Is there a DAC ranking list?

I recently purchased a Chord Qutest.

cakyol is on the money. (“unbeatable price” lol). 

I currently own (and use) five very different DACS (AK240, AQ Dragonfly Cobalt, Bryston BDA3, Classe’ CDP10, and the Qutest). Don’t ask.

The obvious differences are use oriented features in input, output etc. The Qutest stands out by offering versatility but also ability to shape sound. Filtering options and voltage output. (If there’s such a thing as a “giant killer” here’s maybe a factor).

The Chord is interesting to my ears because it does stand out combining a naturalness with clarity..analytics but relaxed and non fatiguing.I am still playing with the filtering options! 
 

I can’t put my finger on it but it is anything but a typical DAC. And I do like all the other DAC’s I own but the Qutest is rapidly growing on me….

Holo Audio

Holo Audio

@rpurcz 

I think no DAC is the best DAC. Peachtree offers GAN amps that don't require a DAC. So, why spend $15k on a device to color the sound.

Good question! Especially when some technically superior ones come in under $1k.

Besides, haven't the differences in DACs grown progressively smaller year by year since the 1990s? 

By 2022 even most smartphones seem to come with acceptable DACs.

@holmz 

I own a CD player, and I do some DSP.
And my main experience is that we have been hearing since the 80s that CD would destroy vinyl in term on sound quality.

And that's the point, isn't it, albeit a contentious one.

We are all democratically entitled to have our opinions and the reader is free to decide what to make of them.

with due respect to other responders - there are clear and salient alternatives to the chord qutest, as good as a dac as it is

at $1500 used, the other terrific alternatives are, based on my travels through dac land... prime examples

- denafrips pontus

- soekris 1541 or newer model 2541

- mdht orchid or istanbul (for less money, about a grand), but doing a tube upgrade, perhaps with a tube adapter closes the cost gap some

qutest is excellent, on the clear and clean, slightly lean side of the spectrum... excellent spatial capabilities, filters are nice but barely perceptible, fixed output

denafrips and soekris provide the spatial excellence but more midrange midbass warmth and fullness many appreciate, xlr outputs, additionally the soekris adds remote volume capability and headphone out, big plusses for some

mhdt tube dacs are yang to the chord’s ying -- warm, flowing, slightly softer focus, more natural less robotic sound, more coherent top to bottom, more analog in presentation overall, a more rose colored glasses view of the world... many systems can benefit from this front end

just my 2 cents