Budget-FI tweeking advice sought

[krunch]

I am just entering into better sounding music to listening to at home, and have recently purchased a Denon PMA-720 AE amp with a pair of Whardale 121's. My music is played thorugh an iPOD classic, in lossless and lossy formats (I know! I did say I am 'budget'). I have about 200 quid left in my budget, and the music right now sounds almost very good on some tracks, but on most of the music it sounds like the soundstage is too large (a bit "over-reverbed" -like in a large hall with no furniture); and also the mids and the mid-highs sound veiled, and vocals a pinch too far back. The bass sounds excellent.

I have the speakers placed well with stands; so my question is -- do I have the wrong speaker/amp pairing? or would a CD player (such as the Denon DCD5720 or Marantz PM6005) tighten up the music and bring it forward more, or would an external DAC (DACmagic?) be a better solution than the cd player? I do not have cd's to listen to any longer.

Thanks in advance for any advice on how to tweek this.

 

[matthewpiano]

If you have the means to play your files from a computer instead of the iPod, then I would suggest considering a DAC, and at the budget either the Musical Fidelity V90DAC or Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100 will do the trick though see if you can get it on home approval first to make sure it does what you want sound-wise.

Not much point buying a CD player if you don't have anything to play in it.

 

[matthewpiano]

The other thing is, what cables are you using? Also if you are able to post a picture of how the speakers are positioned we might be able to make some further suggestions about tweaks you could try as this still might just be a positioning problem.

I would expect the PMA720AE and Diamond 121s to work rather nicely together.

 

[krunch]

Thanks matthewpiano for the insights: I wouldn' t be able to share fotos until tomorrow, as the wife is watching the tele. . .I have used my computer with the same lack of "forwardness" in the mid/highs; though when I play through VOX (I have a Macbook), I can use the EQ to bring it forward more.

I have not heard of a "home demo", do you know which stores might offer that, RIcher Sounds perhaps? Because that would be an excellent option.

Thanks.

 

[CarlDW]

Agree with MP - an external dac connected to a computer would be a good option. Quite a few dacs to choose from up to £200. Pop down to Richer Sounds and see what they have.