In the 500$ region you'll find plent of interesting DACs both new and used.
The NEW kid on the block is just a tick OVER your 500$ limit but is, to me, the most interesting of the lot.
The CA DACMagic PLUS has a number of interesting features including headphone output. The volume control can also be assigned to the audio outs...either balanced or unbalanced. This means for a dorm / desktop system of the HIGHEST calibre, you'd need a source, the DAC and some powered speakers. You could bring the whole thing home for 1600$, with a good pair of Grado SR60i 'cans'.
In the higher cost brackets of DAC, the choices are wacky. Rega? Bryston? NAD Masters? Bunches of others to suit.
The NEW kid on the block is just a tick OVER your 500$ limit but is, to me, the most interesting of the lot.
The CA DACMagic PLUS has a number of interesting features including headphone output. The volume control can also be assigned to the audio outs...either balanced or unbalanced. This means for a dorm / desktop system of the HIGHEST calibre, you'd need a source, the DAC and some powered speakers. You could bring the whole thing home for 1600$, with a good pair of Grado SR60i 'cans'.
In the higher cost brackets of DAC, the choices are wacky. Rega? Bryston? NAD Masters? Bunches of others to suit.