Help with first cable upgrade.

Yes, often brightness is heard as detail until after some time listening it is heard for what it is. Listener fatigue sets in.

Though I believe the Loki is a good device and has a place in some systems, in your case I believe you should save your funds for a new CD player when the Toshiba no longer serves. Purchase one with digital output such that a DAC could be used as an upgrade should you desire. This a subject for another discussion down the road.    

@shimanole:

"While I do think the Sony is more of what I would describe as detailed, that detail turns out to be what I'm finding as bright, so maybe just more detailed in the upper realm. Not sure I'm even describing it correctly but the Toshiba was the clear winner for me. Thanks for all of the suggestions"

Good work !   

I want to follow up after trying some new cables that were provided by a fellow poster.

I replaced a pair of stock interconnects with Blue Jean LC-1's and a stock power cable with a Cobalt Cable power cord.

After much swapping of cables, there was a noticable difference with almost all of my digital music.  While subtle, there was definitely (to my ears) a less sharp edge to some tracks that I found a little painful with the stock cables.

The most noticable difference, however, was found by accident.  I was turning up the volume on a disc (with the stock power cord) but had yet to hit play so I was only hearing (what I assume is the electrical signal/hiss/distortion whatever.)  I decided to do the same thing with the new cord and there is definitely less noise at the same volume level.  I don't know technically what I'm no longer hearing at the same degree but I have to assume that this translates in the music as well?  I will be replacing all of my power cords and interconnects in the near future as I'm a believer that an improvement can be had without a fortune being spent.  Thanks to all for your recommendations and sharing your personal experiences.

I’m a big fan of power cords so that’s a valid choice.  Quickest bang for the buck is still the Loki for sure. Power cords are fun but it’s hard to find good ones for the price of a Loki. Ice Age is the only company I can think of whose best cables are in that range. Most other companies price their really good cables in higher price tiers. Do think about upgrading to a transport or streamer that can use an external DAC like others have said. That’s when the fun starts.

Thanks mward.  I'm shopping for the transport now as well as an old CEC CDP 3300 for a second system.  I'm sure I'll end up with the Loki but I do believe the cable upgrade has made enough of an improvement to be worth the expense of even a minimal upgrade over stock cables.  Thanks again.