Digital Path to Complete my System

Given what you’re looking for I’d recommend looking at the Innuos Zenith.  It offers excellent performance and has a built-in CD drive so you can just simply rip all your CDs directly into it rather than messing with external drives, etc.  Also important is their Sense app that gets top marks for usability and sound quality and is constantly being updated for better performance via easy firmware updates.  Last, Innuos offers excellent customer support so if you have any questions/issues down the road you’re in good hands.  If it was me I’d also add something like a Denafrips Hermes DDC that employs an OCXO clock and also opens up using other connection possibilities to a DAC, most notably a potentially superior i2S connection if the DAC accepts it.  Considering performance, convenience, ease of use, and customer support this could be a very attractive option and still leaves you over $10k in your budget for a DAC.

Which gets to the DAC.  That’s a very personal choice based on what sound characteristics you’re looking for so not knowing that I can’t make any meaningful recommendations.  At your budget I’d be looking at Bricasti, Meitner, Weiss, T+A, and Lampizator (if you’re open to tubes) among others.  Hope this helps, and best of luck.

Esoteric N01 XD would be perfect!

My analog side of my system...McIntosh 12000 integrated (tube preamp with ss amp), McIntosh MCD 600 SACD player, VPI classic signature tt - fatboy arm & shyla cartridge, PS audio phono preamp, nakamichi dragon cassette deck, La Scala AL5 speakers, Tributaries cables & interconnects, and then the Blue-node to stream. My desktop/den system is a Hegel 190 integrated with Kef LS50meta.

Again - want a digital path to complete my main system....just hesitant to dive in as the digital side seems to change so quickly...and I have no experience. I like the idea of ripping my CDs to a databank as suggested. Don’t want to fuse (too much) or "refine" the digital path down the road. I like where my where my analog system is...except for the possibility of trying/upgrading the phonostage...the never-ending rabbit hole.  Not to go into the politics of analog vs digital...I enjoy the "act" of placing a record on the platter...diving into the $5 dollar used record bin for albums of my youth I still do not own, and even cleaning/prepping the LP before the needle drops. That said - I am looking forward to putting together & completing a digital path/side. Surprised how good the little Blue node is for the pricepoint what it brings to the table = so much at a push of a button.

Appreciate everyone’s insight,

JR

After hearing a Visitors brought along recently released to the Market CDT > DAC in their own system, as well as the CDT > System owners DAC, has now as good as abandoned the Streaming Source as the main Source and replaced it with CD as the Source.

The 24bit Hires studio master is the highest quality medium available, when available. Streaming it from a NAS is a surefire guarantee and it beats out redbook cds and cd transports. The only exception is sacd or bluray audio, which are both fidelity competitors, i suppose. However, very few artists still offer you a sacd or bluray.

I simply can’t comprehend why anyone would botch that pristine studio master, put it on a redbook cd or viny and pay more for the latter ...(Some odd form of medium loyalty, i suppose).

Further, buying that hires studio master provides permanent ownership and supports the artist (instead of renting it on tidal, qobuz). Qobuz, for example, will sell you the official hires studio masters for less than 10 bucks a piece, when you have the sublime subscription (~15 dollars/month). That would be ~1/2 the cost of a botched redbook cd or 1/4th to 1/6th the cost or more of botched vinyl. The highest quality medium can be purchased for a lower cost than the botched mediums because there is no material/fab cost associated with the former (it is just a file).

If one is perceiving that the redbook CD from a cd transport is sounding better, there is something wrong with the execution of his hires digital chain.

@deep_333 Once more an individual touting the idea a Particular Source Material is ubiquitous in how all who experience the should accept it.

Individuals are Individuals - Their Preferences are their preferences - What is ones attraction is another's repellent.

Your claim that " The 24bit Hires studio master is the highest quality medium available, when available ". Is in no way a recommendation that will have all who encounter it used as Source Material, will want to continue listening to it in place of of other familiar Source Mediums.