Can good speakers take edge off digital?

Jim Austin of Stereophile wrote in Oct 2007......

'My next Marantz player, which I still own and enjoy, was an SA-15S1. It's a beautiful thing, silver with a blue glow, and very well put together. It sounds very good—smooth and lovely—and not once has it failed to read a disc. Yet its display window is very reflective, which makes the display hard to read except in low light, and it has the same kind of flimsy plastic drawer found in all but desktop computers and all but a very few expensive players. These two things together suggest a certain slickness; my SA-15S1 is a very substantial player, but for me, the designer's ratio of prettiness to utility is a little high. Still, it remains my current standard.'

Is it a expensive ($1600?) garbage cd player?

IMHO Sony/pioneer make some awesomely cheap superb sounding cd players that are as expensive as a donut.

Never a good idea to use a component as a tone control.

I can start with saying I understand what you are talking about.

Yes some speakers depending on design can help... Its all about balance, not just bringing your mid's or tweets down, but also having a good output across the whole spectrum, increased bass speed and resolution can result in a better integration via tipped up digital harsher recordings just as much as trying to turn down the tweets etc...

And also yes Zu's if newer versions with the mundorf Silver oil caps on them (not sure if they are offering that anymore) can in fact help spread out and eliminate some of the "Beaming" associated with cheaper caps and drivers emphasising digital hash and distortion.

Beyond that you do have a good DAC, so not wanting to go out and spend more to take a chance being even further disappointed, Power cable, and interconnects can in fact help smooth out the tone and frequency response with that piece.. It will all depend on the component matching and synergy as to how effective some cables can be.

Good Luck

I am going to try to listen to an Ayon CD player. If this doesn't do it then I am going to have to give up digital for any kind of serious listening.

Well, I felt both the Marantz and the Monarchy were a step above my Sony 777ES player.