Distinctly Digital Forever?

It is tough to label a dac as being "more analog" like as many things in the chain contribute, the power, the cable, etc. I use a Sony Signature DAC that can remaster any file into DSD. 

I mean, all else being equal. If another DAC using same cables and connected components sounds no more natural -- i.e., all variables being fully controlled -- then isn't THAT the time to start looking elsewhere for fixes?

hickamore, Why not just listen to FM and vinyl if that's what you like?  it's unlikely that someone on a forum will come up with the DAC that's going to give you the exact sound you want in your system given all the variables.  You'll get a lot of suggestions but you won't know till you bring one home and try it. 

If you don't have access to the millions of albums available through streaming that way, well, life's a bitch.

Much like jonwolfpell, I settled on an Innuos Zen MKIII thru an MDHTOrchid with "Grannyring" upgrades.  I don't think I'll ever try to build out my vinyl collection any more. Sounds amazing.  Virtues of streaming been covered aplenty here.  No more scrounging for "clean" albums, disappointing purchases, cleaning, etc.  Indistinguishable from same  CD thru Orchid.  MHDT DACs are R2R.  Tube roll (1) for your preferred flavor.  Using tube integrated with tube pre stage.  YMMV.

tomcy6, that's the problem -- these days my listening is 90% streaming, for all the obvious reasons. It's just that on CERTAIN material -- acoustic folk rock, chamber ensembles -- the difference between analog and streaming is pretty glaring. (CDs, it happens, fall in between. Albinoni, Mondonville, Dave Carter & their ilk sound convincing enough in that format). Also my current DAC, the Musical Fidelity M6S, a decade old and discontinued, is not a good match for my new Aurender N200 (sounded fine with more primitive streamers).