Marantz SA7S1 owners - stock or modded

My strong suggestion would be to sell your SA7S1 to the highest bidder on A'gon and purchase a McIntosh MCD500....a better player all around and no need to mod.

I have no doubt that in your room, in your system, you are hearing something you find too bright and etched. However, since none of the many professional reviews, nor reviews from long-time owners (including myself), have expressed hearing anything similar (always quite the opposite, that the SA-7S1 is warm, smooth, and relaxed), I have to believe that it's something else in your system, or, more likely, your room (do an accurate room measurement and I bet you'll find a boost at 2K - 4K, or suckout in the 90 - 160hz range). My system: Krell KCT pre, Krell FBC 400cx amp, Aerial 10T speakers, Nordost Blue heaven interconnects and cables (so nothing here smoothing the edges!).

Anyone who hears the Marantz as bright hype detailed has something a miss in there system.Perhaps out of absolute phase, if you run XLR out remember pin 2 is reversed compared to USA balanced inputs, the phase switch should be engaged to put the signal back in proper phase.

If not depending of the disc anything from dull to flat sounding to no body and bright.

The Marantz is so close to the state of the art, that you can improve upon it, but you better have a large bank account to spend.