How do I smooth out violins?

Adding a tube preamp will address the issue
I would also play with replacing some caps in the dna amps
My opinion of course

Musicfile,

Good suggestions, but finances don't allow for replacing caps in the DNA and a tube pre...will have to go with just the pre for now.

Gentlemen, my two cents on this. Pretty much I agree with Frogman and Al. While they are correct that some digital recordings have gotten better, and there are even a few older ones that sound fine, it is a very sad fact that most of them are extremely over-miked and over-mixed, and just REALLY suck in general. I have plenty of first-hand experience of this, watching so-called "sound engineers" with absolutely no clue what they are doing. It is truly painful, and even infuriating. Almost no one seems to know how mikes should really be set up any more - they figure it's digital now, it's easy, it's just pushing buttons. Use as many mikes as possible, wherever we want, and then mix it to sound however the hell we want later. It is truly appalling for us musicians. They have especially lost the art, though, of doing sound at live concerts, but that's a whole other rant, though it is very much related to the non-thinking, non-listening approach that most of them have ever since digital recording was possible.

Sorry, but I happened to have an especially bad experience at tonight's show with the idiots who are the "sound guys". OK, I'm done ranting now.

Rok2id,
If you notice, there`re acutually a number of posts here advising the OP to be systematic in approaching this issue.As has been say repeatedly, be sure it is`nt a 'recording issue' before changing and swapping components blindly.Take one sensible step at a time.

Learsfool,
Your "rant" is fully understood,it is a shame these 'sound' engineers won`t rely more on their ears and simply listen.
Regards,

A suggestion...to not assume all tube preamps will resolve your issue. Some tube preamps are not that "tubey". In my experience, certain units from Audio Research and Counterpoint sound very revealing. They will probably still be an upgrade from NAD, but may not be what you are targeting - which sounds like more of the CJ, Quicksilver type of sound. Also, replacing your Audioquest with Cardas may help too.