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Just wondering...

Sorry about the poor choice for the title but I just couldn’t compress my question into only a few words. I’ve been watching A’gon to find a good deal for a decent DAC in the $1K price range to improve my CD listening experience. As I look through the listings, I see DACs priced in tens of thousands - saw a Boulder 2020 with retail price of $32K listed for $15K. Probably an awesome bargain for somebody. To some degree I can understand speakers selling for crazy prices partly justified by their sound as well as their "furniture" value. I’m also sure a $20K pair of speakers will still sound incredible ten years from now. I can even sort of get amplifiers being a little crazy in price but they seem to last forever, at least technology-wise. I’m still loving my 35 year old McIntosh amp but can’t imagine using the same DAC even three or five years from now. What am I missing? Can a $32K DAC sound that different from a $1K DAC?

128x128kalali
mesch
3,424 posts
 
Cooper. I also use a BDA-1 and think it a great DAC and purchase on the used market. Serves many sources as well. If usb is required simply use a USB/SPDIF converter as the USB input is included as a convenience at that time. 
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
a $32,000 DAC should sound like music.  a $1,000 DAC cannot.  
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cleeds
5,757 posts
 
cerrot
a $32,000 DAC should sound like music.  a $1,000 DAC cannot
I've heard quite a few sub-$1K DACs that "sound like music." For goodness sake, a used Theta Pro Basic can "sound like music."
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
time for a blind listening test

I am also going to launch a kickstarter to make balsa wood cabinets that look just like the Nagra DAC from a distance - you can stick your Dragonfly or iFi in there.
bigkidz
3,334 posts
 

czarivey
$26k monoblocks sounds more reasonable than $32k DAC, but still too much.

Not if you have a crap source going into the $26K mono blocks.  The DAC can be one of the most influencial component in your system.  What if the DAC gave you a huge soundstage with space and air around vocals and instruments, had a tone you never heard before where each instrument was capture perfectly, 3D sound, macro/micro dynamic swings with ease, tone, tone and more tone to die for, etc., something you never heard before, would that be worth the cost?

Happy Listening. 
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