Best DAC Under $5000 - Opinions Please

I cast my vote for the Audio Logic 2400 as well. The most "alive"-sounding dac I've heard.

If you are into ultimate detail and resolution the new Dodson is absolutly great. If you want a more harmonic richness and smoothness with slighly less detail and resolution than the Dodson try a used Wadia 9.

Audio Note Dac 3.1 are very good and are under $5K

Hello Mriggs, I'm with Garfish and 1439bhr on this one. IMO and in the context of my system the ML360s had the best overall balance of virtues that sounded just right. It has tremendous detail and a huge transparent soundstage that is relaxed and at the same time does not get in your face. It will also have a future as Mark Levinson always offers upgrades for their DAC's as technolgy evolves so you can always have a state of the art DAC at its price point without losing your initial investment. All the best, Tom

The Stan Warren Modified MSB. I have taken this DAC around to various high end dealers, and it has beaten EVERY one in terms of musicality, dynamics and holographic imaging. Best of all, it is much less than $5000. (Stan Warren has some customers that can afford $10,000.+ DAC's, but they, like myself, are astonished at what he can do with many digital platforms...He will have you embarassing your other audiophile buddies'"break the bank" electronics!)