Who's to blame for the Grain??

If you like the convenience of your multi-disc arrangement, look into purchasing a DAC. If your player only has an optical out, i would recommend a Cal Audio Labs unit. If it has a coaxial digital out, i would opt for an EVS Millennium unit. The EVS is far more refined than the CAL if you can use it, but you might not be able to. As such, i tried to cover both bases with excellent units that offer phenomenal bang for the buck. Some would recommend the MSB unit, but given your current preamp / amp / speaker combo, i would not go that route.

If you need a Toslink, i would recommend either the glass Toslink cable found on Ebay or a plastic model as sold by DH Labs. Coaxial based digital cables come in all shapes and sizes and will boil down to personal preference.

This will give you far more enjoyable music and allow you to maintain the level of convenience that you are currently able to take advantage of. While some will see this as a trade-off, life and system building are all about intelligent compromises. For those that have used such things as a music server or a mega-disc changer, it is hard to adapt to using a single or five disc unit for more than a few reasons. I find that these people tend to use their system less as they find it to be more of a hassle. As such, i think that once a person has gone that route, they are best off to optimize what they have ( within reason ) and have both the quantity that they are used to with much improved quality.

Other than that, you can always upgrade your preamp, amp and speakers while maintaining both a musical and convenient front end. While you may not achieve the most revealing system in this manner, you will probably find it far more user friendly and enjoyable in the long run. Sean
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PS... I don't think that your preamp, amp or speakers are a good match. Changing over to the speakers that you mention will probably not be much of a step forward either. Yes, it will sound "different", but that does not make it "better". Sit down and figure out what your long term goals are and then go from there. Otherwise, you will be joining those that are members of the "used" flavour of the month club.

I have similar problem, but unlike Elizabeth to put the blame on Sony pre, I agree with some other suggestion on the CD player.
My Sony AV can filter "digital hash" much better than some others I have, Nakamichi 410/420, Nakamichi 730, Bryston .4, NAD 302, NAD 7155....
Your system is quite decent in my standard, and base on my experience, your problem is easily solvable.
I once swapped Sony cheapo 5 disk changer to DVP-S530, then up to DVP-7700, but the "grain" is still there, ofcourse less and less, but when I went "down" to DVP-7000, it's 70-80% clearer, finally I found a deal on 7XAES, it's 95%.
Still little grain, but bearable.

The level of grain was not changed with amp, from NAD 2200 to NAD 2600, Bryston 3B, Nak 420, Bryston 9B.

I'm not a cable believer, but I'm looking into it now.

i'm listening

I think I've just fallen in love with a speaker. I've been considering getting the Polk LSI9's to replace my Klipsch Reference Floorstanders. That was until I heard what I heard today. Paradigm Studio 100's. Oh my GOD,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I think I finally get it. I've been hearing about tight bass for almost a year now and I never quite understood that phrase. Well I heard tight bass today,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and I'm thoroughly impressed. I think I'm going to get the studio 20's instead of the Polks. I'll complement them with a sub that's known for tight bass (Rel Strata III). It's going to be a long summer. I would get the 100's but my living room is way too small for floorstanders which is why I selling the Klipsch.

I started out like you.
I had Polk speakers, a Sony ES receiver, and a cheap-ass sony CD.
I added a Parasound HCA 1000A amp, and used the sony as a preamp. Better sound.

At some point, I bought a Parasound CD player, to replace the Sony. Better sound again.

I bought a Conrad Johnson Preamp- the PV-10AL. Got the Sony REceiver totally out of the system. FYI I was using AUdioquest Topaz (cheap stuff) and CV-4 speaker cable (really cheap stuff). Incredible sound(compared to what I'd had before). IT was like my eyes and ears were open for the first time.

Clearly, the largest improvement I found was by going to a Tube based preamp. There are several out there, hell, you could even get a Jolida integrated amp for what a decent preamp costs. Those things sound great.

My final answer- calm down. Chill out. Listen to some tunes.
Decide what $$ you're going to spend on some speakers. IF you waited 4 months, would that amount change greatly?
IF so, I'd wait. Buying a speaker today with no bass, and then waiting until you have the extra grand to pick up a Rel sub might not be the best thing. Plus, how do you know that they'l mate well? IF you're room is too small for a floorstander, it's too small for a sub, IMHO. Just get a bookshelf speaker with a little kick to it. THe bass will be fine.
If I were you, I'd do this:

Sell the Anaconda- Yes, it's great stuff, but you're not getting close to even needing that level of resolution. With the Sony stuff, if anything you need a more forgiving IC. FInd yourself 2 pairs of Audioquest Opalx3, a very, very good cable (I haven't heard of anyone that didn't think it was a good cable, even at its $300 list price, before it was discontinued.) Or Kimber Hero, or something else USED. Should be about $100 per meter pair. IF you only have 1 pair of Anaconda, or if you have 2 half meter pairs, that should be at least $300 left over. IF you have 2 1 meter pairs, then you should gain about $5-600 by this. Trust me, you won't miss it, not this year. IF you do this, you'll have some extra cash to either supplement your speakers, or add a better CD, or get a preamp.

Sorry to ramble on, and even sorrier to cast doubt on any decisions you've made. I just can't see what your loving the Big Paradigms has to do with the sound of the smallerr ones.

I think finding a speaker that you love will be the toughest task, and that's where I'd spend the majority of my money.

Even if it means waiting.

IF you can't wait:

Buy a Rega Planet CD- $350 used. Worth Every Penny.
Get the Cheap ICs (seriously, Opal is great stuff. Viper, in the new AQ line is most comparable.

IF you're not ready for a tubed integrated amp, at the minimum, at least figure out how to listen in your home, to a tubed pramp with your Parasound. You won't believe your ears how it smoothes out the sound. You can probably find a Conrad Johnson PV-10AL for $500. There are MANY MANY other fine manufacturers of tubed gear. I use ROgue right now. Made in the USA!!

Hold on to the Parasound for the near future. It's a competent piece. Not familiar with the Monster Cable Speaker cable. BUT- when I had speaker that were "too much" for my room, I sold the 10 gauge speaker cable that I was using, and got a smaller gauge cable. It tightened up the midbass, and yes, lost some low bass volume, but the point is, I could live with my large speaklers in the small room.

IF I ever moved, I could just get som more firehose cable...

SPeakers, speakers, speakers. I have no idea what you're budget is. IF you can, go out of town. Visit some different shoppes, listen to new things. Once I had an idea of what I liked, I started buying speakers (unheard) used on AUdiogon.
After a while, I found some that I loved. (I still have them).

Anyway, good luck. I'm sure that I've rambled on far too long, but If you want to email me off the thread, I'll talk with you as long as you want.

I've been there, and it will be OK!

Joe