External DAC?

agree with fuzz

hifi heaven very good, very reasonably priced, very attentive

recently bought an mqa module to try in a sonnet dac from them... they were fast, responsive, excellent all around

The DAC in the Node 2i isn’t awful, but that’s not much of an endorsement. Most decent DACs will be an easily audible upgrade. I ran coax to an Oppo 105 and then stepped up to the Qutest. Definite improvement each step, but I think I’m at the point of diminishing returns while still using the Node as a source. Now I have the Oppo running into the Qutest, too. I don’t find it overly analytical at all, but I also have tubed pre/amp. I’m using the incisive HF roll off filter. The HF roll off is intended to help contain >20k artifacts in high sample rate files. Not that my hearing goes anywhere close to that. There are also warm filters with and without HF roll off, but I like it as is. You might try something more budget friendly like a Schiit Bifrost or some of the other suggestions. I still want to try a few different types of DAC to try to hone in my ear on each one‘s characteristic sound, but I just spent that money on whiskey instead.

I have a Node2. I just bought an MHDT Orchid tube DAC with a Silnote Audio Classic Digital RCA cable. The Orchid cost $1,300 with the upgraded Tung-Sol tube. Love the ability to change the sound with different tubes. Reviews all rave about the Orchid. I also considered the Pagoda XLR balanced that had two DAC chips per channel. It runs around $2,000 and is considered their best model with the Orchid. I highly recommend checking them out. Great fit and finish, very musical,
not etched sounding DAC.

I recently upgraded from a Node 2 to a Mytek Manhattan. Originally planned to get the Manhattan w/o the network card and use the streamer in the Node but Mytek was adding in the network card for free (normally $1200). I played it both ways and found that to me the Mytek network card is noticeably better than the Node streamer but the much much larger difference was the Manhattan DAC (with either streamer). The Manhattan  appears to be out of your price range but I’ve been very impressed with my Mytek experience. 
Bottomline is that I think you would benefit greatly SQ wise using the Node 2i as a streamer with a DAC like the Mytek Brooklyn which is more in your price range. 
I hope whichever way you go you enjoy the journey. 

I have a Node 2i and Topping D90.  Very nice sound.  Dynamic with better sound stage, better bass to name a few.  I think the D 90 sounds better bypassing pre amp i.e. volume all the way up. I think.it is hard to beat for for the $1050 i have invested in both plus $40 coax.