What is the best DAC under $2000 and why?

Any new contenders

Just for grins.... try a Valab non over sampling dac you can buy right now on EBAY for $200.

I love it and I do not work for Valab or Kevin... I am just a very happy customer.

I am still looking for a dac that sounds better in my system. So far the Valab has sent home a Musical Fidelity TriVista 21, a Weiss Dac2, and is getting ready to beat out a Bryston BD1.

The rest of my system is fairly expensive components compared to the $200 Valab, so it's not like I could not tell the difference in sound quality due to the rest of my system sounding poor... and I also have some good audiophile buddies that will attest to what I say.

I'll admit that its appearance it not the greatest, but it sounds exquisite, so I will remain on my quest to find something that sounds better... maybe an Audio Note Dac 3.1 Kit might be a fun project. I'd like to really dig into this dac safari a lot deeper.

I guess I am just starting to learn that I don’t know a whole helluva lot compared to a lot of the folks on Agon. I think I just got very lucky with my first tube system, having met some great guys that steered me in a good direction with their knowledge and unselfish opinions.

new contenders?

used nova.

eastern electric dac.

dc

Benchmark.

Benchmark seems to go well with ATC's. For whatever reason some people find it too clinical - so it is not univerally appreciated. A system integration thing perhaps. FWIW - the Benchmark DAC also sounds great with high end headphones but I suspect you need to like an accurate dynamic sound rather then a more organic presentation in order to like thiis DAC.