Table of contents
Introduction
It’s getting harder to justify dropping several grand on a standalone DAC in 2025—not because the high-end has gotten worse, but because the affordable stuff has gotten too good. The tech curve is moving so fast that locking yourself into a $5,000–$50,000 D/A converter feels less like future-proofing and more like buying a timeshare. Yes, Chord, HoloAudio, MSB, Meitner, and even Schiit’s $3,500 Yggdrasil still make exceptional gear for the well-heeled audiophile, and those units absolutely deserve their reputations. But the real story—the one nobody riding the Gear-Fetishism Express wants to talk about—is that DACs under $1,000 are now handling almost every PCM and DSD format you can throw at them while sounding absurdly good doing it.
At the same time, interest in pure standalone DACs is clearly cooling. Manufacturers are pivoting to DAC/amps, music streamers, and streaming amplifiers because that’s where the demand (and the sanity) is. The vast majority of listeners want fewer boxes, fewer cables, fewer headaches—and honestly, they’re right. In 2025, the smart money goes toward the products that deliver performance without locking you into a museum piece. Audio purists can still splurge on summit-fi converters if they want, but the center of gravity has shifted. The best value, best performance, and best tech are now living comfortably below the four-figure line. Bosch would call that “a clue.”
Best DACs of 2025
SteelSeries GameDac Gen 2 ($149)
SteelSeries’ GameDac Gen 2 remains one of the smartest ways to upgrade any 3.5mm wired gaming headset, whether you’re running an Arctis Nova Pro or something far more ambitious. Certified for Hi-Res Audio at 96kHz/24-bit, it replaces noisy console/PC outputs with a much cleaner signal driven by a new ESS Sabre Quad-DAC—a measurable jump over Gen 1, offering 78% purer sound and as much as 50× lower distortion.
Gamers who rely on voice chat also get a major quality bump: pairing the GameDac with SteelSeries Sonar Software unlocks ClearCast AI Noise Cancellation for both incoming and outgoing audio, cutting background clutter so communication stays sharp. Add in 360° Spatial Audio (fully compatible with Microsoft Spatial Sound and PS5 Tempest 3D) and you get more precise positional cues and better immersion in competitive titles.
Its Multi-System Connect feature seals the deal, letting you use the GameDac as a platform hub and switch between PC, PS5, Switch, and more at the press of a button. For gamers who want clean audio, strong chat tools, and true cross-platform convenience, the GameDac Gen 2 is one of the most complete DAC solutions available.
Apos x Geshelli Merlin ($225)
The Apos x Geshelli Merlin AKM Desktop DAC delivers balanced performance at a price where most competitors only bother with single-ended. For $225 USD, you get 32-bit/768kHz PCM, DSD512, a low THD+N of 0.00038%, and both USB and coaxial inputs (coax capped at 24/192 PCM). Output options include selectable RCA and XLR, all driven by AKM4493 DAC architecture and TI OPA1652 op-amps. Sure, the clear Lexan chassis leans a bit DIY, but at this price—and with this level of sound quality—it’s an easy trade-off to live with.
Go to full review | $225 at Apos Audio | Amazon
SMSL SU-9 Ultra ($499)
The SMSL SU-9 Ultra lands at $499 USD and immediately makes its case with numbers that would’ve been unthinkable in this price class a few years ago. Its headline spec—THD+N of 0.00006% (-124dB)—isn’t marketing fluff; paired D/A chips (AK4191 + AK4499EX) from AKM’s revived flagship line give this DAC genuinely elite performance. The AK4499EX, derived from the legendary AK4499, pushes PCM playback up to 1536kHz/64-bit and DSD up to 44.8MHz, putting the SU-9 Ultra in a tier normally occupied by far pricier converters. Connectivity stays clean and simple with USB, optical, and coaxial, all capable of handling DSD, while Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, and SBC adds a wireless option that doesn’t immediately tank fidelity.
