Thanks to all replying to cd sounding like LP.

When I had B&W 805's I used Audioquest Gibralter to good effect and it seemed to elecit about a half-octive greater bass extention compared to Cardas, Transparent, and Analysis plus cable. However, it seemed also to make instraments smaller but better defined. I think audioadvisor is selling some of the AQ wires as special items. You might want to check it out.

Johnymac, I'm not sure what your experience is with cables so I'll limit my comments to one certain fact - that is cables are passive in nature and cannot increase the signal level from an amp, they can only change the signal. You can get different, not more. If you feel you are missing something really important from your speakers in the bass you would need to get something to increase the signal, like a parametric equalizer/tone control or different speakers, or reposition your present speakers to a place nearer to the rear wall (but results accross the bass may change but not get better due to standing waves). Iuse Cardas in my main system, but even this can be expensive if you need long lengths. It does have a nice effect on the highs and midrange. Some of the cheaper cardas has a nice warmth. In another system I use (cheapskate that I am) 10guage multistrand twisted speaker wire purchased at a hardware store for about 40 cents per foot. It may not be perfect but it works dammed well in that system (the components are high end). By the way I agree with you regarding the sound of your 500. This amp was one that was regularily highly modified and one served my very well until i got the bug.

The horns are not the culprit, IMO, it's in your using them with a SS amp that is making them sound harsh! Using Klipsch horn speakers with SS components is an outright waste of a wonderful set of horns, IMO! Anyone who tells you otherwise has likely not listened to them with good tubes, or is mostly deaf from having listened to them primarily with SS!! Replace the amp with some good tubes and you will likely hear magic coming from those boxes (I'm assuming they are vintage Klipsch by your other gear - if they are modern a Klipsch design all bets are off, and as far as I'm concerned they'd have a better use as flower pot planters by removing the drivers and turning them on their sides)! I mean no offense to your Hafler amp, by the way. I'm sure it goes well with other speakers, but I'd bet you'd find those horns much more pleasing if you tried out a good tube amp with your system.

If your Klipsch are an older vintage with metal horns, you may want to try applying Dynamat damping material to the outsides of the horns. You can find instructions and opinions on doing just that on AudioAsylum as well as on the Klipsh forum site. But before you resort to that try swapping out the SS with a tube amp. If you can borrow one from a friend, or a generous dealer, take the time to do that just to hear the difference it can make. I'd bet you'd be amazed.

My very opinionated .02 cents!

PS I own a pair of LaScalas and a pair of Heresys, and have also owned two pairs of Forte II's...all are wonderful speakers! The LaScalas I currently own are damped with Dynamat on the midrange and tweeter horns and sound wonderful! With 8 watts of SET power they get louder than I'd ever want them to be while retaining clarity, musicality and dynamics and an amazing soundstage.

PPS That Marantz CD67SE is a shockingly good player for not much money. Yes, there is plenty out there that will outperform it these days, and the sound of digital has much improved since then, but it still remains a great audio bargain in its own right, and is a very musical player. I owned one for five years. It most certainly is an entry-level component, but if your problem is quite severe with listenablility/harshness, I'd doubt it was primarily in that component either.

Good luck!!

I faced the same dilemma. Nakamichi CA-1 preamp and PA-1 amp with Parasound CDC-1500 CD player and Parasound DAC into (newer) Klipsch KP-400's. Harsh sounds thru the CD player that were just not enjoyable to listen to. Switched over to a new Sony 999-ES sacd player from my other system and things improved. Now I have the Shanling CD-T100 tube CD player in my system and it sounds great, the whole system. I find that Stealth M-7 I/C's smooth things out. Straightwire Virtuoso cable and I/C's (compared to Serenade) reveal flaws in source components but, once you get it right, deliver bass with authority. Audience cable and I/C's remain my favorite combination for all around performance.

Newbee, I respect your opinions - and am not claiming that a cable-swap is the prescription here - but I think your post misses the point even as it implicitly acknowledges it: Yes, it is true that speaker cables cannot actively 'increase' bass level or extension, but they can certainly *decrease* it, which absolutely means that, depending on the partnering amp and speakers, a cable swap can definitely change (including improve) what you hear in terms of extension and weight - as well as tonality, transient response, and dynamic expression, same as any other part of the frequency range. (This is something I have heard, and it would surprise me if you were to tell me you have not, so maybe I'm misinterpreting your post...)