Advice please on up to $10k to upgrade pre amp, dac, phono, and power amp


I'm looking for advice on where to start looking for upgrading my system.

Planning to keep my sources & speakers.
  • Source 1: Roon from a media PC
  • Source 2: Turntable from Vinyl Nirvana (link) w/ Denon 103r LOMC cart
  • Speakers: Monitor Audio Gold 300
  • S/W: Monitor Audio Good W15
Up for discussion on upgrading:
  • Phono Stage: SimAudio LP3.5
  • Pre Amp: Parasound Halo P5
  • Amp: Emotiva XPA-200
Other Notes: I currently use the DAC built into the P5.  I also us MiniDsp ddrc-22a for room correction & to integrate the subwoofer.

I'm willing to put around 10k to this upgrade (give or take).  Some brands I have been eyeing are: Pass Labs, Simaudio, Mytek.  But I have not auditioned any of them (frankly don't find auditioning in store very helpful).

Happy to take some suggestions!


otherones
A couple combos I've considered:

SimAudio:
- SimAudio 350P with the DAC+Phono module
- SimAudio 330A power amplifier

McIntosh:
- C47 Pre
- MC152 power amp
- Note: really wish the c47 had a processor loop.  w/out it my phono won't go through my DSP and I have some room challenges that the DSP really helps with.

If you can swing it, get a good NAS and run Roon from that....but plan accordingly.
It looks like theMonitor Audio Gold 300 are significantly expensive speakers, and capable of pretty fine detail.  The Emotiva amp is probably not in that category.  I looked it up to find it's yet another amp that Emotiva has introduced with great fanfare to only retire after a shortish life.  

I had an XPA-3 for my 2 channel system, and my greatest criticism of it was a bright/harsh sound at medium to higher volumes.  I had 3 Emotiva components, and that was an issue for sure.

Your P5 probably mitigates this issue if it's present in the XPA-200, but such a low budget amp(how much did Emotiva pay to have it built with lower grade parts) will have limitations in sonics IMHO.

I've recently acquired the P5 myself and have been pretty impressed with it for the money.  I guess the question is, what goals do you have for this upgrade?  Because as far as money goes, you can spend some crazy amounts but without an end game in mind, you could be in for disappointment.

That said, most are after that last 3-5 percent of sonic bliss.  What you need is an amp that will have a synergy with your speakers, and I don't really know which brands are a good fit for the Monitor Audio Golds.  Perhaps some owners could chime it, Pass Labs is certainly one of the better options, as is Sim Audio.
I have the Vinyl N's Thorens tt in my 2017 purchases; with the same arm. You will be very pleased. I have Ortofon 2M Bronze and so pleased. Dave is very excellent to work with you can't say anything bad about the guy, he is really great. Highly recommended.

For phono pre- Graham Slee eragold or their Reflex M, or similar you can't lose, everything is good and not too expensive. I'd buy used and well taken care of here. 

Amps/pre's: What sound do you want? What sound are you most interested in? Tubes; SS, powerful bass and mids, is there a madness to your method?

NOTE: 
Pass Labs monoblocks are a gem. Look up reviews. I personally love Conrad Johnson and Pass. 

Definitely look into the Vinnie Rossi LIO super integrated, w/ DHT stage, DAC2.0 and phono module and you’d be set! It is a truly fantastic sounding piece of gear w/ ‘off the grid’ power from internal ultracapasitor power banks. There is tons of praise out there to read about... I know a hand full of audio friends with much more expensive speakers than your own, that have replaced some pretty high end gear with the LIO. Really fun piece to own. 
I went ahead and read a bit about your speakers, they sound like they are not especially hard to drive. In the Absolute Sound review they mention driving your speakers with an Air Tight ATM-1S a really nice tube amp from Japan. I owned the prior model the ATM-1 for about a year and quite liked it. Not sure your comfort level with tubes but I  browsing the listings and saw this:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/tube-a-reference-tube-amplifier-2018-01-06-amplifiers

That is the Air Tight ATM-2 the big brother of the amp mentioned in the review putting out 80 wpc more than enough to drive your speakers effortlessly. It also has two inputs, one of them with a volume control. Looks like a very reputable seller, I have no affiliation of any kind, and he's selling the amp for $5350, it's $15K new. You could use the amp with your P5 at least temporarily and you have $4650 of your budget It also gives you some flexibility with the volume control if you need to be without a preamp for any reason. Just one suggestion I thought might work as always YMMV. Good luck!
What don’t you like?

The only thing that I’d immediately think to change is the Emotiva. I’ve heard Parasound sound really good at a KEF demo, (LS50, Ref1 & Blade2); an A21 would be a nice upgrade at $2.5k.

The best digital I’ve heard in your budget is the Chord Hugo2 (hoping to get one myself later this year). Again $2.5k

I think a nice tubed phonostage would go well with your vintage table (I check VN every month just to gawk). I really don’t know enough to recommend anything related to vinyl (just don’t to skimp here), but an EAR834 certainly looks lovely & comes in again at around $2.5k.

That leaves money left over for boring things like room treatments, power conditioning, cables (not all on one set!), etc. If that’s already taken care of, what about another cartridge?

Pass & McIntosh are both excellent, but almost at opposite ends of quality SS sound. For that money I personally prefer Audio Research.