sony xa5400es or marantz sa15s2?

I chose the Marantz 15s2 and have been happy with it. Haven't heard the Sony but they have a great reputation.

I don't think one is necessarily better than the other but one will balance out "your" system better to suit your taste. It will be hard for any of us to know which one that will be. Good luck.

Fishing716, no argument, just food for thought:

What if someones system was on the bright side and they were looking to tone it down? You or I might change speakers or amps but if a person doesn't want to do that and just wants a new cd player, would the Marantz be a better call?

BTW, I haven't heard the Pearl but many have reported, like you, that it is on the dark side. I have the 15s2 and 11s2 in 2 of my systems and don't find either too dark for me.