DAC with the best midrange ever.....

Rtn1 may have hit the nail on the head. You may want to explore tube power amps or at least a tube DAC but a tube power amp will probably make the biggest difference in the direction you seek.

I am so sorry to say this to some but The Krell stays!!!! That's not the problem. Its the source I am looking for.I had all the tubes amps you can imagine and finally got out of them. Audio Research Reference Pre and Monos/ Sonic Frontiers / CJ's ( It does not come any sweeter that this and after years I realized thats not the problem. tubes have a special character but that's not the character I am looking for, I gave up more of my music having tubes and we wont discuss about there here)and found out my set up now can be as smooth or even warmer that tubes, patience / cable changes / tweeks and largest investment was time and measuring tapes that got me where I am now.
What I am trying to say is we wont go to other components in this thread and stay with the source issue since that where it lies in my chain. I am sure it varies from system to system.
Thank for the advise though.

You have had 11 CD players, and have listened to yet more. And you are looking for a DAC that is 'musical'. You'll need to help us a little here.

Maybe you need to be more specific about what you are looking for, what music you like, and what you appreciate most when you listen to music. Also, what have you auditioned, and what do you like and don't like about them.

You got a serious case of DACitis.

I agree with Rtnl. The Krell seems to be the synergy problem. I have owned Krell's and liked them a lot, but they are very detailed and lean to the poiny where it can make your source irrelevent. I own the Benchmark also, same issue as the Krell but the sound can be tweaked down the line, where the amp is the end component. If you want musical and melodic, try flipping the amp and see if that makes a difference.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the player I own and that is the GNSC modded Resolution Audio Opus 21. I have an admittedly modest analogue setup, but in comparison the Opus definitely has the qualities that makes analogue so good. It's a very musically involving player.