Opinions on best integrated under 10k?

I'm still wanting a Mark Levinson 585 integrated, but I wish it had XLR outputs.  It only has rca outs.  The reason is that, if I got it, I would want to compare the 585 alone to the 585 outputs going into my Krell class A power amp and see what the difference would be.  And I would want to use XLR connections in the comparison, but cannot do that with the 585.

I'd love to simplify things and go with an integrated, but people here and elsewhere are telling me I'll regret giving up my Krell class A power amp. 

@uberwaltz Can you relax your requirement for XLR connections? If you do find a product with these connectors (wrt. what you are looking for) they are likely not going to be true balanced anyways.

That’s the first requirement I’d eliminate.

An integrated DAC (or DAC module) is also a bottleneck and will really limit your choices. I’m glad @audiotroy brought up Synthesis. I was thinking that the Italian marque(s) would be your best bet, given your goals.

All the best with your search.

Uber,

I think some of the integrateds in the Pathos line might fit the bill.  I think their tube integrated amps are still limited with their digital inputs, but they have the rest of what you need.

Are you completely opposed to an outboard DAC?

I have a Raven Integrated Reflection MK2 tube amp that drove Wilson's and now my Sonus Faber Amati Homage tradition speakers.  My amp is 75 wpc and provides me awesome power and concert like sound.  Take a look at the Raven website and then call Dave Thomson, the owner of Raven.  He has some of the rarest tubes out there and his amps are a thing of beauty.  

uberwaltz you can easily do everything you are talking about you have your wiring scheme a bit wrong if you wanted to use an amplifier like the Synthesis A100t which does have an excellent built in coax spdif dac along with USB.


GoldNote ph10 phono into xlr input Can go into a RCA as well
Nakamichi 582 tape into rca input Easy
Pioneer dv79 into rca input Easy
Bluesound Vault into spdif Convert Toslink to coax and coax to usb
Samsung TV into toslink   Run Spdif output to amp use a toslink to coax converter
Samsung bluray into toslink Run into TV
Analog out set to run a pair of subs It has a set


Digital out

set to headphone running into an el cheapo digital to rca analog converter box to feed Schiit Magni 2 headphone amp. ( this actually sounds MUCH better than when I was running the analog out direct to the Magni 2 oddly enough)

Almost none of the high end audio products that have dac’s built in have digital outputs

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

The other more common options tube integrated with outboard dac