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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
trevoisier
7 posts
 
MYTEK Brooklyn DAC +
It’s a digital/analog preamp and DAC. 
It also has a phono stage with MC and MM loading options. 
Also, if you stream Audirvana or Roon the apps control the volume NATIVELY on the preamp via your device. I don’t know of many other integrated digital front ends that do that. I bought one for about $1700 brand new from the North American MYTEK distributor in NY. 
As far as the sound goes. It really depends on the rest of your system. I’m sure if you used it to feed a SET amp and a pair of Klipsch Heresys it would sound plenty analog. 
I’ve been living with this DAC for a while and I’m well happy with it. 
singintheblues OP
98 posts
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.  Some interesting stuff, which I will refer back to.

I’ve ordered a Denafrips Ares 2.   No Volume Control, but I’m hearing good things about them.   

I’ll be trying as many Pre Amps as I can get my hands on.
gents's avatar
gents
114 posts
 
"skypunk97 posts
07-25-2020 8:13pm
Take your $1500 and buy a lot of concert tickets.
$5k might get you close"
__________"limomangus321 posts
07-25-2020 10:56am
Excuse me?You want Live sounding go see a concert or go to a bar"
_______________

In this hobby, you're never more than a monkey poo toss away from this cage.


mesch
3,523 posts
 
I believe you are better off with the DAC preamp approach. What is budget for the preamp? What amp are you using?
antigrunge2
1,437 posts
 
Dacs have very high output. All you need is a passive potentiometer. The best is a Wavac Att-s which can usually be found below £2k. I‘d advise against active preamps because they all add their own sound signature. Really good preamps are hideously expensive.
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