analog sounding DAC?

You should address the transport jitter before changing DACs. If you are not getting great resolution from the system then its usually the source, not the DAC at fault.

If you must use a transport, try the OPPO BDP-93 with the Audiopraise Vanity93 module added.

Analogness on the other hand is the DAC. You should be shopping for DACs with good discrete analog output stages and decent power supplies. Elminating the preamp and using DAC direct to amp is best. Balanced connections are best.

These DACs are rare birds IME. Get demo DACs to audition to be sure. You are looking at some serious money to get analog, but its possible. A few of my customers have sold their vinyl after using my DAC.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Just got a Cambridge Audio DAC Magic Plus that I feel is very warm, has three filter choices and a lot of flexibility in implementation. Sounds wonderfully smooth.

Some sound advice given here by Mr Nugent while his DAC is OK there are

better you should consider as well especially with the superb Tannoys.

Namely from both ends of the $$ scale the Schiit Gungir, MHDT Havana

up to the dCS and Audio Note.

Good Hunting!

T

At the high end, the PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MK2, and at the lower end, the PS Audio NuWave DAC.

I have owned and auditioned many DACs over the past few years while comparing to my turntable. While PS Audio isn't my current preferred choice for my system, I do believe they check the boxes you're looking to check. Their latest DACs strike a good balance between tonal density and resolution.

Buy an AMR DP777 and you'll be set.

you will not get a cd reproduction to sound like lp playback.

consider the variables. the cd vs the lp. then, you have the player, or transport and dac. the analog system consists of turntable, arm cartridge and phono stage.

if you want to achieve an "analog" sound, you need an analog system as a benchmark. listen carefully and extract the characteristics you wish to emulate. i suspect you will have a hard time attaining a "sound" from deigital that comes close to your preferred anolg system.

i think you should try to attain a sound from digital that pleases you and not be concerned with a comparison to "analog".

my favorite digital system is the original zanden components.

I have listened to 3 $40k analog rigs last year and NONE of them and I mean NONE of them could matchnlet alone better my digital rig. Take that whole it ain't gonna sound analog unless younhave analog with a huge grain of salt. True there are many dacs that claim superiority but sound very digital, Weiss Minerva etc. If you know what you are doing and choose superlative equipment it is very expensive to make analog to match great digital let alone surpass it.

I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm saying that turntable are panacea for sound as some would have you believe.

Rather.., I'm saying that TT are NOT panacea for good sound as some espouse.

Rega Dac

I have on my list MBL 1511f,Meitner ma1,Weiss da202,Prism sound da2,Berkley.Any thoughts on how these could sound?

MikeD - This is the best value for your money IME:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=112012.msg1175451#msg1175451

It beats most of the DACs you mention, including dCS Debussey.

Eliminating your active preamp should be a secondary goal BTW.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Depending on budget try and audition one of Alex Peychev's (APL HiFi) new stand alone DACs. The DAC-S or DAC-M. I recently received the DAC-M and it is jaw droppingly good. I know I sound like a shrill with my own player but it really is superb.

The Chord QuteHD, as reported in a couple of online reviews, does wonders for Redbook.