Let's Talk DAC's

There are several other considerations.  Are you looking for something that emphasizes CD level reproduction or does it have to do high-rez as well?  The best sounding DACs for CD resolution playback are often CD only DACs,

Most DAC manufacturers focus on the digital side--DAC chipsets, clocking/re-clocking, exotic filter reconstruction of the signal, etc.  But, there are other manufactures that employ "primitive" and simple digital to digital to analogue conversion and emphasize improvement in the analogue circuit.  The two types of DACs can sound quite different, and it is worth your while to listen to both.  While they measure quite poorly, Audio Note DACs, to me, sound fantastically natural, relaxed and beautiful.  They represent quite the extreme in the emphasis in the analogue side. Some of their cheaper models (still not cheap) have essentially the same digital circuit as their crazy expensive top end DACs--the price difference reflecting the quite exotic exclusive parts they employ in the analogue side. Synthesis Audio and Lector, both Italian companies are other examples of analogue side DAC makers that make really nice sound stuff.  

Because it is talked about so much, it is easy to get caught up in R2R, filter choices, etc., but, it is worth at least trying a different path.  The result might surprise you.  

My local dealer loves to do whacky, but very instructive, demonstrations with the ProAc Tablette speaker.  Recently, he put a $30,000 tube amp on the speaker to demonstrate that amps matter a whole lot, even when the speakers are supposedly "modest" in price and expected performance, and to demonstrate how fantastic the Tablettes can sound when they are given a fair chance --i.e,, used with other high quality components.  A few years ago, at a Washington DC area Capital Audiofest show, the dealer took a laptop with stored music, a small and modestly price (but really good sounding) tube amp and the Tablettes.  The secret sauce in the setup was a DAC that now costs above 6 figures (Audio Note DAC 5 Signature).  People who heard the room were simply amazed at how good the system sounded--full, rich, alive and musical  Almost everyone went around the room looking for a subwoofer (there was none).  The speaker was fully capable of showing off an ultra expensive DAC. 

The Tablettes will be very capable of showing off whatever changes you make in your DAC choice.  Again, as I said above, you should include in your auditioning a few DACs that emphasize the analogue stage--primarily they are tube-based DACs that don't merely add a tube buffer to give them a tube sound.