Do you recall "instant improvement" from your first stand-alone DAC ?

My first DAC was some cheapo optical to RCA converter to get audio out of my bare-bones plasma screen into my circa 1977 Kenwood integrated.  It worked well enough for TV Audio.

Then I bought a Cambridge DAC200 for use in live sound production, and it made enough of a difference that I could hear the improvement in my computer speakers.

When I got serious about a system for my office I started with a Parasound DAC, but it was unreliable and eventually blew up one of my ELAC speakers, so I picked up a Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 that sounded better all around, better bass control, longer tails, etc., but the big upgrade was a DAC3 from Benchmark.  I'd say the biggest improvement is in SN ratio, it's dead quiet and since it's the HGC version I can run the output level at full studio-level (0db) into my AHB2 amp.  I'm very satisfied with this combo, feeding ATC monitors.

Most benefits are in the area of clarity and crispness.  I started out in digital with an Arcam Delta 70 player then later added an Arcam Black Box DA converter and went on from there. 

I didn’t, but yesterday i turned on my Cary dac and it sounded better than my Marantz ruby. So was it the CD or me? 

I stepped up from using the DAC in a McIntosh C52 to an Allnic D-10000. Granted, the Allnic is pretty high-end, being tube driven, output transformer-less and output capacitor-less. The difference was profound. More of everything: black backgrounds, soundstage, warmth, and an analog-like sound. It’s amazing how a dedicated DAC can change your digital game. 

My first DAC was junk. My second DAC was junk junque. My third DAC was a bit better. It wasn’t until I bought a Denafrips Pontus ll that things started improving considerably.