Upgrade path question with $2k to spend

I think you're right. A better TT and cart would make a huge impact. For under $2,000. I love the Marantz TT-15. It's a great table made by Clearaudio and comes with a Clearaudio Virtuoso v2 cartridge. It sells for $1,700. If you go to buy the cartridge only it's $1,200. Great deal.

@icegeek 

If you are looking for DIRAC & HT by-pass, then go with NAD or Lyngdorf 

Both have room correction built in. No need for separate MiniDsp

Don't get hung up on the ratings game that is not part of the HiFi world. You are listening for sound quality not looking at numbers on the sales brochure. If you must look at numbers look at what it weighs per amp channel after looking specs up looks like yours weighs 3 pounds a channel. The Hagel that was recommended above weights over twenty pounds per channel. Which do you think have a better power supply? Bigger transformer in in? My amp is rated lower than yours and weighs over two hundred pounds a channel. How low of ohms can your speaker go and your amp still be stable? Years ago the appogee duetta signature was one of the best speakers in the world and they changed the amplifier construction they went down to a half an ohm or less and many amps just blew up trying to drive an almost dead short. Might be an idea for you to visit some truely high end stores and listen to some demos. Go listen to a half million dollar home theater system and you will understand that numbers are just about meaningless sales brochure stuff. 

Regards

Ok I am spending my $2k on the Marantz TT-15.  After all your advice and looking at reviews of that table it seems like a steal.  I will report back.  Thanks everyone

You received a sound advice to sell the yamaha and get an integrated like Hegel.
You’re on the wrong path with the Marantz TT-15 (killer table/cartridge combo) that you will run it into that Yamaha / project DS bottleneck and will successfully offset your $2000 purchase. Enjoy!