Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the word “tubelike” used in any Benchmark DAC review. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing because Benchmark DACs have other virtues, but it is what it is.
Given what you’re looking for I’d take a hard look at some of the better R2R DACs that bring the tone but won’t short you on detail. A bit below your budget I’d recommend the Denafrips Pontus ll, and if you can stretch a bit the Musician Aquarius is excellent and offers a lot of performance and parts quality for the price. Here’s a review I think you’ll find informative, and best of luck in your search.
https://soundnews.net/sources/dacs/musician-aquarius-r-2r-dac-review/