Best DAC’S $5k to $15k

As @coleyounger1896 points out, it’s your whole chain including your speakers.  If you can audition, audition or you can wind up throwing good money on what can sound terrible in your chain. I’m fortunate to own 3 for different purposes. A DMP 6 Master paired with a Woo Audio WA7, a Mytek BB II paired with Mc MHA 200 and a Meitner MA3 on my main paired with Mc and Sopra’s, yes cabling matters. I’ve sold other dacs that sounded thin, not warm, were bright, and those that were bland.  While I took a little bit of loss selling those streamers or dacs / combos lesson learned was @coleyounger1896 stated; it has to play nice with the other toys in your playground or you will have regrets. Costly ones if you can’t unload it on the secondary or trade in market.  Good luck on your search. 

I'm the OP I've gotten plenty of good suggestions . I'm going to bow out of the discussion at this point, but feel free to carry on. 

@yyzsantabarbara Stated:

"I had a $14k DAC mentioned in this thread and it was replaced by a $2.6k DAC that I thought a tiny bit better and a lot cheaper. I used the difference to buy a killer speaker."

Can you PM the DAC Types referred to, I would like to read up on these.

Not too far down the line the used price of the $2.6K DAC may be very attractive.

My vote goes to the Meitner MA3. Very un digital sounding dac with a deep and wide soundstage. 

@axeis1 ,

Munich HiFi 2024 starts tomorrow. Might be a good idea to wait and watch what new DACs are being released.