I wouldn’t say that upgrading is "being duped", as if all dacs sound the same and anyone who upgrades is just falling for a myth. But, as stated above, you personally may not hear any improvement in upgrading your dac, or the improvements you might hear do not justify the price, in your opinion. If you are near a dealer, I recommend you bring your dac in and let them do a demonstration for you, directly comparing your dac to something more expensive and see if you can appreciate the difference, if any. I would also suggest you listen to something you consider to be out of your price range, just to see what’s out there. If there are no dealers near you, you will just have to try one and see. Duh. But I would buy something with a return option, which I am not sure Denafrips offers. But the dealer option is a better idea for really learning about equipment upgrades. If you are looking for a recommendation, I am really impressed with my Heed Abacus dac, which is about $1400 I think. Check out the online reviews, which are extremely positive and echo my impressions of this DAC very accurately.
DAC diminishing returns
Looking for some experienced input on the diminishing return as you go up the the DAC ladder. I mostly stream music and occasionally listen to CDs. Currently, I’m using a Schiit Bifrost Multibit DAC. It’s connected to my Naim Nait 5Si and that drives Zu Omen ii speakers. In my limited experience, I have not heard any substantial differences when changing DACs. I’m considering a Denafrips Pontus DAC. Does the significantly higher cost justify what might be a marginal increase in sound quality? Is buying a more expensive DAC for better sound just splitting hairs, and making you feel better about your system? Are different DACs just different coloration of the sound?
I don’t want to be duped into buying something I don’t really need. Thanks.