PS audio new 25K dac and the psychological effect of owning a company's best.

In reading this post and the responses it garnered it brings to mind a question I've had for a while. What metrics can a buyer look at for DAC purchases? What makes a 25k DAC better than 10K better than a 3k better than a 1k DAC? With other products such as speakers or amps we can look at measurements or build or a variety of factors to justify or dismiss the cost of a product. What can the purchaser look to to say "this makes it worth this" ?

Personally, I would never spend 25K on any DAC.  Today’s 25K DAC will be worth less than 50% in just a couple of years.  

$25k can get you a life time Qobuz subscription plus local symphony orchestra. . I won't spend more than $1000 for a good DAC. $5000 a good pair of good speakers. Enjoy the music not the quipment.

It's easy to complain about DACs costing $25k, but it would be a shame if this thread focused only on that issue. I'm certainly among those who would never pay that much for a DAC, but I'm glad that PS Audio is designing a state-of-the-art DAC to fully utilize the genius of Ted Smith to see how good they can make a DAC sound. 

PS Audio is already using some of the lessons learned in designing the more expensive DAC to trickle down into an updated Mk II version of the current DirectStream DAC. The DSD Mk II is scheduled to be released later this year and will include better power supplies, expanded FPGA capacity, more sophisticated software, etc. I'm certainly looking forward to what Ted can design - and PS Audio manufacture - in a DAC costing a lot less than $25K. 

If innovations in developing this dac trickle down to more affordable dacs good for all of us. Otherwise, value is only known to those who purchase it.
I presume cache of PS Audio goes up if dac reviews as state of art.