Technical assistance and recommendations needed

Why trash the Canton when you have a Shiits EQ? You can back off the Highs and Mids to get that warm sound you want. Some Audiophiles do not like EQs, but like them and they serve the purpose for me. 

I have a Shitts EQ and sometimes it's helpful for really bad recordings but other than that it makes everything sound like a 1970's Pioneer receiver. I put it on line very sparingly.

Those Monster Cable interconnects aren't helping you much either.

Try a tube DAC for your CD player, a non over sampling one would help give you a more analog sound. I have a Kora Hermes NOS/Tube DAC that I absolutely love.

There are a few reasonably priced Tube/NOS DACS out there or maybe look for a used Phillips/ Magnavox CD player that has been modified (its just a switch setting) to NOS mode.

That could be the least expensive way to upgrade your sound.

All the best!

Looks like I gotta replace the speakers, for something detailed with body for around 2 grand+-.

Wharfdale Lintons will be just the ticket with your gear. 

The JBL Studio 590 on sale at 50% off:

https://www.jbl.com/loudspeakers/STUDIO+590.html

Hi Scott, when you say you are using a schiit eq I'm assuming you run the analog outs of your CD into the Technics. Instead of that, you could replace it with an ifi itube2 or some other tube buffer made by Decware or Fosgate?

My bought new itube2 has been in service 24/7 for a little over 5 years now. Highly recommended but you might have to buy used. I paid $375 and one of my best buys for musicality yet still highly resolving that songs or dialogue on TV, words were much more coherent but only use in unity gain otherwise the upper mids slightly harden (no sibilance, just a sense of hardening). Highs and cymbals still so natural no hint of fatigue and I wouldn't say mids & upper bass was warmish, but body of instruments fully fleshed out.

Alternatively, have you tried using the CD coax out into the coax input on the Technics, thereby using the Technics' DAC. You could then experiment with different Coax cables which *DO NOT* present music or sound the same. I use an active powered Acoustic Revive, the best depth and layering I've experienced in digital but they are hard to find these days. It was revelatory compared to Silnote, Hi-Fidelity Cables Reveal, and others I can't recall now.

Even as audiotroy says your Cantons can be bright, you might be able to flesh out more musical body out of them. Best of luck!