Are DAC's overpriced?

@rbstehno

Shrill sounding again is about emphasized treble. Analytical doesn’t mean cool, cool means cool. Analytical is the same as transparent, you can’t analyze something if the tool adds color. If you don’t wanna hear what your music/speakers/room sound like like, then maybe a transparent DAC isn’t for you, get a tube one or something that has a lot of distortion, like some Audio-GD products. If you do want to hear no added colorations, then the Benchmark, and any other transparent DAC, is an excellent choice.

Should I buy a new cd player or get a new DAC for my old player?  

There’s an Oppo 205 for sale on another auction site for $2500, that’s the best of both choices . Great DAC chips (ES9038PRO), solid disc spinner and it streams. At $2500 you’re almost guaranteed your money back if you decide to sell it and take a different direction.

Oppo 205 list $1200, current madness $2500 to $4000.Ridiculous and NOT worth $2500. Anyone want to gamble on Tulip bulbs?

"I don’t know much about DAC’s as a component and came here to learn a few things... do I need one with such a simple setup? :)"
No!

Overpriced I think would be when a company have choosen a price for its dac product so that they will show a smaller profit or eventually loss on that product compared to a better outcome if it was priced lower.

Maybe we should talk soundvalue? This is a hobby of very high diminishing returns (even loss) if you’re not careful.