Do some DACs "handle" sibilance better than others?

OP, My main observation is just that sibilance is likely influenced by much greater factors than a DAC.

It’s understandable why Hans B.’s comment caught your attention, as most reviewers don’t typically link DACs directly to sibilance. My point is not that Hans B. is a shill. My point is that when reviewers make definitive statements about how a component will sound in your system, they effectively become marketers. Why? Because they simply cannot know your room acoustics, your speakers, your cables, or your personal hearing sensitivities. These are all much larger factors that contribute significantly to how sibilance (or any frequency anomaly) manifests in your listening environment. 

Reviewers like Hans are in their own controlled (or uncontrolled) spaces with their specific equipment. They can’t predict how a DAC will interact with your unique setup. Ultimately, addressing sibilance often requires looking at the bigger picture of your audio chain and listening space rather than isolating one component like a DAC — even if your desire is not to make it worse. It’s just much more likely that the DAC is not relevant. My two cents.

Plus 1 @soix 

@stuartk 

Some chipsets produce a brighter sound and my ears can’t handle it anymore.  I’ve also found that I have issues with most “Over Sampling” filters. That’s why I’ve stuck with the Pontus ll. If/when I upgrade my DAC, it will most likely be with another ladder DAC.

I’m interested in following your journey.

Jim

So my goto sibilance test is the terrific Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions CD.  I know this is considered an audiophile recording, mine is the regular CD,  but despite meticulous technique and "special" mics, sometimes and throughout the album Margo's just too close miked and with enough ssses and ttts it overdrives the mic to "hard sss";  not enough to spoil the performance but noticeable on this chain:  OPPO95, I2s, Pontus II (12th gen FPGA software), Holo Bliss KTE, OG Susvara HPs.   Much more noticeable thru my Vandersteen HT system. 

I don’t believe in sibilance vs non-sibilance DACs, but rather some DACs can tame some sibilance caused by the audio chain+recording

Your DAC is likely to have the least effect on sibilance of any component in your system unless it’s badly engineered. You’re more likely to hear a lot more difference between different speakers and different preamps than between different DACs, so long as the DAC is well-designed and doesn’t introduce a lot of jitter.
 

But in general, R2R DACs are considered to be somewhat darker and more euphonic than Delta Sigma DACs. This is only a generalization and some Delta Sigma DACs won’t sound hyper-detailed, revealing sibilance in the recording.