Streamer/DAC combinations

I’m just getting into the streaming scene, and ended up with an IFi Stream connected to my Schiit Urd through a Schiit Bifrost 2/64. Still warming up to streaming in general, so didn’t go all out like I’m known to do. Time will tell.    Thanks to all in this forum with comments/recommendations getting me started off.

A good Dac will massively improve your overall sound and there are so many good choices these days. Will a good Dac improve soundstage/imaging? Perhaps to a small degree but it will help in a lot of other areas also. I'd say an external Dac is mandatory with a Node.

Davegolf2424

Upgrade to a good DAC; the Denafrips Pontus 2 (used $1,400 or so), new $1,850 would be a great addition. It will work great with the Node, but is good enough to keep through your next round of upgrades.....and yes this will be very noticeable over the Node's DAC.

As Soix mentioned, a Denafrips Iris DDC will take things to a different level and allow you to go I2S from the Iris to the Pontus. An Iris they can be found used for about $400 or a little more.....if your node has a USB output

You will get a good number of streamer suggestions, so I'll leave that to to others.

Thanks to everyone for all of your suggestions!   I appreciate the input.  An external DAC is the obvious way to go.  Seems like the Denafrips Pontus II is the most popular suggestion.   kmcong mentioned the PS Audio Directstream DAC Mk1.  Thoughts about that DAC  vs the Pontus?  With the pace of improvements in the last few years, is an older generation of a higher level DAC going to outperform a new generation of a less expensive one?  Keep this conversation going,  it's been great to see the different points of view.

PS Audio DSD Mk1 is a really nice DAC. PS Audio is FPGA so I wouldn’t call it older generation as Ted Smith custom programmed it and it upsamples everything to DSD - latest Sunlight firmware is only few years old.
Worth looking into and would be choice between it and the Pontus.