From my experiences it was easy to hear differences between under $500 DAC and $1k or higher. And the differences manifested themselves in the detail of the playback. BUT this was not the case with the grouping of $2k to $10k DACs. The only thing I was able to hear with this wide range of gear was a quieter blacks / lower noise Floor.
How easily can you distinguish between different DACs?
When I read reviews or watch them on YouTube the reviewers talk about the vast differences between various DACs. I haven't compared too many, but found the differences pretty subtle, at best.
Which got me into thinking: Is my hearing ability really that bad?
Do you notice the differences as easily as folks make out?