can anyone suggest an interconnect that can help stop my hi-fi sounding overly 'bright' alomost harsh to listen to at times?

What is your system and what are your cables (speaker cables too)?

I've got a Teac C1-D cd player, Arcam Alpha A5 amp and Focal JMlab chorus 714 speakers.
I'm currently using a Chord Chrysalis interconnect and Chord Carnival speaker cable

Dump the Teac, it's far too hot in the highs for your setup. Try not to use interconnects to fix a badly weighted system - the ones you have are absolutely fine.

There are other routes. The Teac doesn't look like the star there but you could keep it and use something like a Beresford DAC.

If you were determined to do it with cables, I'd use something like Kimber or CAT5e network cable on the speaker cables. I wouldn't be going for silver plated if I had a brightness problem.

thanks for your advice, I had realised that the front end i.e. the Teac was the problem but was trying to sort it with the minimum expense and hoped to get away with replacing the interconnect. Could either of you suggest a cd player to look out for?

I'd honestly go for the Beresford DAC. It sounds like a £450-£500 CD player (at least in it's current form). Costs about £90.

Otherwise I'd probably look at Cambridge. They're on really good form at the moment.

Also a second hand Denon 2900 comes in at around £200 at the moment.

Thanks again. I'm a bit puzzled as to what a Beresford DAC is and what it does but if it'll sort my problem and costs less than a new cd player I'll give it a go

In a CD player, it's the part that changes the numbers in to sound.

You don't have to use the one in the CD player, you can use an outboard one instead and that is what the Beresford is. The CD player is then used as a drive and the DAC produces the actual sound.

It stands for 'Digital Audio Converter'.

You should write back to give your impressions of it if you go that route so that others in the same position can get an idea of whether this will really work for them.

So I'd add this in between my cd player and amp? Does it come with interconnects or would I be looking at upgrading those also? This is all interesting stuff and I will happily post my thoughts if as you say I decide to go down the beresford route

That's right. Between the CD player and the amp. The Beresford looks like a toy but it's definitely not.

The connections depend on your CD player. Usually, they have both an optical 'toslink' connection and an RCA digital connection. sometimes, CD players only have one of these.

For the single RCA connection, you need a single digital RCA to RCA interconnect which needs to be 75ohm but can be as cheap as you like because the data that it carries is digital rather than analogue. It's quite reasonable to only spend a few pounds. Most interconnects are actually 75 ohm - it's usually written on the cable. If you want to spend money, this is good.

For the Toslink, this is the kind of cable needed. There are other brands at different prices.

You then use your current analogue cables to connect the DAC to the amp.

The good thing about a DAC is that you can also connect it to your DVD player and DAB radio.

Which works best? I have both an optical outlet and the usual phono L&R line out connections on my player.

I've remembebered I have a Cambridge 'Pacific' interconnect which I used to use for a tape deck, could I use this to connect the cd player to the DAC and then as you said my Chrysalis interconnect to connect the DAC to my amp?

In all likelihood, you could use one of the Cambridge Pacific. If you look on the cable itself, you should see it marked 75 ohm. If you still have the packet, it should be on that. If I were you, I'd just give it a go anyway.

In general, the RCA is the best one to use unless you have an hum or other interference problem in which case, the optical is the best because it doesn't exacerbate ground loops.

So try both and see which works best then? I've checked the Pacific lead it doesn't actually say how many ohms it is. One thing I'm struggling to understand is how does one lead work if I use the Cambridge Pacific lead, surely I'd have to connect both outputs from the cd player to the DAC.
Thanks for your time and advice I appreciate it!

No, the analogue outputs from the CD player remain unconnected. There is just one digital connection on the back of the CD player and you use that. If you look, you'll see there is only one optical socket as well (rather than two). It only takes one connection from the CD to the DAC.

Because it's digital, analogue rules don't apply. the digital datastream contains both channels.

You definitely do not connect the CD player's analogue sockets to the DAC. The digital RCA socket at the back of your CD player will probably be labelled 'coaxial' or 'digital'.

It's becoming clearer now, does this mean that optical output from cd players comes before the player's own integral DAC?

I was wondering as to how the Beresford could make a difference if it was using the same signal as is delivered to the amplifier thru' the normal interconnects.

My Teac player only has an optical digital outlet, there's definitely not a digital RCA socket, do you think it's still worth trying the Beresford?

As I said before this is all very interesting stuff

The datastream does come before the player's own DAC although it isn't optical at that stage. It's converted to optical in order to send it through the optical socket. There actually isn't that much loss though.

Strictly speaking, it wouldn't get the same signal. The point of a DAC is that you're hopefully using better analogue conversion than the CD player that you have. The difference between a good CD player and a bad one is mostly in the analogue stage of it's operation. The digital part of the operation matters but nowhere near as much as the analogue part.

Yes, if you only have an optical socket, it is still worth it.

As I've said, there are other routes too. One of which is to buy a better CD player.

I use a couple of different DACs myself. I've found them effective.

choices choices do I spend £100 on the Beresford or put the money into a new player. What do you know of the Cambridge D100 are they any good or what would you reccomend as a cd player to go with my current set up?

If it were my money (which it's not) I'd go Beresford. I think he might do sale or return - good idea to ask or read the website.

I haven't heard the 100 (I use a Cambridge 840C as a drive then a Tag Mclaren Processor). I think, with that money, I'd be looking second hand. Maybe something like Marantz - CD63, CD6000 or others. Rotel would be a good choice. Some of the ARCAM players can be a bit bright so might not be the best for you. If you can afford a Marantz CD63 KI Sig, they're very good indeed. The D100 looks a long way down the food chain and there is so much good stuff on the second hand market that buying new at that level won't yield that much.

point taken on the D100, thanks again for your time and advice I'll let you know how I get on