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Most organic / real / analogue sounding DAC (ideally with Volume Control) for $1500??????

I’d say I’m completely jaded with digital Hifi.   All sounds so thin & clinical.

I people raving about Benchmark DACs & Chord Mojos etc. They sound like hell to me.   Nothing at all like real live voices & instruments.

I’ve been reading about R2R Ladders & NOS.   The descriptions match what I’m looking for.   I want natural sound that makes me forget about Hifi & just listen to the music.
like Reel to Reel without the faff.

Lifelike is my aim, but I certainly prefer a warm, dark sound over clinical.

Don't need a load of inputs.  Only need 2 or 3.
I don’t have any analog sources, so prefer the DAC to have Volume Control to eliminate the need for a Pre Amp.   However, if the best sounding DACs don’t have Volume Control & there are clear sonic benefits to having a Preamp, then I could be persuaded.

I’m in UK btw, so need brands that ship to UK.


Suggestions please?


Thanks

singintheblues
zm
121 posts
 
I’m a few days late to this party, but I just picked up a Metrum Amethyst, thinking it would probably be a lot like my Border Partrol SE but more resolving, and I’m very surprised at the extent to which (thus far) I prefer the Border Patrol. In my system, the BP seems to have a lot more weight, body and bass than the Metrum (so far).

To its credit, there is no doubt the Amethyst resolves more detail than the Border Patrol.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Can't beat R2R dacs for realism
tweak1
3,680 posts
 
There’s a few Audio Alchemy DDP-1s available < $1500. It combines a pre with a dac and a headphone jack. You want one with the optional PS 5 outboard PS though. See TAS March 2016 review. They loved it
jo1mtb
121 posts
 
I would look for a used Lumin, probably a D1.  It's a player/streamer w/ a DAC and volume control.  I had a T1 and now an A1 with upgraded external PSU.  I would say they get more natural sounding as you go up to the A1, but the D1 is very impressive for the price.  
The app is also very good and the Lumin can upsample and receive firmware updates to keep up to date (MQA, etc.)
Good luck!
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,612 posts
 
good thread

lots of good ones mentioned here
More to discover