If you HAD to purchase a used (over 4 years old) DAC, what would it be?

Chord DAVE.  I have my Lampizator otherwise engaged right now so I'm listening to my DAVE and I am glad I didn't get around to selling it.  It is a great buy at the current price.

I've always wanted an older Levinson DAC like the 360S, that's probably where I'd be shopping.  :)

How is one supposed to make a recommendation when nothing has been shared about what the DAC will be playing with or your listening preferences?

There are a few terrific sounding DACs that are pretty much unchanged over MUCH longer than four years.  I would take a twenty year old Audio Note DAC 5 over almost anything out there right now.

There are so many great choices….I would recommend you to check out AQUA HiFi - La Scala DAC MK2

>> How is one supposed to make a recommendation when nothing has been shared about what the DAC will be playing with or your listening preferences? <<

. . . or the budget, for that matter.

Yes, many good choices. Knowing your whole system and preferences would be very helpful. It's a bit like saying find me a good desert for $10 without some additional direction. . 

Weiss 501 @ excellent price

Lampizator Atlantic 3 TRP DAC

Chord Electronics Ltd. Dave DAC w/Blue MkII Upsampling CD Player & Stan

PS Audio Directstream DAC MK II

I bought a used MHDT Stockholm v2,  Love it.

I think anything in the last 10 years is a lot better than anything before.  To answer your question, I really wish Bricasti lost their value faster. 

Mine are similar to one listed already: Lampizator, Weiss 501, Aqua La Scala. 

I’d love to have a DAVE or the 501 to use alongside my Lampizator. 

I have a Weiss DAC202 which is about 12 years old, I don't have any intention to change it anytime soon.

How is one supposed to make a recommendation when nothing has been shared about what the DAC will be playing with or your listening preferences?

Knowing your whole system and preferences would be very helpful.

The OP is asking, "if YOU needed a DAC and HAD to choose a used one, what model would YOU buy."

If I needed a DAC, I would be on the lookout for a used T+A DAC 200.

Bricasti M1 upgraded to the M1S2

@rhg3 

+1

I have the DAC 200 in a 2nd system. The rumors are true - it is remarkably good. And when decoding native DSD, is shockingly so. 

@aberyclark 
I don’t have to. I like what I have. 

Many great choices here.  Mola Mola Tambaqui is still superb, but has not dropped in price too much.

+1 @larryi As I sit here listening to an Audio Note Dac-3 Signature built in 1995.

Anything Ayre would be my choice.

B

There is no doubt I would look for a used Hugo TT2 Dac. The Dave is great too but so is the TT2 and the results are very close to the Dave but at a much more reasonable cost. especially used. There are several on US Audio Mart.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650177141-chord-hugo-tt2-dac-black/

if i had the money doge or lampizator

Mytek Manhattan II

+1 for the T+A DAC 200.   I have one and am delighted with it.   However, I think it’s only 4yrs old; wouldn’t meet the OP’s premise….  Great DAC though.

I would find a used Ayre QB-9, or QB-9 DSD, and then send it to Ayre to be updated to the QB-9 Twenty. I think it sounds wonderful in that new form, and both buying the used DAC, and then getting the upgrade would likely be under $3,000 total.

Hard to go wrong with a Denafrips Pontus if it’s within your budget. 

I recently picked up a (10?) year old Mytek dac on the cheap and I'm quite happy with it.

Depending on budget, Value ,dependability. Sonics.

I'm pleased enough with my Denafrips Venus 15 that I'd go for a Denafrips Terminator 12 or Terminator Plus, whichever of those were made 4 yrs. ago.

Maybe it’s all the advertising,  but I’d like to hear a Lampi DAC in my system.

The Schiit Bifrost 2/64 might not be old enough for your needs (!) but even bought new costs far less than a lot of stuff recommended here, and is  great DAC crammed with useful features that is "future proof" as it's easily upgraded. Its proprietary "Nexus" input I use with a Schiit Urd CD transport sounds astonishingly good, and its sp/dif from my streamer is great sounding. Its sound is on a par with and even exceeds much of the otherwise overpriced stuff on the market. 

@curiousjim Lampi DAC. Me too brother!

OP...Budget,,,your system???

@dtorc "Ayre to be updated to the QB-9 Twenty."

Very specific... but a good plan. I have had a QB-9 for about ten or more years... it always sounded good... I had it upgraded to the Twenty version... a great DAC, better performing than any Schiit.

MSB, hands down.

Here's another vote for the Levinson 360S...it's like butter.

I strongly desired an EAD 9000 mk III Pro, and I have it now, further upgraded by Noble Electronics. I would choose it again.

Rockna Wavedream