Opinions On DACs Around 1,000$

My previous experience with dacs has been that differences are pretty small.

Yeah, no.  If you don’t get the info from the start it don’t get added back in elsewhere.  Listen, DACs make a HUGE difference in your ultimate performance, but only if the rest of your system is up to the task.  Tell us what the rest of equipment is in your system and what improvements/sound characteristics you’re after and you’ll get some really good suggestions here.  Without that critical info this is just a total crapshoot and you’ll get recommendations all over the place. 

I feel your pain. Ah this topic which had, and still has me scratching my head. I started getting back into music after a long absence during Covid,,,,,I was out of work for nearly a year, so of course why not put together a system. Anyway, long story short. I was gifted a little Schitt dac and bought a Pro-ject Stream Box Ultra 2 not really knowing anything except i definitely did not want a computer in the sound path. That and a subscription to Qobuz kept me busy while I streamed for new music and casual listening. There was no real magic on this DAC. While serious listening was happening on my Nottingham Space 294, I delved into the whole streaming thing and dac’s in particular. My eyes glazed over.
I decided not to chase the technology and recently bought a used Antelope Zodiac Plus with power supply, which I am still working with and trying to understand. It was a fairly high flyer when it came out - not DSD and I don’t think I care.
After the recent addition of good interconnects, I can honestly say it is getting closer to my analog side....sometimes very close but not there. Now I’m considering the master clock that compliments this unit and doing my research.
I’m pleased with where it all is. It sounds damn good with room for improvement.
Bottom line what made my decision was simple when I asked myself: How wrong can I go? Best with your search - enjoy it most of all.

Rme makes a good one. I hear a lot of the Chinese brands are pretty good. Running a Burson Composer 3xp now and like it quite a bit. Different amp than I was using the RME with so impossible to say which one I like better. What I can say is it smokes the DAC in the Bluesound Node. 

Oh the guy I bought it from had a Denefrips before the Burson and preffered the Burson. 

I believe the opposite. You get more with a $1000 new DAC than am older one. I have 2 DACs in that price range.

- Topping D90SE very neutral and do not expect any warmth from it ($900)

- Gustard X26 Pro it has more variation in sound with the filters. It is not as detailed as the Topping D90SE. It goes on sale for $1250

I cannot think of any older DAC that I would take in place of a high quality (cheap) new DAC

If your system is capable, you will hear differences with DACs, but it is not going to be a huge difference since most DACs these days are awesome. My price limit for new DACs was 2K for the last little while. However, I went 'crazy' and spent $3K for the Musetec 005 DAC and it is definitely the best one I have ever had. More bass, denser sound, not bright on top., with detail.  

The other 2 DACs I mentioned also have most of those attributes but the degree of each is not at the level as the 005.