Best Dac with USB input for $1,000 or less

[Agreed. It is great value. Of course it works best with very neutral equipment - so it only fits with a limited number of setups.]

I agree as well... everything works best on a limited number of setups. It's hard to think of a component that is "Universally Best", especially if you add the parameter that it's "Under $1000.00".

Listen to everyone's advise, take reviews with a grain of salt(the mags get paid from advertising), but when it's time to spend the money, only your ears really matter.
Paul

My vote goes for the Tranquility Dac by dB Audio Labs. I just recently did a comparison in my system against the Ayre and PS Audio perfect wave. As good as the Ayres soundstage was the Tranquility's was better and had sustain and decay missing in digital.

Tranquility DAC? I seem to recall a lengthy horn-tootin' post on that DAC over on AudioCircle - was that you on that trumpet as well? I haven't heard much else about it except [URL=http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1258679140&read&keyw&zzdb+audio+labs+tranquility+usb+dac]thisvery tranparent shill post[/URL] here on Agon. I have not found sustain and decay to be missing in digital. Did you find it to be missing in those other DACs you mention comparing it to?

Hi Jax that was my thread I started on AC. Yes I did on the DAC's that were mentioned because its not a characteristic of digital (good or bad).

Yes I did on the DAC's that were mentioned because its not a characteristic of digital (good or bad).

Sorry, I don't think I understand you. Sustain and decay are characteristics of sound, so yes, in that respect they are certainly not a characteristic of the digital system that may be rendering them. How can they be "missing in digital", or present with one DAC and not with another? The way you have stated it, to me implies that when listening with an Ayre DAC sounds cut out abruptly, and the natural decay of the sounds that were recorded (and which exists on the digital recording) was just not there via your system... While that same missing decay was present with the other DAC you tried. And how was sustain missing? From wiki: Sustain level is the amplitude of the sound during the main sequence of its duration. How can this be missing from digital?