I've heard it repeated often over the years: audio equipment is subject to the law of diminishing returns. As the price rises, the rate of improvement in sound quality (a term that's so gelatinous I don't think any of us can really define it) diminishes on a pretty steep curve. Does a $32K DAC sound 32 times better than a $1K DAC? Well obviously not, so it's a matter of choosing a price range that makes sense for your budget and within that deciding what sounds best to YOU. We're all different, we all hear a little differently and have different tastes, which I've said multiple times in various discussions in the forums. It bears repeating because it's so easy to get lost in the minutiae of technical specs and industry standards that we're in danger of forgetting the most important thing, which is to enjoy the music.
To be absolutely honest, I've never heard a $32K DAC, but I have heard a number of DACs in the $1K-$3K range (which is the ballpark I play in) and for that money, especially in the used market, there are some very, very good sounding examples. Mine is a good old (well, not THAT old) Bryston BDA1. To me it sounds wonderful, though I'm sure I'll again get bitten by the upgrade bug one of these days.
To be absolutely honest, I've never heard a $32K DAC, but I have heard a number of DACs in the $1K-$3K range (which is the ballpark I play in) and for that money, especially in the used market, there are some very, very good sounding examples. Mine is a good old (well, not THAT old) Bryston BDA1. To me it sounds wonderful, though I'm sure I'll again get bitten by the upgrade bug one of these days.