Best DAC under 2k US ?

I wholeheartedly recommend the Metrum Octave. I've owned the top two dacs from MHDT, Weiss Minerva, and used a Peachtree as a DAC. IMO, the Minerva would "exaggerate" highs and lows. I thought it was great until I started listening to NOS dacs. It's then when I thought the Minerva sounded too "aggressive". I used the Peachtree Nova as a dac. The dac is the best part of the Nova I think, but a bit too much on the bright side when compared to NOS dacs. The MHDT Havana is ok, but for a few bucks more, and well within your budget, try the Metrum Octave. IMO, it is very natural and organic. Sounds less like hi-fi and more like music.

Vicdamone: I believe you made a wise choice. My Octave took about eight weeks. I hope you get yours soon.

Vicdamone: I'm trying to learn more about the Audiophilleo converter. Is it better to use the converter because it lowers jitter? I imagine the optical output of my computer has very high jitter.

Metrum Octave.

"Even with the MK2 upgrade, the DAC doesn't sound that great unless you also own the Transport."-Mcondon.

How exactly are the ones and zeros delivered from the PW Transport so special that other transports fail in making the PW Dac sound good? I'm not saying that the PW Transport is not good, in fact I'm sure it's very nice. But why does the dac sound so-so with other transports and so special with the PW? I'm just not buying it.