Question About DACs

++freedivers point. The difference an expensive dac makes is a bit overhyped for many people’s systems. I would review your overall system and be sure this is where you want to put your money. A lot of people would benefit more from investing the cost of a 2500 schiit yaggy in another part of their rig and going with a sub 500 dac like a dragonfly, halide or the cheaper schiit. Lots of decent options used as well in the lower price bracket. I have a 

You get what you pay for. I would only go for a FPGA dac. The 2 ps audio DS dacs are fpga based and have network cards built in so you don’t have to use the inferior usb connection and your music server/pc/Mac can be in a different room. Also, read the reviews for the psa DS dacs. You will notice each 6 months when the firmware gets updated for free, the SQ goes up and the dac is highly rated before each update. Most other dacs can’t do this. Most dacs can’t be updated to support MQA whereas the DS dacs did get a free update to support MQA a year ago

I couldn't see what the rest of your system is. I would not trust measurements very much for dacs, there are very good sounding dacs that don't measure that well and dacs with good measurements that don't seem to sound that well.

Try to find a dac with good reviews in the price bracket you are comfortable with. The Chord Mojo or the iFi Micro iDSD BL are for example probably better than your old cd player.

When I bought a better dac years ago it sounded better than my old (cheap) cdp even though I had a modest system. It is hard to say if that was the best upgrade I could do for the money.

The fact that George says R2R Multibit is bit-perfect and D/S DACs aren’t is just nonsense.

You need to read an learn a bit more. PCM is converted more "bit perfect" with R2R than with DS 

I have a Soekris dac1541 R-2r ladder DAC with internal differential signal paths. The output stage is fully balanced and is a zero feedback design. Its reproduction of redbook audio and high resolution PCM is fantastic.

While I have minimal experience with DSD and have no interest in MQA, I also have an extensive vinyl collection and a respectable turntable with an Ortofon 2M-Black. Point being, I know how to hear AND listen and I’m actually satisfied, SATISFIED! with what I get out of this DAC.

Having said that, I’m a big proponent of balanced differential signal transmission and processing from end to end in an audio system so I’ve also never bothered to hook it up to anything single endedNd cannot speak to its performance there.

Remember kids, when you’re listening to a signal that originated in an R-2r resistor ladder or a delta sigma chip, you’re also hearing the DAC’s output stage and all the other design decisions that come after whatever chip or D-to-A scheme you’re using. This is ehy no one should ever comment on a DAC (or any piece of gear) they haven’t actually listened to. Nor should you buy a piece of gear without demoing it or the right to return if unsatisfied!