New Bluesound's Node 2i

I’ve been using a Node 2 as a Roon endpoint in a minimalist second system. The Node 2 benefits from a better power cord. I built a silver PC with Furutech and Oyaide ends. Also, it can definitely sound better through an external DAC. I took from storage an old Marigo Apparition RCA digital cable and a Theta Gen Va DAC with balanced outputs. These feed a pair of Pass ACA 1.6 Class A kit monoblocks. The Node 2 downsampled by Roon from 24/192 to 16/44.1 for the old Theta sounds better that the Node 2’s integrated DAC at 24/192. Nice to know that the Theta still stands up! But the Node 2’s integrated DAC isn’t bad.

Node 2i's bread and butter is the operating system and the multi-room function. There are other options out there that sound better. The internal DAC is average at best. The Rotel 1572's DAC sounded better than the Node 2i with MQA even. It's a good starter kit that is for sure. I have since moved onto a separate streamer (metrum ambre) and DAC (Metrum Onyx).. you always think it sounds great until you hear better and thats what makes this hobby so fun...and expensive! cheers on your journey 

The Node benefits greatly from an upgraded PC, for me it's like night and day. Also, add a good DAC with a high quality digital coax and streaming is taken to a higher level.