Better desktop DAC

One more test - what exactly am I looking for, with a better DAC? Point of interest: testing two DACs playing pure / direct / native DSD. The low priced topping e30ii and the mid-priced Teac nt-505 dac-streamer. Testing my own DSD files, in this case: Traffic: John Barleycorn must die, recorded from my original 1970 Island LP. So the two DACs get the exact same DSD input.

Result - both sound quite good. But it is only when listening to the Teac that I come fully "into it" as a listener, tapping my feet, appreciating what the band tried to do, in this innovative recording. Wow! He MUST die!

Testing some more today, Steven Wilson: What life brings, in Nightowl headphones from Teac Nt-505 in main system vs Topping e30ii in office system. Streaming from Qobuz. - No contest, Teac is better. No surprise. But it is a gradient. Not night and day difference.

Maybe my budget should be 600 usd. This is still ca four times the price of the Topping. With a clear sonic improvement. If this is too much to ask for, maybe I should wait.

My office system is my secondary system. I dont want to reinvent the whole system, invest in a streamer, power conditioner, top grade cables, better speakers, amps or whatever. I like it as a modest system, specialized to my liking (single driver speakers, OTL sound etc).

Yet I do want to consider good-sounding DACs. This is also based on my experience from developing the analog chain in my main system, starting from the source (there, the cartridge) and going from there.

Since you like it so much, why don't you just watch the used market until another Teac NT-505 shows up?  

Yes, its a possibility. However it is a bit big for my desktop. And still quite expensive. And I am not sure I need the streamer part, since my ethernet connected laptop seems to work ok. Both streaming and playing DSD native from my hard disk. Not sure, what would be the typical symptoms that the streamer function needs upgrade?

@chayro - I looked at the Apos audio site, interesting, many options. Anyone you would consider?