I don't like the sound of my system. Help please.

there is one component that will solve your problem. get a conrad johnson mv 125. it will, however, cost more than $1200.

Listen to what Stereo5 is saying, he is giving you solid advice here. You can change cables and upstream components till the proverbial cows come home (and lots here do!) If your speakers/room don't sound at least decent from the get go, you will be fighting a hopeless battle. At minimum, try some other speakers on loan or a friends set if possible, and do experiment with placement within the room if at all possible, you will be surprised.

Sell the speakers to me. That's my suggestion. How old are they? That may not help your sound, but it would help me:).

You need a Z-Systems RDP-1. Stop torturing yourself. We audiophiles are prone to that. I assure you, this will be some of the best money you spend when it comes to preserving your sanity.

But you'll also need an outboard DAC. This was Stereophile class A for a reason, and you still can't find anything else like it. It was 5k new but you can find them used around 1200 and up. 2k is not uncommon, but watch eBay for deals.

Read a few the glowing reviews:

http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/278

http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-accessories/acoustics-eq-room-tuning/z-systems-rdp-1-digital-preamp-and-eq.html

http://hometheaterreview.com/z-systems-rdp-1-room-correction-device-and-eq-reviewed/

If it were me, I'd sell both ARC pieces and either buy a tube integrated or different amp. The ConnieJ could stay or go, depending on whether you wanted to go with an integrated or add the amp.

Your amp is a T amp and though I haven't heard that particular model, I would suspect that component first...especially since ARC can sound a bit sterile to begin with.