Higher End DACs

Guys - wow, really appreciate all the thoughts and perspectives here!

just a couple points to clarify:

- i don’t have any (and don’t really anticipate having) ripped music files...so, as fat as i understand it, don’t have the need to get into NAS/server mediums?

- i fear this may open a whole other can of worms...but what are folks’ thoughts on SQ of playing cd thru a high quality transport vs streaming high rez through something like Tidal?  I know the spec is potentially better thru DSD/MQA but also not sure how much of that spec is theoretical vs discernible thru human ears?

- reason i ask about cd SQ vs streaming is one of the brands I am heavily interested in is Esoteric...and I suspect the best bang for the buck there may be going with one of their cd players (i know they have the N line - but i view their strength and differentiator is thru the cd transport and associated DAC?)

i don’t have a current collection of cds...and was originally not even thinking along those lines, as i figured if wanted to play a physical disc it would be vinyl...however, im wonder if i should keep vinyl as more a niche thing for myself (given less availability and my focus on particular pressings which lowers availability even more).

so, perhaps i should think about cd or is that just silly at this point in the evolution of things?

- obviously, if i don’t go the cd route im going internet streaming.

- i need to narrow my focus so that i can try working with dealers to get some demos...of course, there are a ton of brands but im going to focus on 2...

esoteric (for the cdp/dac combination) OR

esoteric (for the streamer/DAC) and DCS (for the network streamer/DAC and/or DAC only)...

any fatal flaws with focusing on these 2 for the purposes above - im hoping they are both mature, stable, quality enough that it wouldn’t be a bad choice going with either of these and can just let my ears decide?

If you don't  have CDs I would go with streaming. It would take a lifetime to accumulate the music you can access.

Only focusing on the two...

any fatal flaws with focusing on these 2 for the purposes above

I have recently auditioned the Audio Research DAC 9 together with the Aurender ACS10.
The sound is supreme abd the storage capacity is enormous and CDs can also be burned and stored.
The total cost minus the the cables is under 11K.

@djones51 I recently demoed the Matrix X-Sabre Pro and unfortunately found it one of the least compelling of the DACs I was trying (Audio Mirror T3 SE, iFi iDSD pro, Lampizator Amber 3, Shiit Bifrost 2, & PS Audio Directstream).  It sounded mellow and smooth with no noise, but didn't really build a 3 dimensional soundstage.  I found it a little grey and sterile and always just wanted to switch over and listen to one of the other dacs whenever it was up in the rotation.  That said, Apos audio gives you no-hassle 30-day free auditions, so if you're interested you can give it a shot fairly easily.  [P.S.  Of those DACs, the Audio Mirror sounded best in my system.]