Streamers and DACs are both progressing/evolving at a rapid rate, so combining both technologies in one box at least at this point seems a bit risky. Then again, some of the better streamers come with DACs so there’s that little wrinkle. Starting with the budget-friendly Node 2i makes some sense from that perspective, but stepping up to something like an Innuos Mini Mklll that’s not horribly expensive yet probably a good step up over the Node without overcommitting. With the Mini you can upgrade to a separate DAC later and still be left with a darn good streamer to feed it. Tough choices in a fast-moving category.
