DAC Question: Delta-Sigma vs R2R

I’m just a caveman lawyer, but…technological obsolescence keeps me very cautious on anything digital that is expensive…My thesis is that a simple $300 DAC released last month is probably better than a five-year old $3,000 DAC. So, I buy simple, well-reviewed DACs at modest prices, and change them up every few years, and really don’t worry about it much.  Now using the iFi Zen Signature v2, and it’s enjoyable day-to-day (I have music on 12 hours a day, low volume, but always there).  I appreciate that I am missing out on the quality I could obtain with say a Benchmark DAC3 (and I will buy one used if I can catch it for the right price).  DEQX was apparently transformational to listeners when released (I’ve not heard it), and cost $5,000, but I can’t imagine they survive unless they just sell a $500 downloadable software package at this point

I have a nice vinyl setup on my rig.  I use it to listen to a selection of maybe 90 albums that make sense to me to own on vinyl (love the music, sound quality, understanding the origin of the pressing, and the music is of a scale that it could have been played in my living room. Neil Young at the Cellar Door vs. Zeppelin). I use a DAC and Roon for 90% of my listening

I’m looking forward to the abusive replies, but maybe this point of view is a useful way to think about where to spend money on a system when maybe 10% of our time is really listening, and most of the rest is day-to-day pleasure

Fun topic!

@larsman - really good question.  so, I probably overstated things for effect.  I am sure the 2017 Chord Hugo would still sound better than the 2022 $300 dac.  It’s an interesting question how the 2017 Chord will compare to a $300 dac in 2025, probably when I buy a new one (I have no idea what relative sound would be like - probably still the Chord for a person with the right ears and right system)

In my case, part of the answer had to do with biggest impact.  At the time, I thought moving from a $250 cartridge to a $1,000 cartridge on the turntable would have a good and lasting impact (thankfully, seems to be correct).  I was less sure about marginal impact on the DAC

If I were pure digital, I’d buy the Chord or Benchmark; For the conversation, I thought if would be fun to contribute the idea of “hey, how much does it really matter” depending on individual listening habits - there aren’t many hours of intense listening for me, and those hours are on vinyl, so I keep thing simple, and lightly invested, on the digital side

(btw, the vinyl is as much nostalgia as anything else - I am staying far, far away from that discussion, which in any event off topic for this thread)

Friends don’t let friends buy archaic digital gear.  Everything in our signal chains endures, but not DACs

@mod_asored I recently purchased a Benchmark DAC3 HGC, and am delighted with it. Just passing along a good 3rd party experience, if Benchmark is on your list to consider. I believe one can buy on Amazon Prime w/30 day return period