Need cable to soften brightness just a little?

Thanks, auxinput for info on HDMI Audio.   And the compliment on the Musical Fidelity!  It was wasted at my computer.

It never occurred to me to try the Arcam’s digital outputs because I’ve always preferred analogue.  Which gets me to thinking....I don’t believe I’ve ever tried the Arcam’s audio analog option either.  Maybe the Arcam can sound better than I’ve given it credit for sounding.  I will need to do more experimenting !!.  For sure, the Arcam does not sing for me, but maybe I can I prove it some.

 I have plenty of RCA interconnects I can cable in to try analog outputs for audio quality, but I will have to buy a digital cable to listen to its digital audio.  It looks like Arcam will accept digital coax/RCA (I didn’t see S/PDIF).

PBS did me a favor today by broadcasting Tosca, a  Live from the Met offering, giving me a chance to listen to music via a different source from the Oppo.  There was less of a difference between the Pioneer and the Arcam, and less brightness.  The Oppo is now the prime suspect for the source of some excess brightness.

hegelsjh, to answer a couple of your questions, I do bi-wire them
 Slendors.  My speaker wire is custom and I paid a premium for it, but it’s too long ago to remember any details.

what DAC are you using?

i have no power conditioning anywhere.  When things settle down, i plan to get involved with that.

The only Ethernet connected device so far in my TV room stereo system is the Roku Ultra.  I’m using Cat6a from Blue Jeans Cable.  I will be attaching Ethernet cable to the Oppo as I intend to use it to support streaming.  

I am soon to be adding an SSD inside a Naim Uniti Core to enable streaming.  I’m hoping the Oppo will allow me to include my TV system in the streaming network.   I’m a complete novice to the streaming world and have barely a clue so far.  I’m terribly worried I’ll be disappointed with the audio quality, but at the same time hoping I will be pleasantly surprised.

Having owned a Pioneer SX-1080 (and an SX-780) since new, I can tell you from experience that these receivers sound more on a bright side even when they’re new and can be very fatiguing, especially at higher volumes even if/when paired with neutral speakers. Old age doesn’t seem to make them brighter but tends to hollow out some of the lower octaves. Easiest (and cheapest) solution is using the tone or filter controls/switches and see if those help. Depending on how bright they now sound to your ears, I doubt you’ll be able to compensate for their sound character/voice by switching cables. Some try putting a thin tissue paper on the tweeter to tame the brightness. It’s free so worth a try.

Echolane, I'm having a difficult time envisioning how all the components in your system are being swapped out and interacting without first drawing a massive diagram on my wall ; )

Let's go back to David's point about the differences between the two Oppos. Do you still have the 83 so that  you can see how it works with the Pioneer?  And secondly, is there a standalone DAC anywhere in your system, or is/was everything played through one of the Oppos?  If you don't have a standalone DAC, then the Oppo switch is a major sonic  change for your system and could very well be the source of the brightness.  For a DAC, I use a Metrum Onyx and before that an MHDT Havana, both of which are non-oversampling, since my ears are very prickly in response to to certain types of digital processing.   If you do isolate the Oppo as the problem area, then you might want to consider a good power cable rather than the stock one and then swap in some smooth ICs for your preamp and amps.  

I must agree. My system setup is confusing!

Just to turn things on I have to follow this routine. All but the last two steps have their own remote control to pick up and put down.  I’ve wanted to invest in a Neeo for some time.

• Turn on TV
• Turn on Arcam
• Turn on DISH DVR.

If I prefer to bypass the Arcam for audio (which so far I do)

• Turn on Musical Fidelity
• Turn on Pioneer
• Mute Arcam

In the background are these sources.
Arcam can switch between all of them, mostly via HDMI
All sources (except Roku) have RCA Audio interconnects to Musical Fidelity Preamp

• Oppo DVD UDP-205
• DISH DVR
• ROKU Ultra
• Pioneer Laser Disc CLD-99
• Panasonic VHS/DVD

I think it’s time to just listen for awhile.  A couple of weeks at least.  Become more familiar with how  the new components are sounding and let them settle in.  

Just last night, listening to the music of Tosca via satellite TV I felt the extra brightness had gone.  I also felt there was considerably less difference between the Arcam and the Pioneer.  That suggests the Oppo was responsible for the brightness.  But I need to listen more.

Eventually, I could bring the older Oppo back for comparison. 
Eventually, I could bring back my tube amp, the Audiomat Arpege, for comparison.

Then, and only then, should I consider making any changes in cable, or speaker wire or conditioners, etc.