affordable DAC for rock/metal

My setup sounds a little smooth in the highs since I got the new tweeters. There's not enough 'bite'. I don't know if a DAC will make any different there.

I'm guessing I just need something that separates instruments well and is good at bringing out the initial sound of a percussion or guitar attack.

A good example is Celtic Frost's Monotheist, it has very aggressive guitars yet it's a little too smooth sounding to me.

The soundcard I'm using is real cheap, I described it to a friend as sounding like a teenager's boombox. No clarity or detail, just your average mass market sound.

M,

Your Onkyo is a Class D amp I believe. Not sure what design it is (IcePower or other), but I recently acquired an IcePower Class D amp and have found it to be quite good for hard rock/metal type music. The top end is quite smooth and not aggressive or fatiguing in any way. If your amp is similar, I would think it a synergistic match for Klipsch or horn speakers in general.

I have both mhdt paradisea tube ( 1 step down from havana) and Contantine SS DACs. I much prefer the SS DAC for rock/metal on my good system for just that reason. It provides more bite. The tube DAC is warmer and more enticingly smooth and rhythmic perhaps and works best for acoustic music I find. Note that tube rolling in the tube DAC can have a big effect. A NOS Tung Sol tube rather than the stock GE tube tightens things up and delivers a more SS sound.