How easily can you distinguish between different DACs?

All competently designed DAC's sound alike - whether they cost $100 or $10,000. That's my belief/experience. Your beliefs and experiences may differ. DAC's are not turntables! In fact all competent DAC"s measure closely for distortion and noise.

@drewdawg999 +1!

@ ghdprentice

+1

That was some of the best advice I have seen to really get to know what you want and can hear.

All DACs have analog stages that are different from DAC to DAC and so is the voltage output. One would bring more another would bring less... Digital domain is pretty much the same.

Yea, some high priced DACs sound like garbage so a day and night difference.    Others I have heard sound just fine.  Just spend days comparing bottom tier chip DACs and the differences are as slight as different filters.   I have yet to hear one "markedly better" but I'll keep searching.  If I had $10K to spend, it would be on speakers. If given another $10K, It would still be on speakers.  They matter and the very best of them suck compared to a $100 DAC.  I am NOT saying a $4k DAC may not sound better even on $1K speakers, but money spent on the speakers ( or the room) will make a bigger difference. 

It really ruffles feathers, but there is a point where there is nothing circuit wise to improve on after a mid-tier level. Mass market entry tier DACs are as good or better than most studio equipment the music was mastered on.  Exclusive, aesthetics, price driven placebo, ego...   If that is of value, then the market fulfills it.