Neutral Dac?

Given the wide range of recommendations it’d be helpful if you could share your budget range to narrow things down a bit.  

Has anybody noticed different copies of the same dac varying in their sound a bit? People are noticing differences between various dac designs that are so small when measured it’s amazing. It seems these ultra perceptive ears could also detect differences between several copies of the same dac. I know with camera lenses it can be fairly easy to see and measure differences between different copies of the same lens design. Just wondering. The ultra neutral dac may not be of any specific design, but specific copies of a number of different designs may randomly hit closer to neutral than others. Nothing’s perfect, so each copy of the same dac design must sound a little different to those of us who don’t have tin ears. With microphones, I know a famous studio engineer bought 6 of the exact same model of very expensive mics, with serial numbers sequential, and then ranked them most suitable for various instruments and vocals. Then he tested his students by asking them which one is best for recording tambourine.

@soix I was hoping to avoid price but I’m willing to spend $15k. I would prefer to spend $199. I recognize the sweet spot is somewhere between but find myself lately thinking “how low can you go”?. I often find my expectations for 5 digit equipment gets in the way of my enjoyment because often the differences are relatively small compared to lower cost gear and my preconceived idea that a $14,000 dac should make me breakfast and rub my feet. The only thing I’ve ever bought that I thought was absolutely worth every dollar close to $10,000 is the Circle Labs A200 amp. Again I really didn’t want to get into price points and budgets and really appreciate @ghdprentice recommendation of the Schiit Yggdrasil. I’ve followed his posts in the past and believe we have similar opinions. I’m actually listening to the Schiit Modius and absolutely caught up in the music. I recognize it doesn’t soundstage like other dacs but timing is so spot on and tone/timbre are shockingly good at a throw away price. I know there’s a happy answer somewhere south of $10k and would ultimately like to stay there. I have the utmost respect for @grannyring and know anything he says I can take to the bank but would ultimately not like to put $14k in a dac unless I just can’t find happiness with something less expensive. Im dragging my heels at the moment but may ultimately cave and get the Tron…hoping someone will save me from myself.

I put the latest Denafrips Terminator, Mojo, top Bricasti, EMM, MSB, etc. DACs among others all worth an audition.  But this review of the top Chord DAC also has me intrigued.  FWIW…

https://soundnews.net/sources/dacs/digital-to-analog-veritas-in-extremis-chord-dave-dac-review/

@schw06 in your post above you say you got "caught up in the music" while listening to a $229 Schiit Modius.  To me that would suggest that going up their product line would give you more of what you know you already like. The most you can possibly spend on a Schiit is $2,700 for their top-of-the-line Yggdrasil+.  And, if you don't think it's worth it after you try it out, you can send it back and get 95% of your purchase price refunded.

For someone willing to spend up to $10K on a DAC, that seems like a no-brainer trial. 

Of course, sometimes we get infected with the "it has to be different than what I have now" disease even when we really, really like what we are currently using.  If that's the case, the Yggy probably won't cure your disease. ;-)