Best DAC under 2k US ?

What about a used PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC? There are a boatload of them for sale on Audiogon right now. Apparently, owners have a hard time giving them away, which might be all you need to know.

(I actually own the Perfect Wave DAC. It sounds very good with the Perfect Wave Transport, which I think may be the stand out PS Audio digital component. In all honesty, the DAC sounds pretty mediocre from every other digital source -- S/PDIF, AES/EBU, and the PS Audio Bridge. Even with the MK2 upgrade, the DAC doesn't sound that great unless you also own the Transport. And even then, the DAC has a pretty narrow soundstage. In some ways, a cheap Northstar M192 I once owned threw a much more convincing, absorbing soundstage than the Perfect Wave DAC. And the Northstar sold used for about $800.)

Boatload?
I see only 2 private sales listed. the rest are commercial sellers.
Guess it is that time of year for deals as there are always less buyers at this time.
As for the SQ, either you are not set up properly or have a defect somewhere.
Many with goldener ears than you and I have made gracious statements in the opposite direction and even when comparing to much higher priced equipment.
So anyone looking for a no brainer upgrade, do some googling or speak to any serious owner for a recommendation and this might be your chance to pick up a deal before they are gone.
As a famous American once said " I don't agree at all with you my friend, but I will put up a darned good fight for you right to say it".
or something like that. Peace.
A VERY HAPPY PWD OWNER.

wow!...not sure where Mcondon is coming from with his comments. i purchased the PWT/PWD at release back in august of 2009. have the semi-recent MKII upgrade as well.

"pretty mediocre"??. i've had the pleasure of comparing it to many nice DAC's in the past three years (some costing much more). almost every person who took part in these comparisons now owns a PWD and that says it all. lots of mediocre gear out there but the PWD isn't on that list imho.

"can't give them away" is also a stretch. a good friend had to sell his entire set-up due to unemployment and his PWD literally sold overnight....for $1500. not bad for digital gear....and considering many paid well south of $3000 for the PWD's new (got mine at 2k each using the trade in option offered at release.

too each his own but a few of your comments make it seem like you have a axe to grind regarding the PWD.

I also am very pleased with both the PWD I and even more so with the PWD ll. I do like it with the PWT best, but as a Bridge owner, I listen with the Bridge 99% of the time. It sounds great and the latest software that has been available for several months is very dependable and robust.

I won't be leaving the PWD ll world anytime soon. Well maybe when there is a PWD lll.

There's also HEGEL's HD20, with the (to my mind) very worthwhile feature:

... The HD20 has a high performance digital pre amplifier, fully capable of driving a high end power amplifier.

http://www.hegel.com/hd20.htm

Price in Scandinavia is roughly $1700, so I'm assuming it won't (severely) exceed $2k in the US.

(ultraaudio.com's review of my other recommendation above, the NuForce DAC-9 - also with build-in preamp, though not with the asynchronous 192k USB input that's now available:

http://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=205:nuforce-dac-9-digital-to-analog-converter&catid=37:full-length-reviews&Itemid=2)