Is it possible to find a good DAC for under $50, 000?

This is Vlad from Audio MIrror. Many cheaper DACs can sound better than more expensive ones. I have two models that outperform many other DACs with much higher prices. Tubadour VI is one of them - $7500 and big brother - WAVE Tube DAC - $22000. Both will be officially launched in 1-2 weeks. WAVE Tube DAC debuted at Axpona 25. I did some comparisons with other DACs. Tubadour VI outperforms Lampizator Pacific big time. WAVE Tube DAC sound equal to TAIKO Olympus with build in DAC.

…. is a point at which sensible effects cannot be discerned. At that point, it becomes either an exercise in confirmation bias and/or faith.

I disagree, typically those who purchase costly gear usually have a matching costly audio chain with noticeably lower noise floors to tell the difference.  “sensible” is not a word to describe our costly hobby, when wants don’t line up with our budgets can drive us crazy.  

@mahler123 

I knew TAS (the magazine And the staff) decently well at one time, and I am hard pressed to remember them suggesting to anyone that their dac was "obsolete,"  just because of a new technology on the horizon. 

And not all of us who have/had state-of-the-art systems are part of the 1%. I’d bet most of us AREN’T. It's just that the joy of music is paramount to us, instead of a skiing trip to Gstaad. 

Although, come to think of it, it would appear my ears (old as they are) are in some alternate '1%' because, to me,  it is not all that common that even some very good components recreate acoustic instruments (orchestral has the most variety) tonally  correctly.  I listen to digital, but to my ears,  there are tonal  differences from how they sound in the symphony halls I go to. Vinyl sounds more like a symphony hall.

But then, most people aren’t listening to classical. And TAS, at heart, is a magazine based on music acquired in the vinyl age (1940-1995), and based almost exclusively on classical music. That’s what is (mostly)  used for reviewing purposes, although other genres have appeared in the magazine.

I have an MSB Link Dac 2 that I paid $150 for and I’m very happy with it! 

+1 @kennyc !