Output levels are conservative but proper for home audio: 5Vrms on XLR and 2.5Vrms on RCA, backed by a 132dB dynamic range on the balanced outs (127dB SE) and equally strong SNR. USB runs in asynchronous USB 2.0 mode with PCM up to 768kHz/32-bit, plus native DSD up to DSD512, making the SU-9 Ultra a straightforward upgrade for modern computer-audio setups. At just 7.38″ × 6.06″ × 1.57″ and weighing under two pounds, it’s compact enough for a desktop but clean enough in performance for full-size hi-fi systems. For listeners chasing flagship-grade AKM tuning without drifting into four-figure territory, the SU-9 Ultra is one of the more compelling, technically mature DACs at this price.
Schiit Audio Bifrost 2/64 ($799)
The Schiit Audio Bifrost 2/64 ($799) lands with a modest $100 increase over the original Bifrost 2, but the upgrades are real and not the usual marketing sleight of hand. The shift from two Analog Devices AD5781 chips to four Texas Instruments DAC8812 converters allows Schiit to dedicate one converter to each phase in a true hardware-balanced configuration, pushing performance higher despite each chip offering less individual bit depth. Schiit’s proprietary time- and frequency-domain optimized digital filter runs on an Analog Devices SHARC DSP, and listeners who prefer a purist approach can bypass it entirely with the NOS mode. Add slide-in hardware modules and MicroSD-based firmware updates, and you get a DAC that never needs to be shipped back for upgrades—rare at any price point. Existing Bifrost 2 owners can even convert their units to 2/64 with a simple card swap.
On paper, the Bifrost 2/64 brings serious engineering: 20Hz–20kHz ±0.02dB response, THD+N below 0.0008%, IMD under 0.0006%, >124dB S/N, and –132dB crosstalk. It outputs 2.0V single-ended and 4.0V balanced, with coaxial, optical, and Unison USB inputs supporting up to 24/192 PCM. No DSD, no MQA—Schiit doesn’t pretend otherwise. What you get instead is a smooth, weighty presentation that fits perfectly on a desktop and just gets out of the way. Set it, forget it, and enjoy it. There’s a reason it remains firmly planted in Schiit’s lineup.
Topping D900 ($1,799)
Topping’s D900 makes this list because it’s one of the most technically ambitious DACs available under $2,000—an ultra-neutral, reference-grade machine built for listeners who want clinical precision, explosive dynamics, and measurements that read like an engineering flex. The Topping A900/D900 stack delivers a startling sense of control and speed, and while the tiny two-inch displays feel out of place on gear this powerful, the performance doesn’t leave anything on the table. The D900 runs Topping’s custom PSRM 1-bit engine, converting everything into a high-density single-bit pulse stream before reconstruction through an analog filter—an elegant, proprietary approach that mirrors DSD’s strengths without relying on off-the-shelf chips.
Over USB and I²S, you get PCM up to 768 kHz/32-bit and native DSD512, with DSD256 via DoP. Traditional inputs (AES/EBU, coax, optical) handle 192 kHz/24-bit PCM and DSD64 over DoP, which is more than enough for CD-quality and most hi-res library staples. Add in analog volume control, a 10-band PEQ, and an extensive input/output suite—minus analog inputs, since this is a pure digital closed-loop design—and you have a DAC aimed squarely at the user who wants absolute accuracy and zero color. It’s unapologetically Topping: engineering first, marketing second, and performance that hits far above its footprint.
The Bottom Line
Taken together, the Topping D900, SMSL SU-9 Ultra, SteelSeries GameDac Gen 2, Schiit Audio Bifrost 2/64, and Apos x Geshelli Merlin show exactly why 2025 belongs to the smart, sub-$1,000 (and slightly-above) DAC buyer. Topping brings the lab-coat precision and ridiculous measurements, Schiit delivers a desktop-friendly Multibit design with real upgradeability and attitude, and Apos x Geshelli gives you balanced outputs and honest engineering for the price of dinner and a movie.
Four very different approaches, four very legitimate wins. And the bigger truth? You don’t need to spend $5,000 to hear it. The best DACs right now are the ones delivering killer sound, broad format support, and modern features without draining your retirement account. In 2025, the value tier isn’t just competitive—it’s where most of the real innovation is happening.
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