Arcam Alpha 9

Try Cardas cables-Golden Cross or Golden Reference for interconnects and same or Neutral Reference for speaker cables.If you can't afford them check Cross or even Quadlink 5c.Remember that Cardas cables require 50-100 hours(or even more) of break-in time.New cd players also need to be broken in.

How recently did you buy your player. The Arcam could still be new. Most equipment need atleast a hundred hours of playing to fully break in. A lot of electronics will sound harsh and bright or harsh and muddy until properly broken in. Otherwise I do not see why the Arcam should be any brighter than your previous cd player. Unless you changed cables or something else in your system at the same time you introduced the Arcam.