what dacs are fast, lively, energetic?

@decooney ..."

Agree, and it (Benchmark) was also the only DAC I ever sent back, fast.

Fast, kind of sterile, and mostly un-engaging for me.

+1

@tomwipf ..."Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty beat my dCS Bartok Apex in every aspect. "

+1

dCS is very "European" sounding... polite. Ayre is very detailed but a bit more realistic... less polite. 

Have a listen to Benchmark also. From your description you are not looking for analog like sound... but the open / detailed sound that @hk_fan refered to.