If you're buying DACs for "sound", you're doing it wrong. They are quite literally the component with the least amount of sonic variability, statistically. As suggested, use EQ if you need that.
I would go by required feature set / sources to be accommodated. Once you're at the $500ish price point, there are quite a number of DACs with excellent measurements around which, quite frankly, are massively oversized for the application. Nobody needs >125 dB worth of dynamic range in a DAC used as a line-level source for a headphone amp, 20 dB less would still be fine. The requirement for balanced output precludes the bargain basement class, and if you want BT input or DSD playback a cheap audio interface or a Topping D10B may not be your jam either, but I wouldn't think you need to spend more than $250ish.