Here’s a vote for the budget Topping E30. I think it’s a phenomenal value and have no complaints about it. The SMSL SU-6 is also highly regarded. DAC performance is arguably reaching diminishing returns as you spend more (for stand-alone DACs). That’s my opinion. Can-o-worms opened. 
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I've got a Topping D10 Balanced, which has approx. the same SINAD performance as the E30 and is less expensive (about $10). It's actually as clean as I've heard for a stereo DAC.
I have to agree with the comment about diminishing returns, above. It seems as though DACs can sound a a bit cleaner/clearer if their SINAD ratings are something like 20-25 dB higher than the DAC that you're currently using.
Any other comments you might read about the sound quality of a particular DAC (especially expensive ones) usually involve only in their analog circuitry...and are usually just comments about very small amounts of unintentional EQing of the output analog stream relative to other DACs' analog circuitry. I think it's better to just EQ your loudspeakers more carefully than to swap out DACs in trying to find one that sounds better.
Chris
I have to agree with the comment about diminishing returns, above. It seems as though DACs can sound a a bit cleaner/clearer if their SINAD ratings are something like 20-25 dB higher than the DAC that you're currently using.
Any other comments you might read about the sound quality of a particular DAC (especially expensive ones) usually involve only in their analog circuitry...and are usually just comments about very small amounts of unintentional EQing of the output analog stream relative to other DACs' analog circuitry. I think it's better to just EQ your loudspeakers more carefully than to swap out DACs in trying to find one that sounds better.
Chris
@Mulburg I have some direct experience that may be useful.
A while back I bought a very cheap and cheerful low cost DAC from from Ali Express, the prozor 24/192 that has spdif inputs. It was about €20 at the time and I just wanted to get some idea of what you got at that price.
I was pleasantly surprised the sound was pretty fair, a bit lacking in bass and not absolutely silent background but much better than I expected at the price. This one isn’t suitable as your main hi fi DAC 🙂 but would be perfectly good in a secondary system.
More recently I bought an Xduoo MU604. Something of a revelation at €170. Absolutely transparent detailed and clean. I don’t don’t know if it can match the topping units at that price, but is better featured having balanced outputs as well as rca. This completely eliminated ground noise from my PC also and has much lower noise than my pre-amp, active filters and power amps.
So to answer your question directly I feel that this one at least is worth the price and I am left wondering how much more I would have to pay for better sound, assuming I could tell the difference. This hits my personal sweet spot.
Like you, I’m not too sure about building my own DAC and now I have this one I have no reason to!
All the best with your choice of DAC and enjoy your music 🙂.
Jeff
A while back I bought a very cheap and cheerful low cost DAC from from Ali Express, the prozor 24/192 that has spdif inputs. It was about €20 at the time and I just wanted to get some idea of what you got at that price.
I was pleasantly surprised the sound was pretty fair, a bit lacking in bass and not absolutely silent background but much better than I expected at the price. This one isn’t suitable as your main hi fi DAC 🙂 but would be perfectly good in a secondary system.
More recently I bought an Xduoo MU604. Something of a revelation at €170. Absolutely transparent detailed and clean. I don’t don’t know if it can match the topping units at that price, but is better featured having balanced outputs as well as rca. This completely eliminated ground noise from my PC also and has much lower noise than my pre-amp, active filters and power amps.
So to answer your question directly I feel that this one at least is worth the price and I am left wondering how much more I would have to pay for better sound, assuming I could tell the difference. This hits my personal sweet spot.
Like you, I’m not too sure about building my own DAC and now I have this one I have no reason to!
All the best with your choice of DAC and enjoy your music 🙂.
Jeff
I also got one of those PROZOR DACs (from Amazon), and it to had a buzz, I got rid of the buzz (unfortunately I can't remember how) and as it used a CS 4344 chip, I modded it so the outputs were directly coupled (via caps) to the chip and it sounded great, but the wires soldered to the circuit board broke free. You can get complete CS 4344 DAC boards from Amazon very cheaply (£5 approx) that are easier to modify. I'm quite happy with my SML Sanskrit 10th that uses an AK chip, I found an ESS DAC to sound dull.
Check used sites for a Cambridge Audio Dacmagic; I got mine from a yard sale. Or if it's for use with a computer, there are various older outboard audio interfaces that show up at thrift stores and recycling yards. I've got a tc electronic that uses firewire, and an M-audio that uses USB.