i want a dull, caramel colored cd player any ideas

my point is that in life one assumes innocent until proven otherwise

That's life (or really only the platonic ideal of the justice system) -- this is the internet. Also, on the internet as in life, one should try to be cognizant of the rules of the game if one does not want to feel cheated by the experience. But we all have to start somewhere with every new venture.

if you have any constructive suggestions i would be glad to hear them

If what you're claiming is literally true, then I would guess you should probably go to an ear doctor, get tested, and maybe get fitted for a set of custom-tailored in-ear filters to make life, or at least listening, tolerable.

Rather than change the source, your target would be a FR that dips at 3kHz & falls over 10kHz, with no midbass coupling b/ween the spkrs (i.e. minimise "dynamics).
What you want can easily be achieved with some room padding (1st reflections for sure) and bad spkr positioning (this will help compromise dynamics). Also, you may try padding the spkrs' tweet. Use a +5W, 8-10ohm resistor across the tweets. Proceed carefully!

OTOH, why on earth would you do that??

Maybe you could try down grading your cables since everyone knows cables are the most important part of the system, and change the sound more than anything else!~

Mr Tennis -

Do Try a Jolida CD Player. I have one. It is a very warm sounding player. Even moreso if you put a mair of Mullards in it. I would also try a Rega cd player, as they have a quite warm "house sound," which is strange to me, because their turntables are very different.

However - given your taste, I wonder why you are not an analog guy? A VPI table with a Koetsu or even Grado cartridge sounds right up your alley.

Mrtennis - Can you let us know what players are in the running in your quest for dullness? Yes, this is an unsual request. Good Luck.