Best DAC you ever heard list. 1.Budget under 1k 2. Mid Under 5k 3. Cost no Object.

This  is a good topic. But why is it under Misc audio?

I haven’t heard enough to make a meaningful contribution.

1. Topping D90 III $1K

2. Weiss 204 with LPS $3K

3. Denafrips Terminator II $5K

4. Lampizator Baltic 4 $7K

5. Berkeley Audio Design Alpha Series 3 $10K

6. Lumin X1 $15K

7. Linn Klimax DSM $40K

I own or have previously owned all these DACs except the Linn, which I have only heard at the main dealer I’ve used to source most of my gear.

BTW the Linn makes my current reference DAC, the X1, sound almost pedestrian. IME with digital sources, you really do only get what you pay for 90% of the time.

Lumin D2 - $2k

Lumin T3 - $4k

Nagra Tube Dac with separate Power Supply $48K

Under $1k.  $999.   I would pick RME adi2.  I owned this DAC for a few years and it's hard to beat for the money.

Under  $5k.  $3300  After looking at several DACs between $1500 and $6000  I chose the Lab 12  DAC 1 Reference.   I love this DAC.   Not feature rich , in fact it's pretty stripped down but sounds great.  Can listen for hours without fatigue.  

The best DAC i have heard in person is the MSB Discrete.   I would buy one if I had the means and a system that could exploit it.  

Under 1k- used RME

Under 5k- Gustard r26 or RME

Over 5k - T&A D200

I have experience with maybe 30 DACs in my systems at various times so not a ton but enough to have an opinion. That T&A was really special