@hilde45 , since its within your price range, and you have some interest in tube dac options, I'd suggest the highly configurable Musical Paradise MP-D2 MK3 dac. It offers many rectifier and output tube options, screw in capacitor options, even swappable dac chips if you want to go crazy.
The beauty of the design is that you can tailor it as you go. If you change your speakers and decide you want to tame the upper end (just as an example) a tube swap would help you get there.
There's a large thread with all sorts of input from happy owners in the discless circle on audiocircle. Unfortunately, I don't think Musical Paradise does in home trials.
The beauty of the design is that you can tailor it as you go. If you change your speakers and decide you want to tame the upper end (just as an example) a tube swap would help you get there.
There's a large thread with all sorts of input from happy owners in the discless circle on audiocircle. Unfortunately, I don't think Musical Paradise does in home trials.