Best dac under $2500 - comparing build quality and technologies

I recommend a Schiit Yggdrasil. I did a lot of research and listening for a friend and chose the Yggdrasil as definitely the winner anywhere in that price range.~

My evaluation to choose a DAC for a friend included Ayre, Auralic, Linn, Audio Research. Berkeley, Sim, and Schiit.. I read multiple reviews on all the units I heard and their competition in order to calibrate. I actually bought a Schiit Gungnir multibit and broke it in before recommending the Yggi. My feeling is the reviews that say it’s sound is in a category of two to three times the cost are correct. Sure it is detailed, but the Yggi is also very natural sounding and musical for a solid state DAC. I was very prejudiced against Schiit before my analysis. Who names a company Schiit… someone who does not want to sell stuff. I got interested enough to by a headphone amp. I use it to break stuff in and as backup… but it shows you what you can’t get for less than the cost of a good set of interconnects.

One way to evaluate multiple components of the same kind is to read professional reviews and go listen to those that you are able to find on demo. You want to get yourself calibrated to the world of professional reviews. Then when you read a review of something you have not actually heard, you can understand what it will sound like. It is basically learning the language of professional reviewers and calibrating yourself to that standard. I have done this for at least the last 40 years. I would make a trip on Sunday up to Phoenix from Tucson to listen to the recently reviewed Mark Levinson amp or Audio Reserch preamp. You find and talk to the guy in the store that really knows his stuff. You want to listen to really expnsive stuff you can’t afford as well as stuff in your category so you know the cost / EQ. It is like fine wine, there is a vocabulary, ways of sampling the bouquet, how to swirl it in your mouth, the tannins, the finish, etc.

I have bought $20K pieces of equipment unheard with absolute confidence that I knew what they sounded like, and they did. There are a lot of problems on forums. There are no standards… some people can’t hear the difference between a Best Buy special and a high end equipment. Some people think a $1,000 DAC is a rip off. Each post must contain enough information for you to evaluate the values and credibility of the poster as well as some valuable information. So many posts are completely useless. “Buy this and be done.” Is a completely useless statement.

Nothing will replace the knowledge gained from reading a couple of books on high end audio and reading cover to cover The Absolute Sound and Stereophile.Then exposing yourself to as many systems and components as possible… by yourself in a quiet room. Although annual audio events should be on your list if you are serious.

I would think Using the word endgame would be to indicate a personal financial status… and not having an interest in continuous upgrading.