need help with choosing right cables

Your brightness is due to the Amp and your source.Cables will only mask the problem but wont fix it.Take the money you would spend on cables add it to what you can get for your source and upgrade the source first.

leafs,iam new to this. when you say source. meaning what? any advice to what amp i need. or new set up. thanks much.

Hi. *Source* is were the musical signal originates in your system, i.e. in this case, your cd playback. Leafs is suggesting you keep the cables for now and consider upgrading the digital combo first, then the amplification.
I second this view.

Numerous cdp's are available that might fit your musical bill; Recent discussions on CDP & amps hare at A'gon (use the search function) could enlighten you.
Do, however, try to audition equipment IN YR SYSTEM before you buy: tastes in musical reproduction vary. For you, your taste counts the most!

Cheers and good luck!