can a new amp amp tame my speakers?

English 210, I jumped into the audiophile fray a couple of years ago and have learned a lot. As my ear has improved, I have learned a good deal about synergy of systems, etc!
Before spending more on speakers and amps, you might want to check on what you are playing your CDs in. We upgraded to an Oppo 95 last year from a Yamaha DVD player. I was astounded by the huge improvement in smoothness and imaging. My kids $300 bluray player sounded harsher and thinner by comparison.
Also, trying different interconnects made big differences in my speakers' perceived character. I tried very high quality Audioquest silvers that made my fast, but musical vienna acoustic speakers sound harsh on the top end. Low quality copper wires collapsed the soundstage and dulled both bass and treble extension. Everything affects the output!
Speaker wire upgrades--I stepped up from $150 monster cables to MITs. I bought OLD generation mIT 750 series2 with cvt speaker wires and had them professionally reterminated so that age and oxidation didn't interfere with my sound. MITs were a bit darker and more transparent and linear than the monsters were. They are reputed to roll off highs a bit, though I have not seen any issues with the sound I am hearing from my setup. That roll off however "could" help with your harsh highs issue.
I am not familiar with either your speakers or your new amp, so I cannot speak to their characters. However, synergy is an issue. If the amp is one you like, then take it with you if speaker upgrades are your chosen path.
When we first shopped for our system, we chose an amp we liked, then tried speakers with it till we found a set that sounded right with vocals, tympani and horns. Few speakers did justice to all three, but fewer still did a great job with vocals.
Good luck!! Have fun with the process!!!!
Deb

Audiolabyrinth, The only reason I left it open on the speakers was that ,if English WANTS new speakers, ( we all know how that is) he should go ahead now and get them.

There is a Manley Shrimp and a Quicksilver preamp, on the Gon, but the source may be the biggest problem.

Then there is cable abyss.

@ Acman3, I agree!,yes,the cable abyss!,I believe given the right equipment and cables his infinitys would sing!,ribbons can sound real good,if you know what you are doing!,hes going in the right direction,cables can and will fix his ribbon issues.,I also agree with everything else you said as well.cheers!

@ Deebarnes,well said!,awsome,cables is what I recommended could be the problem,thanks!

I do get the potential issue being the source (material or player). Right now I'm using a PS3 through my AVR - Yamaha RXA3010. An Oppo 103 is on the shopping list. I know (now) that Yamaha is notoriously bright, so that certainly could be the issue, but it is relatively new, and the processor for movies, so I'm loathe to replace it. I'll have to verify which i/c's are going to the Odyssey - I was using AQ, but they are made in such a way that the terminals won't spread far enough part to connect to the amp, so I switched them with the ones I'm using on the sub, and have to see what those are. Speaker wires are old Monster cable from when I got the speakers. Can't remember which ones though. All I can say is that the actual wires are about 16 gauge, wrapped around a central conductor, then insulated and the plus+minus are then wrapped again. I use bare wire, and trimmed back for 'new' wire connections.
Some of the material I notice the harshness on is off Pandora, (but by no means all), which is using the ARC on the HDMI.

There is an 'itch' for new speakers, emotionally based as so much of this is, however the $$ isn't really there...the wife says it's her turn, and has a long list ;) (and to be fair, she's right).

It does bring up the next point though...Given that perfection is a moving target that can never be acheived, at some point each of us has to say 'enough's enough' and be content. Fine tuning to get the most out of what we have is also important, and the synergy of course - $5K total can sound better than $50K worth of equipment - Having said that...I think it makes sense to me to have an eye on where I may go with speakers in the future to prevent wasting money in the short term. Also, one of the items on wifey's list is taking out half the back wall behind the listening position, making it open to the kitchen. The room is currently 19 long, but opening up that wall will make it 36. To picture the layout of the 'new' back wall, it would be open except for a false header full width, down 1' from the ceiling, and from left to right, a half wall 3 1/2' high, 7' wide, leaving 5' open. the room itself will go from carpet to wood floors with area rugs. (so brighter yet). So, the environment for the speakers will change their sound as well.

Should I wait til all that's done and see how big the problem is then? Perhaps (unlikely) the room qualities will ameliorate the problem, or conversely (and most likley, given Murphy's position on my back most days) make the problem too great to be 'solved' with cables-I/C's. Or is the change in the room not likely to be so great as to render changes I make now in cables-I/C's pointless? How do I determine a realistic budget for 20 year old $1600 speakers, a $2K AVR bought cheap, and a $1500 amp bought used for less. I know I could easily spend that sum on one pair of interconnects and speaker wires.

Thanks!!