The Lector is about as sweet as it gets at its price point. It also has very good bass, midbass, and a midrange richness that can counteract the negative effects of bad recordings. However, it is a high quality player and also resolving, so if it is on the recording you will hear it. You didn't mention whether your Lector is MkI, II, or III, or how many hours it has on it. If it is not broken in, you could be looking at days or weeks to hear how it will eventually sound. Even assuming the tubes are not new, you should let them warm up for a good day or two if the unit hasn't been played for awhile. Keep it powered up and play a good burn-in CD or just let it play something busy with a wide range of frequencies for 4-8 hours at a stretch, then after a few days, see what you think about the CD's you initially found to sound grating. Also, I would rate the Nola speakers as sounding more neutral or accurate, rather than warm or forgiving. I eventually sold a pair when I couldn't make them sound good as rich as I wanted while using SS equipment. Let us know what you think after some playing time, and also let us know what player you are comparing with. Good luck.
