I think that once you reach a certain price level for audio equipment, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. From then on you are paying an enormous premium for subtle improvements in sound reproduction that only those with exceptional hearing can notice. And since one’s hearing declines as we age one must also wonder about the logic in spending such considerable sums of money on state of the art audio gear. As for spending $50,000 or more on a digital to analogue converter, if you have the disposable income to do so, that’s great.
Personally, I like the Schitt Modius that I have, which cost me slightly over $200 as a b stock unit a few years ago. Based on my listening experience with the Modius, if it errs at all it does so by ommission, rather than commission.
It’s provided me with many hours of listening enjoyment, without causing me to feel like I need to replace it with a more expensive dac. Of course this is all subjective, and I no longer chase gear like I did for decades. Interestingly enough, I also enjoy this hobby more than ever because I now spend my time listening to music rather than particular sounds that my audio system is producing.
Something which I enjoyed early on this hobby but later found to be more of a distraction. YMMV... 🤔