Looking for DAC suggestions

If there was a way to stretch the budget just a bit you could get a PS Audio perfect wave DAC mk II. I've seen new ones for sale with the sound bridge for 2700 right here on audiogon. This DAC is supposed to compete with DACs at any price and it sounds excellent run directly to the amp and using it to control the volume.

Hi Sue, I agree with all those above - you’re a wonderful girl and I’m jealous. You’re heart’s in the right place, but if your boyfriend is even a fraction as anal as most of us on Audiogon, this is likely to result in disappointment. We take our audio acquisitions very seriously and fret to no end before pulling the plug.

Am I wrong guys? Think about it - would you really want your girl surprising you with a new component you didn’t ask for?

I agree with Phaelon. Think about giving him a card saying that his birthday present is any dac of his choice, 2k or less. Explain to him that you want to buy him the exact dac he wants. When someone is as hardcore about a hobby as it sounds he is, it's usually best to let them make their own decision. By the way, he should propose to you... like yesterday.

Whole heartedly agree with both Phaelon and B_limo. You can't go wrong with a card, and you almost can't go right buying him a DAC for reasons stated above. You Da Bomb.

Thank you soo much for your suggestions. I decided to go with the card approach - I think it will work out best that way since he is pretty picky about his music setup. I want to thank you all for all the inputs - I have learnt quite a bit about DACs in this process :-)