The Bricasti M3 w/ Network card uses MConnect. It is an option and will be less bright than the Lumin.
a hair above your budget at $9k but is just incredible is the new Naim NSC 222. It is $9000 list but has a full preamp stage and an upgrade path with an outboard PS eventually. Naim has good software that they have been making for a while and this new line has moved away from those stupid DIN connectors and you can just use XLRs.
full disclosure, I am a dealer for both but I I do legit think both will deliver big in terms of natural sound.