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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
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Whatsoever.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
I think my point is being missed as I’m a huge analog guy - vinyl is by far the most enjoyable and emotionally stirring format to listen to music provided you are set up properly, which is unfortunately linked to a price floor. In my experience there is a performance-to-price inflection point. Once you get into the $3K+ range with analog - including table, phono stage, and cart - analog begins to really distance itself from that $1500 digital front end. In fact you will have to start throwing lots of money (think multiples here) towards an exceptional DAC (like Lampizator) to start to get anywhere close to that $3K+ analog rig.

Some $500 Rega table + $500 Project Tube Box preamp + $500 Ortofon MM cart just isn’t going to a match a $1500 Benchmark DAC3 or Qutest.
fleschler
2,015 posts
 
I enjoyed the analog like sound of the EAR Acute for 14 years.  I recently replaced it with the COS Engineering D-2 DAC.  I already have an all tube audio system and I relish the added detail, dimension and dynamics of the COS and it isn't cheap.  Wonderful stepped resistor volume control and anti-jitter one second delay feature for music only, no delay for video.  I have 7,000 CDs, many great remastering with 25,000 LPs and usually not as well mastered.  I love analog when it's good but most of my CDs sound good to great as well.  So many mediocre LPs with great performances, many never to be transferred to digital CD or streaming.
justmetoo's avatar
justmetoo
381 posts
 
I prefer my second-hand Levinson no.36 (R-2R) DAC over my upsampling no.390S CDP. 

The differences are subtle - but important in longer listening, for sure. 

Most, if not all, older hi-end DACs will not have volume control, other than the 'bit stripping' kind. So not an option in my listening experience. 

I got my ML36 for some $500 not too long ago, and for a ~25 year old item it sounds as good as my best sounding analogue - given the right source material. 
However, like this item, older high-end R-2R DACs will of course not be able to decode higher than '20'/48.
I do not listen to streaming so no issue, as well recorded CDs sound fabulous and seriously challenge my pretty hi-end analogue sound (SME 10A tt, SME V tonearm, Ortofon Cadanza Black). 
M. 🇿🇦 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Yes the No.36 dac and No.39 cd-player were some of their best R2R units and sound better than the later Delta Sigma based stuff, and hard to find get for a good price, THEY KNOW😢

Cheers George
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