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
Aqua La Voce - a bit above your budget, but worth considering. Beautiful analogue sound made in Italy :)
I have been a digital refusenik for decades, fully believing that nothing could ever come close to the experience of listening to vinyl  on a decent system. For me, digital was just a matter of convenience — for background listening on a Sonos system. But when I wanted to really immerse myself in a recording, it had to be vinyl. A few months ago, my analogue world was rocked: I decided to improve my Sonos streaming experience by getting a Wyred4Sound modified Port and a W4S DAC 2v2SE. All I can say is: I was wrong about digital. Yes, playing original vinyl  from the pre-digital era still sounds better than the digital versions, but that has to do with the often-inferior digital masters that are used as source. Most of the time, doing A/B tests there is little or no  difference — as long as I’m streaming CD quality — eg the “new” Neil Young record: if anyone was going to be careful about how his music is distributed, it’s Neil. The album was recorded and mastered in the seventies - so pure analogue. But the digital and vinyl versions are completely indistinguishable on my system. So one possibility, while remaining in your price range would be the lowest priced W4S DAC: the company provides an amazing upgrade path should you wish to spend more at a future date, without having to start with an entirely new DAC.
You could try the jolida or now black ice dac. It has a volume control that is for the headphone Jack however. It is a Tubed dac that has received some great reviews. Alternatively, you could grab the border patrol dac with a Tubed power supply section, also great reviews but lacks a volume control entirely. 
+3 for the Border patrol.  +2 for the Ayre Codex (with volume control).  Both sound very analog which is why I bought them.  A cheaper alternative is the Chord Mojo (very analog sound and volume control).
Download the HQPlayer trial.  It makes my digital as close to vinyl that I have yet heard