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
I believe you are better off with the DAC preamp approach. What is budget for the preamp? What amp are you using?
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.
Go used and buy a Bel Canto 3.5 with VBS.  Has a variable output.  It replaced my Threshold FET ten and Meridian DAC.  Look it up on Stereophile.
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.
All good except for the $2,700.00 for a passive preamp!!!, that’s ludicrous, "snake oil" stuff at that pricing!
Just get one of these instead for a fraction of the price, switched precision wafer board series/shunt (best) resistors and silver/gold contacts RCA’s.
https://goldpt.com/sa4.html

Cheers George