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Best Bang for your Buck DAC ?

I just realized I’m in the market for a DAC , I don’t want to spend a fortune on a DAC either . I picked up a drangonfly cobalt a while back and am unimpressed  so I moved it to my CPU and sounds really good on my system there which when I bought it figured I would do anyway since it was my first DAC purchase . There are so many DACs I have no clue , how high up on the returns chart can I go at say $1,000 before I run into heavy Diminished returns resistance. I’m open to buying used . I was thinking about a Schitt made in the states ? Anyone’s take on best bang for buck DACs? 
ngiordano
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,508 posts
 
The SHD Studio is a digital front end - streamer, DSP headphone amp, input selector - NO DAC.

George  
I don't need to read those reviews. 
Or reread them.
I only reported a NON reviewers experience.
tksteingraber's avatar
tksteingraber
538 posts
 
I also highly recommend the Black Ice Audio FX Tube DAC.  On sale at times for $699 I was skeptical how good it could be atbthat price point but wow it sounds really good.  I liked the fact it used 2 12ax7’s and has built in wifi. Performs way above it price point.  https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/black-ice-audio
guy-incognito's avatar
guy-incognito
169 posts
 
Man that's a hard question without knowing what you want soundwise. If you want a safe bet DAC without a "flavor" per se, a used Benchmark DAC 2 or 3 would be a good starting point. 
urbie
275 posts
 
Well you have to go pretty high up I guarantee you $1,000 dac will not sound as good as a $5,000 dac at that point you're hitting the point of diminishing returns.
urbie
275 posts
 
Wyred for sound 10th anniversary dac. At 4,500 us it's one of the best dacs on the market right now at any price. I put it up against the Sim audio dac which is $15,000 Canadian and it left it in the dust. Very analog sounding and very accurate. The two reviewers were absolutely floored by it.
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