Best Dac/Transport Under 50,000

Boulder 2020 DAC with dCS Verdi transport is the best I have heard. Same DAC with the Spectral transport was too detailed. full dCS stack wasn't quite as good. It's all analog in the end, and many digital pieces overlook the analog sections. I have not listened to Audio Note/MBL/EMM. I also have not heard the dual Wadia rig with GNSC statement mods. www.boulderamp.com

I just acquired the MBL 1611 DAC and it cost me an arm and a leg. Crazy expensive, but it is by far the best I've heard so far even with the crappy DVD as transport I use right now (no money yet to buy good transport - accepting donations... :) ). Definitely much better than Mephisto II.X (used to own one) and much better than its little brother, the 1511 DAC. If you want to spend 50K, IMHO it's hard to beat the MBL 1621/1611 combo.
How about the Boulder Ref. DAC? Anybody ever heard them? One went on sale here a few months ago.

I recently had the opportunity to audition the Zanden 5000 Mk. IV/ 2000 transport combo (with I2S link) in NYC. While it is phenomenally good--as well it should be for the $43k asking price--I still prefer the Meitner. The Zanden, to these ears, has a very soft, analog, rounded sound--perhaps a little TOO rounded IMHO. As a poster mentioned above, the Meitner sounds neither digital nor analog. It really is in a class by itself. I've never heard digital reproduced so accurately and warmly at the same time. I personally chose the Meitner for those very reasons, and so far nothing has surpassed it, not even the Zanden, which costs ~$25k more.

First thing is to ask yourself do want SACD capability: given you are an analogue guy, I would strongly suggest you look into SACD/CD players. Thus Reimyo and Zanden, the two best CD only players I've heard,..you may want to rule out. I audition Meitner CDSD transport + DCC2 (assuming you don't need multi channel), dCS Verdi La Scala + Elgar + DAC, Esoteric P-01 & D-01, Accuphase DP100 + DC101. I ended up choosing Meitner gear but you may differ.

No one mentioned Stax x1t DAC, I'm surprised. The Stax x1t is far the most analog sounding DAC I've heard. Outperforming the Zanden in my opinion!