cheap way to experiment. I agree that stands and isolation devices are important in a high-end system, but I'm not sure they will address the brightness problem as well as cables and interconnects will. Good luck.

Thank you Dekay and MacM for your posts. I need to remind myself that my enthusiasm should be directed with a little patience and fiscal judgement. I am planning to order some Vibrapods tomorrow. I will play with those while I keep an eye out for some used Truthlinks. Hopefully, this will help maximize my system while I save for the rack and pre-amp. Does anyone know of some relatively cheap, non-invasive (live in apt) room treatments/tweeks? Thanks again. Mark

Mraybeck:
Try the vibrapods with MDF (or small particle board )on the CD and let us know how does it go...Good luck

Just a follow-up: First, I want to thank everyone for their input. It is encouraging to know that I am not embarking on this odyssey alone. I purchased the Vibrapods and am using them on my CDP -> AMAZING what $30 can do for you with the right information. Imaging and detail improved dramatically and the system sounds much more tonally correct with guitar and pianos (with which I am very familiar). Nonetheless, I was still plagued with some high-end harshness that brought on listening fatigue at moderate listening levels. Next, I just added some HT truthlink IC's from CDP to receiver (pre). I have only had them in the system for about 2 days, but my initial impression is that, while it does tame the "brightness" somewhat, I have lost a little of the "shimmer" and detail of cymbals and high-hats. Bass seems slightly improved, and my soudstage is significantly widened, especially with midrange/voice. I ended up purchasing the HT's (good price), but the dealer "cooked" them for me with his demo disc. Overall, I am very pleased with changes in sound quality. I have taken to heart the advice that I should seek to maximize my current system before adding to it. Next, I plan to provide a stable platform for my entire system (and stop stacking!!!) with a rack - considering Salamander Synergy/Archetype. Thanks again, and as before, any additional insight/suggestions welcome. Happy Listening, Mark