Adding Tone Controls?

To correct/tame less than stellar (bad) recordings, tone control of some sort is needed. Whether it be in the form of simple bass/treble ones, digital correction, equalizer, or linearizer. I would avoid using cable as band-aids, as then you'll need loom$ of them for the diverse recordings, not to mention the trouble of swapping. Fine tuning or use as finishing touch to an already well balanced system is more the cable's duty, imo.

+1 to suggestions by RW/Elizabeth .

Bama, I could relate to your issue well.

*I'd like to add..
The need for one (tone controls)--I suppose also largely depending on the extent of genres and diversity of ones' music collection. Besides jazz--classical, r&b, pops, disco, reggae, traditional, techno, lounge, (you name it, I love them all!). I'm also heavily into popular music of the '60-'80s (again, various genres). Audiophile stuffs, probably only 20% of whole.

Say, about 20-30% of my collection probably don't really need correction. Around 50% of them definitely could be improved upon (if I'm in the mood to tinker. If not, still pretty much enjoyable). Now, that remaining 20% of the worst ones, actually do NEED adjustments to get an even remotely balanced enough/satisfying sound coming through.

Hence, with such diverse materials at hands, for me, my linearizer a necessity. Although quite a hefty investment upfront, it actually saves me lots of time, and bottom line--money, down the road. Halting the endless churning of cables/equipments as it once was in the past. The few alternatives suggested above are good, and cost wise seems very reasonable. Or if you want to pursue further, as mentioned in post number one a suggestion by GregM could be your ticket.

However, could also envision as some others here, if my library were to consist of mostly only good to great recordings, say 70-80% of total, I would probably not even bother having one too. Agreeing with those stating that a carefully thought out well-balanced system will suffice doing the job just fine--for most of the time at least.

*imho, the higher the fidelity, the higher the resolution ones' system evolves to/gets, the more likely you may need/want one.. That is, if your love for music has no barrier and is unrestricted by the quality of recordings, how ever they are presented in.

Overall, I'm in line with your thinking that one should always design a system around best of recordings. And once you are there, not to have them later compromised by tweaking to accommodate those less than stellar ones--because then, we will be like chasing the dog's tail.

I feel that you are on the right track, as well your thinking of the best solution into addressing the problem (wherein it lies within the source). Just use a 'corrective device' that's able to jump in and do the job well when needed, and totally OUT of it (signal path) otherwise. Good luck!

Bad recordings should sound, well.. bad, played through an honest system. If its tailored to sound acceptable or good reproducing them, then a compromise or two must have been made somewhere to compensate this system's fidelity ie. system is suppress to lying.

To me, the OP has clearly stated right from the get go (then repeatedly) that his main concern is ONLY that of the lesser (bad) recordings, and NOT of the system's set-up nor its general performance (which he seems to be already very happy and contend with!).

Thus, I assume he knows fully well the capability of this system, and had identified the symptom/s and only looking for advice as to what medication best to remedy it.

Let's not undermine the OP's experiences and also of his hearing acuity. Just take it at that and shoot simple suggestions as to what we think best whether it be aspirin, paracetamol or..??--to get that annoying pain off his head as requested, instead of re-analyzing over his illness, and giving him more of it. :P