If some cds sound great and others sounds pathetic, I am sure it has to be the cd that IS the problem...that is just common sense.Allsmiles, I was under the same impression until we upgraded the CDP, cables, and found an amp/preamp combo that mated so well with the Klipschorn that literally every CD in our 1500+ CD collection sounds rich, musical, and full. Sure, you can hear that some are not as well produced as others, but none sound less than good. And we play everything from jazz vocalists to heavy metal.
Number one, if you like the Carver, then by all means stick with it. On the other hand, I don't believe that lousy sounding CDs can automatically be attributed to a truth-telling system. In other words, how can you determine that the shortcomings you are hearing are due to the recording, and not to the inability of the amplifier or CDP to flesh out certain recordings? I'm of the opinion that if you feed a full-range speaker what it likes, the system can suitably cover all of the musical genres. Naturally, some recordings are better supported by a 400W amp than a 4W amp, but it all comes down to personal choice. That said, the combination of SS, a modest CDP, and an undampened K-horn will only exacerbate the worst of the 1980s recordings...and don't forget that Bon Jovi and Def Leppard will chew right through any audiophile system. :-)