Seeking DAC using the ESS ES9038PRO, but not a streamer

You are all correct. Thank you.

The price range can be up to $14,000 MSRP or more. I will probably spend that much or more. Westborn, thanks for the link and I appreciate your helping like that.

Please continue to chime in and help me out. The two Musetek (including the DA005 and 004) and one Ideon Audio Absolute were all I found before I posted.

This was my reasoning: I don't have access to hearing any sound or loaners and I want to own the DAC before they install the Trinnov for a 5.3 system. I did mention features I hoped to have on my future DAC unit. I did like the sound of the ESS Oppo I had, the ESS is already part of the Trinnov but a lesser ESS chip and ESS has a long reputation as being a designer of many DACs at many price points. I don't have the 2.1 HDMI Trinnov yet because 2.1 version is not on the market until sometime in 2023.

There is a big price gap between the Ideon and the Musetek and I was hoping to get a few more choices to focus on in that range. I live in a modest home that does not have space for a media room. I want to play my music and once in a while, a movie.

I did not think of that audiotroy. Am I correct to think that the Trinnov outputs to a DAC, therefore no DAC would improve the Trinnov? Is that what you mean? Being a dealer, you know what is what for sure.