Best used or new DAC under $3500

I had the opportunity to hear the Auralic Vega DAC in a friend’s system that I’m extremely familiar with. I thought it was a pretty good sounding DAC but bettered by the Modwright Oppo and the Yamamoto YDA-01A DAC in comparison. I liked the Holo Audio level 3 DAC a bit more as well. I will be the first to acknowledge that these are simply my personal listening impressions.

I’ve heard the Reimyo DAC and Border Patrol DAC as well but in entirely different systems. This makes extrapolation difficult but my gut feeling is that I’d prefer both of these to the Auralic Vega. Subjective? Absolutely. Someone else could have the opposite listening impression .
Charles

Without actually HEARING each of the three in a high-resolution system in a room whose acoustics we ourselves are familiar with, we are merely guessing which one is "better."
I owned a Benchmark many years ago, but certainly not within the past 10 years. Based on THAT incarnation, I wouldn’t buy one today. However, I’ve heard it has improved. Many people swear by it, even some eminent reviewers. (I mean, why introduce ever-newer incarnations if they do not address the less appealing aspects of the older models)?
I’m happy with the Yggdrasil. On my GOOD cds, it reminds me of the sound of music in the halls I hear symphonic music in (as I’ve said many times before). That said, any system is only as good as its weakest link. 

Give Holo Audio Spring Dac a look. Ive owend one for well over a year and am very satisfied.

The problem is your decision here... " 1) Yggdrasil: Sold it as the staging was too narrow/flat and it seemed a little lifeless".

If you had this impression of the best DAC under $3500, then your other components are junk.  At which point you should have sold them and kept the Yggy!

@jozurr OP, I’d have a very, very difficult time parting with the Chord Dave, and you say: "I LOVE it."

Is there any other way you can save some ’dough’ as you put it, and keep the DAVE?

Denafrips has not been mentioned yet. There are new models that would meet your target budget amount. The Denafrips Venus is listed at SGD $3,850 or ~ US $2,900 new.

Also not mentioned (I think) is the Soekris DAC1541.