Looking for a DAC under 2k

traudio OP
Looking for a DAC under 2k

Don’t think you could go passed a discrete R2R from Denmark at Soekris Audio .
http://www.soekris.dk/products.html

US/Canada Distrubuter https://soekris.modhouseaudio.com/soekris-audiophile-line

Cheers George

I also have the Audio Mirror Tubedour III. Base model is $1500. I paid more, just under $2000, due to requesting upgraded parts. Upgrades can be done to the basic model at any time after purchase.   

Singxer SDA-6, the only dac with AKM4499 and non-oversampling option.
- Non-feedback preamp.
- Mundorf capacitors.
- Galavanic isolation for USB input.
- CCHD-957 Clock

Here's my limited experience on US vs Chinese-made items that I've bought.  First off, if you buy Chinese, buy through a distributor and not directly from a Chinese company, because if you have an issue it's going to be very difficult to bridge the language gap if you don't speak their language (SHENZHENAUDIO).  In short, I've had good and bad experiences with both US and Chinese manufactured goods; the US products had hardware issues, the Chinese products involved miscommunication and minor defects.

US issues: PS Audio, had 2 issues - 1,) the Mute function would not work, and 2.) when a headphone was plugged in it did not bypass the main output.  For #1 they sent me another control IC that I installed, and #2, I had to send it back because the circuits that do the bypass were -- missing.  Since these two things were under warranty they fixed them at NO charge to me, so that's important as to customer service.  Also have a Power Plant which has had zero problems, except for that thing where they yanked the internet support that allowed you to monitor performance and change settings online. 

Just sent back a Schiit Audio Freya+ where the volume control motor stopped working after 10 months - had to pay shipping and insurance back to them for a fix. 

Chinese: Denafrips Ares II, bought through VINSHINE - no issues with DAC, no problems with communication BUT you cannot send it back to them if you decide you just don't like it. 

Bought a Topping D90 from SHENZENAUDIO with the graphics on the front printed upside down, offered me $20 credit to keep it.  I did.

Also bought a Topping A50 from them, they sent me a UK adaptor for the wall wart (I am in the US and they didn't give me a choice as to type when I ordered) and after a month of trying to get them to understand that I needed the US adaptor (with pictures of what I needed) and them sending me an IEC power cord (remember, wall wart) I gave up and bought a linear power supply.  Never did get the right part, but they sent very nice and polite responses to my pleas for the right part while never actually fixing the issue, and always asking me to retract any negative feedback I might've put out about them. 

I will mention that I had no issues with the Topping equipment functioning as it should, so again, deal with a trusted distributor.  

Pretty happy with the Ares II and had the Topping D90 and that was good as well, would pull the trigger on a Pontus if it was cheaper, in that vague justification that I might possibly be missing something.