Has Anyone Compared the DAC On a Bluesound NODE 3rd Gen to a Separate DAC?

Yes, but only to some expensive ones.  The blusound is decent, about comparable to ones found in ~$1000 preamps.  But when compared to high end gear, it's rather limited.  Using the DACs built in on my Michi X3 and Mac C47 you can easily tell the blusound's DAC sounds compressed.  Plugging it into my Sim 280d and it's a night/day difference, the Sim makes the blusound sound much better but at that point the Sim has a superior sounding streamer built-in.  

i am using a Ares 2 with my Bluesound.  the Ares 2 is a gateway drug.

Blow sound sucks period ,$100 dac in the case ,save your money for

a Denafrips aries2 night and day better for $900

Uh oh…sounds like this is going to get expensive.  I tend to buy first what I would eventually buy if I took steps.

I think you speakers may be limiting more than your dac. Belabor 8000 are not known to be high end speakers. I think you should try to listen to some other speakers and amps first.