follow-up:
I've tried several types of speaker cable at this point and the ones that work best are the ecosse, which seem to tighten things up and make the higher frequencies more extended.
I also do own a sub, albeit an inexpensive one as well. I've painstakingly set it up so it blends the best that it can (it's an energy ESW-V8).
Further, I'm aware that speakers make the most obvious difference in sound, but there are, as we all know, tons of people who are in the source first camp.
I suspect i'm expecting too much from the ARAs, but at the same time, one of my dealers tells me to 'lose the shitty Rotel source'.
(btw - the Rotel bettered current models from NAD that cost as much now as the rotel did back then... not that I feel NAD is fantastic or anything... I'm simply saying the Rotel still holds its own. Mind you, i've never been 100% happy with the Rotel either, even when I used it in conjunction with an MSB Nelson DAC w/ upconversion, a unison research unico and a variety of speakers ranging from NHT 2.5i's to StudioLab Reference 1s to Neat Mystique IIs).
Ok... to simplify my question: If i were to spend, say, $1500, would it be wiser to invest in a HQ, high resolution CD player that is known for good PRaT? (say, a Naim cd5i mkII) or a similarly priced, more open and more revealing set of speakers?
I've tried several types of speaker cable at this point and the ones that work best are the ecosse, which seem to tighten things up and make the higher frequencies more extended.
I also do own a sub, albeit an inexpensive one as well. I've painstakingly set it up so it blends the best that it can (it's an energy ESW-V8).
Further, I'm aware that speakers make the most obvious difference in sound, but there are, as we all know, tons of people who are in the source first camp.
I suspect i'm expecting too much from the ARAs, but at the same time, one of my dealers tells me to 'lose the shitty Rotel source'.
(btw - the Rotel bettered current models from NAD that cost as much now as the rotel did back then... not that I feel NAD is fantastic or anything... I'm simply saying the Rotel still holds its own. Mind you, i've never been 100% happy with the Rotel either, even when I used it in conjunction with an MSB Nelson DAC w/ upconversion, a unison research unico and a variety of speakers ranging from NHT 2.5i's to StudioLab Reference 1s to Neat Mystique IIs).
Ok... to simplify my question: If i were to spend, say, $1500, would it be wiser to invest in a HQ, high resolution CD player that is known for good PRaT? (say, a Naim cd5i mkII) or a similarly priced, more open and more revealing set of speakers?
