I have an Auris BluMe HD and a Cambridge Audio CXN Streamer both of which I have run through an external DAC. Perhaps it's my age but I can hear no difference between the Auris and the CXN. In fact when I run both directly to a preamp streaming Tidal I can still hear no difference. For the money the Auris BluMe HD is a bargain and I suspect you would have to spend a lot of money to hear any appreciable difference and again it all demands on the quality of the recording. I haven't personally heard the Bluesound Node 2i but I have read reviews which, while positive about the Bluesound, rate the CXN as better. I suggest be happy with the Auris and listen to the music not the equipment.