In your price range you're going to have a lot of options. I'm sure many will chime in with their suggestions. I guess if I were on this hunt (and in some way I am), the first thing I'd want to resolve is the preference for how I want to hook my PC up to a DAC. You've got a few options here: firewire, USB, Toslink (if using Mac), ethernet, and wireless.
What I've learned so far is there is no de-facto standard and each has benefits and disadvantages.
I suppose if I wanted to throw the money at this you are willing to the Modwright modified transporter could be an interesting option. So might the new Ayre USB DAC, Empirical Audio, Wavelength, VRS Audio, UltraFi....you get the point.
I was at CES and THE Show this year and bumped into a reviewer I know who is well respected. He did a comparison of a number of DACs that allow the use of computers as transports. His final take was that sonically there were subtle differences between each of the products, but no clear cut winner. That answer really bummed me out.
BTW - here is an interesting article:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue41/ca_intro.htm
It features a number interviewees responding to the same set of questions regarding computer audio.
What I've learned so far is there is no de-facto standard and each has benefits and disadvantages.
I suppose if I wanted to throw the money at this you are willing to the Modwright modified transporter could be an interesting option. So might the new Ayre USB DAC, Empirical Audio, Wavelength, VRS Audio, UltraFi....you get the point.
I was at CES and THE Show this year and bumped into a reviewer I know who is well respected. He did a comparison of a number of DACs that allow the use of computers as transports. His final take was that sonically there were subtle differences between each of the products, but no clear cut winner. That answer really bummed me out.
BTW - here is an interesting article:
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue41/ca_intro.htm
It features a number interviewees responding to the same set of questions regarding computer audio.