Point of diminishing return for a DAC

You can do much better by spending more than $2500 for a dac. $2500 buys you a mid-fi dac. The best dacs are of the FPGA type which costs more and you get upgrades that improve the SQ 1 or 2 times a year for free. Also, the better dacs have Ethernet network connections.
Also, you don’t need a dedicated music server for a number of reasons:
1: you don’t want any kind of server in your audio room
2: you don’t want to use USB to any dac, it is a flawed connection

your Mac mini is fine running Roon, just place the server in a different room and connect to your dac by Ethernet, keep it simple and provides the best SQ

I would second the suggestion with a streamer and a DAC. Mine are 1:1 at around 1.000 €. 
In terms of diminishing returns it is worth noting that many more expensive DAC are based on another technology. Many DAC’s around less than 2K are chip-based, whilst some more expensive are FPGA-based, which means upgradeable. So it is not just about SQ, but also Lifecycle cost. 

Since I have recent experience from Pi DAC through DCS Vivaldi stack, I might as well chime in. I ended up with an Ayre Codex fed by a Roon Nucleus. I have been quite underwhelmed by the Rendu products - Digital and lifeless, reminiscent of the recent McIntosh preamps.
The Codex was a massive step up in musicality, pace, as well as micro detail and soundstage over every less expensive option. Meaning full up grades cost nearly to over $10k. If I were to upgrade, I have to say the DCS Bartok is the most affordable DAC through which vocalists sound human.
As a side note, the R2R people and to a lesser extent the Chord people make me laugh. 1) are you really going to find two resisters that match?
2) a billion taps does not make your DAC sound as good as anything from DCS.

Well! I feel like I just finished my masters in DACs.   I’m very grateful for all who took time to comment!  

mtdining48 posts12-26-2019 1:46pmSince I have recent experience from Pi DAC through DCS Vivaldi stack, I might as well chime in. I ended up with an Ayre Codex fed by a Roon Nucleus. I have been quite underwhelmed by the Rendu products - Digital and lifeless, reminiscent of the recent McIntosh preamps.
The Codex was a massive step up in musicality, pace, as well as micro detail and soundstage over every less expensive option. Meaning full up grades cost nearly to over $10k. If I were to upgrade, I have to say the DCS Bartok is the most affordable DAC through which vocalists sound human.
As a side note, the R2R people and to a lesser extent the Chord people make me laugh. 1) are you really going to find two resisters that match?

2) a billion taps does not make your DAC sound as good as anything from DCS.

OK...this is just downright absurd.
To the OP...this is the kind of thing that your post of "diminishing returns" should warn against...;p-)

First, what this dude fails to mention is that the DCS Bartok lists for $15,000 before you are victimized by a $1,000 power cord and a pair of $1,500 interconnects so you "can extract the best from it".

In fact, this post defines the absurdity of "diminishing returns.

Second, make your system "balanced".
Meaning, invest in proportionate amounts between "source" (DAC/streamer), amp, speakers and cables.

A $2500 DAC mates well with adjacent components in the relatively same price zip code. This is nt a fixed rule, but a decent one.

This same gut who thinks a DCS is the only DAC to make vocals sound human also might mandate $15,000 speakers so that the DCS has the chance to shine on good speakers.

Me..?..like I have said three times recently: I'm happy at the 92% level of audiofoolery and beloieve that each 1% on the way to the unattainable can cost $2,000 - 5,000 and if you have the money and value that...then GO FOR IT.