Preamp/DAC combo suggestions


I am currently using a Paradisea tubed DAC and an Eastern Electric Minimax. While this combo sounds excellent and I believe each piece is an overachiever in its price range, I am looking to do two things:
a) Move up the food chain a little, getting more resolution and refinement.
b) Reduce shelf space used by the components. Following a move last year, I really would like to eliminate one footprint, reducing clutter and getting a bit of domestic relief.

Multiple inputs are welcome although at the moment I can get by with only one if the unit's other attributes overcome this limitation. Remote is preferred if fairly transparent but not necessary.

Budget is $2K (less is fine) and used is my preference. Have already tried Benchmark and found it too clinical. Considering the Monarchy (M24?) but not sure what else fits the bill. Tubed or partly tubed would be an asset, as I believe there should be some tubes, even if only one, somewhere and now the rest of my system is SS.
kck
Get a music hall mambo. It has a great internal DAC. Play with it for a while, then send it to chris johnson at Partsconnextion to get modded. Class A amp, 24/196 DAC, great op-amps and more for way less than $2k.
Yes, make sure either the dac is tube or the pre is tube. I personally don't think both need to be tube, but I'm a tube pre forever type of audio buff. With a tube pre, you can get a wide variety of solid state dacs.
Not sure if in your mix you want remote control. If so, Bel Canto has an integrated amp w/DAC & USB... DIGI AMP. Small but powerful all in one deally...

If changin volume by hand isn't an issue... Well, then, I personally just got in a Lavry DA 10. Although, SS, it sure doesn't sound SS. I figured to just let it play all night on my main system and then listen today... So much for that plan. I went to bed about 9AM this morning! whoa!

For me it's uncommon that I run into a product which out of the box is easily listenable to. For hours on end, using a Sony Mega changer via a cheap TOS link, I was thoroughly impressed.

so today I connected it to my TX SR805 using lesser priced Audio Art RCA ICs.... again, very much fun was had, and again, quite surprizing..

I hadn't played my main system in a month or better... hurriedly placed the speakers near but not exactly where they should be too!

Oh, and I used the supplied power cord... for it much of the time... today I swapped in a better one... and yeah, it's better still.

The DA 10 and the BC int should be given some consideration. IMO.