Best DAC’S $5k to $15k

I’m very happy with a Denafrips Iris DDC and Pontus II combo sourced from a dedicated fanless mini PC Ethernet hardwired from fiber and separate swtchbox. PC and switchbox each have their own LPS and dedicated power outlets. 
 

With more $$ you could move up the Denafrips DDC and DAC lineup. 

@nyev 

I ultimately found the Mojo Audio DACs to sound more musical to me than others I have tried in my system, including the Tambaqui.  However, based on what I have read about the Merason DAC 1 mk2, that is one I would like to try if I had the chance.

I got my first experience of a DAC > CDP and eventually a CDT, through having a Bespoke Built Valve DAC produced for me.

Cutting Edge it is not, but it has hit all the right spots for where I am with a Digital Source.  

The DAC has travelled and been compared to other DAC's and it does not fall short, it has been a very good demo' on all occasions outside of the home.

My curiosity after experiencing different CDP's and CDT's is not to experience a different DAC, but how an exchange of a CDP / CDT used on the home system would change my perception of the end sound produced through the DAC.

We demo a lot of DAC's for customers/home trials and they always choose the Mola Tambaqui. It is truly a DAC that competes with more expensive converters. I cannot say I agree with comments saying it isn't musical, it is very much so. However, the lack of noise floor and its utter transparency make it so everything comes through - even as a headphone amp it just excels at showing all the nuance in a recording, while being very engaging. Its a special DAC. 

There's about a million DACs out there to choose from.  Who knows which one is best?  Auditioning and trail-and-error is the only way to know for sure which one sounds best to your ears.  Period!!!  Me, personally, within my price range, I thought that my  Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty Streaming DAC sounded just as good or better than anything I'd heard, including some far more costly DACs, so that's the one I opted for with no regrets.  Happy listening.