Help choosing a DAC

I owned both Denafrips Terminator 2 and Pontus 2. 
The Terminator checked all the audiophile boxes but I found Pontus to be more musical and engaging. Buy it used and you can sell it for pretty much what you paid for it. Good luck!

shrapnel,

you could try the Wyred4sound 10th anniversary DAC, one of the reviewers put it up against his VPI turntable with a $5,000 Japanese cartridge on it and he said that the 10th anniversary DAC was every bit as analog sounding, on that review I bought it, it's $4,500 US and I totally agree it is the most analog DAC that I've had in my system and they have a 30-day trial period if you don't like it you can send it back and get all your money back.

I have listen to so many different DAC’s my head hurts. 90 % of them are all linked by me in same class. OK but have different underlying sound problems. Not real sounding & colored or just plain dull and lifeless. Tube or SS makes no difference they try but fall short. Then one day I came across Playback Design DAC’s. Wow , that sounds more like my real instruments live!  Amazing the difference , even my non musical friends can hear the definition and detail like playing live in room.  Playback Design for the TRUE representative of live and organic music. 

OP,

The Pontus II is a very musical, involving, and just plain fun DAC that makes you want to listen to music. It is NOT the end game in detail, but it is so enjoyable to listen to.

I will say that adding a Denarips Iris DDC before the Pontus II and using I2S to the Pontus did bring out more of everything (including detail) without taking any of the goodness away. I do and could live with that combo for a long time. Eventually I'll upgrade to a T+A 200, or Denafrips Terminator II or Plus....when I get a better streamer.