Best integrated for PSB Imagine T2's

Easola, any update on your research and decision?  Just curious!

Hello jbhiller. I have decided on the primaluna hp. Sounds like a terrific component. I am intrigued about tubes and their SQ. You helped me on this. I do want something that will bring the best out of my T2's. I know that they are not $30,000 speakers, so I need a special amp to produce good sound. I am also looking at the luxman da-06 DAC for the lush SQ it provides. Coupling these with a melco n1-a server....after these my system will be complete. Any suggestions would be welcome! P.S. What did you mean about swapping pl for ss? Also, so glad you like your hp with your T2's. Did you hear other amps with them and then decided on an hp?  James

Rogue audio chronus magnum ii 

Personally I think you are going the wrong direction as evidenced by all of these suggestions. You are looking to spend way more money then you have to. If you are looking at the Prima Luna integrated plus a Luxman Dac and a Melco server you are talking $12-15k by the time you are finished with cables and other goodies to power $3k speakers.

You can actually get comparable sound and in some ways better for much less money today. In the last few years the concept of high end integrated with great dac has been gaining mommentium and the reason is simple:

1: you can save money
2: you can eliminate complexity
3: you can save space
4: and in some ways get sound quality and technology that was not available unless you spent way more money.

Take for example the new Naim Uniti Nova, $7k https://www.naimaudio.com/product/uniti-nova

you get a powerful 80 watt Naim amplifier, a superb   dac, a built in streamer and it connects to almost any streaming device ie Apple Airplay, Google Chromecast, DLNA and Blu tooth.

This means that an entire family can now access the once too complicated world of high end devices. 

The Naim Uniti Nova sounds amazing, with a huge sound stage, deep tight bass and a liquid midrange, it sounds similar to a $13k Naim 272 preamp and a 250DR amp which improves upon the sound but it is surprisingly similar.

The Uniti Nova comes with a fantastic easy to use and sexy control app is of moderate size and weight and drives the PSB beautifully we play it with the T3 and the combo is fantastic!

In addition the Uniti is part of an entire family of streaming amp/speakers the Muso line which starts a $899 so you can seemlessly add more interconnected Naim products to more room in your home such as Kitchen or guest room.

If your heart is set on trying tubes there is a fantastic tube integrated which should outperform the Prima Luna piece and it has an excellent built in dac this is the Synthsis Action 100 which is a 100 watt KT 66 based Italian tube amp from one of Europes most respected tube companies.

http://www.synthesis.co.it/action-a100t.php again it costs way less then going the separate dac amp route it is $7,500.00 the internal dac was previoulsy sold separately for $3k and it does 24/192k sampling okay not quite as nice as the outboard dac route but the internal dac sounds really excellent. 

You may ask yourself why do these guys know so much? We have one of the largest collections of high end gear on the East Coast and we have tested many of the major brands of gear out there.

We have a huge selection of state of the art integrated amplifiers from

NAD M32, Micromega M100, Anthem STR, Naim Uniti Nova, Synthesis A100T, T+A R2500 and a few others,

Unision Research makes another great contender the Unision Research Unico 90 which is a $5k tube/hybrid integrated if you want to get the best possible bass control with the magic of tubes the Unison is the piece. 


Here is a little video of our shop from last year before we put out some of the newest crop of gear 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NPIn3pEmI4

I hope this helps we would love you to consider some of these new suggestions as you may be able to get a great sounding system that would now have a host of new advantages for you while saving money to move up to a pair of T3 or other great even better speakers than the PSBS.

Just food for though

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

Hmmmmmm, interesting audio troy. I will have to look at that naim. I have changed my mind from the luxman to the simaudio 280 for a dac, but again will look at the naim. As far as upgrading the t2 to t3, that is double the price...I don't know. But you have given me food for thought