Best integrated for PSB Imagine T2's


I have an NAD C390DD all digital integrated amplifier. I am considering a big improvement in a DAC, as in a PS Audio Perfectwave DAC. This along with my Project Xtension 10 turntable/musical surroundings nova phenomena phono preamp, would give me quality analog signal inputs from all my sources. Considering an upgrade to an integrated that could better process analog to my PSB Imagine T2 speakers with a big improvement in SQ, any thoughts on an endgame amp for around 5 to 6,000?
128x128easola01
Sure thing!

The T2s and the Creek were a great match.  The Creek digs to 170w at 4ohm and the first 25 w are class A.  It really did the trick.  I moved the Primaluna out for the hot Chicago summer months and went back and forth with the Creek and Peachtree. 

The Creek has such a nice spectrum of sound.  Nothing is bloated and the highs are simply airy without harshness.  I'd love to try the Creek up against many other SS integrateds because it has great PRAT and does everything well.  It is very smooth.  

The bass on the Creek into the T2s is really something.  I thoroughly enjoyed that.  

The Nova is a bit harder to pin down.  I don't know if the Class D stuff really takes more time to break in.  I like it now and all is good, but I don't think it sounds as good as the Creek or the PL. All of that said, the Peachtree is up and running and keeps me happy. When fall strikes, it'll move out and the PL back in.
Tube rolling on the PL HP is not expensive in the preamp phase, but is in the amp section given the number of tubes.
Well, okay. I don't know, can you suggest a phono preamp? I guess I am a little disoriented, as every review I have read is glowing regarding the move phonomena
Yes, I understand. Sometimes you ask one thing and get so many different opinions covering the entire system. But that's not bad actually because the entire system must work as one, as one component, in a manner of speaking. Perhaps you are right to find the best integrated first and then maybe deal with the phono stage. Besides, that hypothetical integrated might have an onboard phono stage that will be just as good as what you have now or better.
Any Rogue Pharaoh owners? How good is the phono in there?
Your Blackbird cartridge, is it High Output or Low output?
Generally speaking of separate not onboard phono stages and assuming that msrp is about right, phono stage should be at least twice as expensive as the cartridge to get everything or almost everything out of the cartridge, in my opinion. In my own set-up it is about four times more expensive. When considering an integrated with onboard phono, one should be reasonably sure that the phono stage was not an afterthought, that the designer is indeed serious about vinyl playback. VAC, Gryphon are, Octave possibly too, not sure.
Okay. Well, the mc blackbird is low output. I guess the phono stage is at approximately the same price point as the cartridge. Will have to give this some thought