DAC recommendation in 5 to 10K range

@elan120 You’re on a great track to consider T+A. In full disclosure, I am a new authorized dealer for T+A, but I do have experience with dozens of DACs over the years before I became a dealer a few months ago.

Most recently in the last year, I compared a number of DACs, including a fully modded DirectStream (upgraded transformers, linear power supply, etc), a Lampizator Baltic 3, Mola Mola Tambaqui, and the $38,500 T+A SDV-3100HV amongst a few just this last year. I would pick the T+A DAC 200 over the DirectStream, Lampizator, and Mola Mola. The DAC 200 will has more body and musicality than the DirectStream or Mola Mola. It also has an incredible noise floor and is not rounded at the frequency extremes like the Lampizator (and that was after putting $1000 of tubes in the Baltic 3 to try to get the best out of it). For its price range, I can think of no better DAC. The Mola Mola is very good, albeit out of your price range unless you find it used, but it is a much more analytical DAC, so it will depend on your system synergy and listening preferences. 

Join this community, it’s for me the most dedicated and professional forum you can find on this topic.

Also checkout this great DAC comparison by a well-known forum member: Short High End DAC Comparison, PT.2 – Sonvs Apparatvs (sonusapparatus.com)

You will get a lot of detailed help, from people seriously testing & most important OWNING DAC’s (not just referring to Youtubers) for a wide range (every DAC/DSP above €25k makes technically no sense besides owning certain brand...).

I was on the DAC race the last 10 months and than joined them, lot’s of very useful insights!

jl1ny,

Funny how small changes can cause some sweet sound, just a little money and time to find a better solution. If you want to upgrade that USB cable, there are some very good "reasonably" priced cables that will improve your sound even further.

Look at eBay for Supra USB cables, just make sure that you are buying from "Zendada" who is an official distributor.....Wireworld USB cables are also excellent. Both options can be had for under $100 depending on the length you require.

Based on your description, I would check out the Merason DAC1.  It's not going to do anything above 24 192, but it's the most organic sounding DAC I've heard at $6K, throws a huge soundstage and has excellent bass.  Detail without sterility.

+1 @chcook Weiss DAC501 (or Weiss DAC502 if you need balanced headphone jack)