Speaker Cable Suggestion

I do not know what support/rack you have your system components on, and this could certainly have an effect on the highs and mids. Assuming that that is ok, or at least not significantly contributing to the sonic problems you describe, some past experience suggests that at least some of the mid-range muddle may be due to the IC. However, I would not accuse Monster ICs of grainy or metallic highs (unless suffering from corrosion / oxidation).

I would not immediately suspect the NAD CD player of the grain and/or metallic reproduction. To improve the midrange I would ensure the equipment and speakers are well setup, and try a different IC from the CD player to amp. You do not have to spend tons of money to exeriment: order an inexpensive pair from Signal or Audio Art or something. This would allow you to determine the effect on the sound, and you can always use it in a less critical area if you decide to get better ICs later.

For speaker wire, I would recommend Analysis Plus Oval 12. It is a good all around cable, is affordable, lacks any sins of commission, and would seem a good match to the rest of your system.

Glenn,

Thanks for the response.

The equipment is housed in an entertainment center that is for the most part solid wood. I think it took four movers to bring it in the living room. With the thick carpeting, all my books, leather sofa and curtains, I'm assuming the room is acoustically friendly. The B&Ws are on there designated stands and spiked into the carpet.

Since I only have the CD player and turntable preamp connected, its hard to mess this up.

Given three votes so far to focus on interconnects, that is exactly what I'm going to do.

Thanks again.

If you get good ICs, the next thing to further improve the sound is to get a good power cord for your cd player. That will further reduce the glare and metallic qualities. Try Audience powerChord. For a good pair of ICs and this power cord you will easily fit into $500.

It's interesting you mentioned power cords. I just ordered a signal magic power cord. Maybe not as good as the Audience you mentioned, but given the return policy and number of positive reviews, I thought it would not hurt to try it out. Reading articles/forums I know upgrading PCs is a touchy subject. I'm glad you had success with the upgraded PC. It gives me more confidence that I'm heading down the right path.

Good to see you going the interconnect route. I have found my CD -> Pre cable to be vital to the sound in my system. I have a Kimber Power cord on my tube pre and it cleaned up the background. As your system improves you will notice changes more because the sytem as a whole has more resolution. This is why the subject is so debated. A bad system may have no effect at all. A reference system may have dramatic effects.

One thing that would be free to try is if you have improved the speaker cables go back to your $40 monster interconnects. You may notice more of a difference with the better speaker cables in place. The power cord is a good idea as well. I have been wanting to try the Signal Cable PC too, so it will be interesting to see what you say. A power cord can work wonders on cheap gear with poor power supplies. On expensive gear it may do nothing because it has super power supplies and regulation built-in. Don't be afraid to experiment.