Your direction depends on what sound you prefer. Tube sound? Look for a used R2R DAC. I went from using a Node 2i for streamer & DAC and purchased a used Audio Mirror Tubadour III DAC. The sound improvement was massive. It was like buying a whole new system and that is not exaggeration. The DAC in the Node is no doubt a great DAC for the price but it’s not a great DAC.
The improvement I saw from going to an outboard dedicated DAC prompted me to upgrade to a dedicated streamer. If the improvement on the DAC was that big than I must be able to get just as big of an improvement if I spend the same amount on a streamer! I went and bought a used Lumin U1 mini which I am happy with but the improvement was no where near the scale as the DAC. Just an FYI.
Good luck on your search. So many options it’s impossible to narrow it down as you’re going to get as many recommendations as you get replies. Start with trying to provide what type of sound your looking for and you’ll get good honest replies. Hopefully something rises to the top.
The improvement I saw from going to an outboard dedicated DAC prompted me to upgrade to a dedicated streamer. If the improvement on the DAC was that big than I must be able to get just as big of an improvement if I spend the same amount on a streamer! I went and bought a used Lumin U1 mini which I am happy with but the improvement was no where near the scale as the DAC. Just an FYI.
Good luck on your search. So many options it’s impossible to narrow it down as you’re going to get as many recommendations as you get replies. Start with trying to provide what type of sound your looking for and you’ll get good honest replies. Hopefully something rises to the top.