Bluesound Node2 with outboard DAC

The Node 2i DAC is OK but can easily be improved upon.  I had the Denafrips Ares II which s much better at $7-800. I moved up to the Pontus which is even better.

Just this week I replaced the Node 2i with an opticalrendu package from Little Green Computer which at $1500 is amazing.

You have lots of choices.  You're probably better off starting with a stand alone DAC and possibly upgrading the streamer later.  For around $2000 the Pontus is a superb DAC and there are others out there also.  

I have a Node2 connected by coaxial to the DAC in my Marantz AV8805 preamp. It was noticeably better than using the internal DAC.  

We have a Node with AVM 70 using its AKM

4490 this seems much better than the the Dac in the Node generation 3

IMO you don’t need to spend anywhere near 2-3k on a dac to see a massive improvement from the node dac. I’ve had RME Adi-2, akm dac inside Micromega m100, and now running a Burson Composer 3xp. All sound noticeably better than the node alone. I would think even on of the couple hundred dollar Chinese dacs would better the node easily. 

Yes, I use it with a McIntosh D150, and another improvement in the sound was converting it to a linear power supply. The kit sans the power supply is from Poland.