https://orchardaudio.com/shop/pecanpi-plus-streamer-premium/

Starkrimson PecanPi+ Streamer Premium

I have basic version whiich sounds pretty good even compared with Chord Dave and Mscaler combo.

Thomas

The Gustard X30 was just announced in June and became available on the market this August. While I haven’t heard it myself, it has received top ratings for soundstage size, to the best of my knowledge. I just wanted to bring it to your attention.

https://soundnews.net/reviews/sources/dacs/gustard-x30-dac-review-the-quintessential-delta-sigma-dac/

I agree with @fsonicsmith1 and am going to add an observation.  Yes, holography, air, and decay are in or absent from the recordings and should not originate or be manipulated by the dac. In my experience you want to prioritize resolution over analog like musicality. I would look for a well implemented Sabre dac, like the Musetec 005, 006, or Gustard X30, which are musical and have amazing resolution, not an R2R dac.

++++++1 Denafrips Pontus II (latest edition). I have had mine for a few years, and it is still one of the most musical and enjoyable DACs I've ever heard.....and for the $2,000 cost, is a ridiculous deal. I run mine out of a Denafrips Iris DDC (another great deal) via I2S, which takes the whole game up another notch.....you'll notice a bunch of us use the Denafrips Pontus/DDC combo

Yes there are better DACS, and yes I will upgrade the Pontus at some point, but that will be with a DAC 3 to 5 times the cost.

I think there are multiple factors that go into a holographic sound with air (aka ambient cues).

1. The acoustics of your room have to be right. Uncontrolled stray reverberation can reduce the sense of air as can rooms that are too acoustically damped.
2. Speakers have to be set up correctly for better resolution in the sweet spot.

In terms of DACs, I have a Denafrips Pontus II with the original firmware version. It conveys air and ambient cues in an organic sounding way. I’ve heard both the dCS Bartok and Rossini. Both sounded somewhat synthetic in tonal quality to me while the Pontus, though not the last word in resolution, produces music that sounds like its produced from blood, sweat, and tears. As crazy as this will sound, I wouldn't take either one of the dCS DACs I heard over the Pontus.  If I step up from the Pontus, it will be to the Linn Organik DAC in one of their network music players. That takes the organic sound that the Pontus offers to the next level of resolution and presence.

Here’s some ways to make the air and 3D soundstaging from the Pontus be even more audible in order of increasing price.

1. Audioquest Jitterbug if using the USB input: This ~$50 device increased the clarity of the sound and reduced digital edginess.
2. Power cable: I’ve tried 11 power cables including a basic $15 Tripp-Lite Heavy Duty power cable up to a $1400 Shunyata Research Delta XC (admittedly for power conditioners but not DACs but it was loaned to me for free by a friend). My DAC sounded best with $95 Supra LoRad power cable. Beneficial effects from the perspective of making "air" and 3D soundstaging more evident were:
   • Quieter background
   • Better separation and placement of instruments and voices

   • Better resolution of low-level detail

3. Power conditioner: I got an Audioquest Niagara 1200 this past July. Effect of the power conditioner were more of the same as produced by the Supra power cable.