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OP, I just upgraded a Node 2 to an Aurender N100SC and the difference was immediately apparent from the first couple of seconds of playing. Every parameter is better. It seems more like a different system than a different component. For the record, the same DAC (Border Patrol SE) and digital cable were used with both streamers.
What is the top end limit for what you want to spend and are you just streaming from one of the services like Tidal or Qobuz or local files too? As the Quetest only has Coax, Optical and USB inputs you can do the Zen Stream and a good LPS like the LHY LPS25VA for under $600 and buy both from US based dealers. If your not opposed to buy an LPS from China you can get the Teradak LPS for much less than that. The Holo Red once it's out in the wild will be $800 and has it's own internal linear power supply. There should be a review of it coming from Golden Sound shortly. In one of my systems the Zen Stream easily bested the Aries Mini which had bested the Node years earlier.
No it's not better than the Aries G1 that's in the main system now but it is significantly better than the Aries Mini it replaced. In a shoot out several years back I compared the Aries Mini against the Node for 30 days. At the time the were both $499 and used their own proprietary software. I found the Aries Mini to be a better device than the Node sound wise. In addition it had more output options and the ability to add an outboard LPS which the Node doesn't then or now. The Zen Stream will allow you to use either the Coax or USB inputs on your Chord DAC. I just recently tested the two outputs against each other using the same make and model cable and heard no difference that I could identify so if you have a Coax cable you are happy with then you are good. I am using a 12 volt Teradak LPS with R-Core transformer that I got from Ali Express. Also tried the 15v LPS from the Auralic and it works fine as well. With the Zen you will be able to use the Connect apps from both Tidal and Spotify then just use the iFi app for the unit setup and the Internet Radio function. There app does include quite a number of FLAC radio stations including all of the Radio Paradise channels plus a search function for thousands of others. For simplicity's sake just leave it on the AIO setting even after the setup. This is the power supply I bought. The premium version.https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803509834959.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.141f201fVbGcKK&algo_pvid=20fe1001-f805-4274-b324-29dd0e3c64a6&algo_exp_id=20fe1001-f805-4274-b324-29dd0e3c64a6-0&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000026851211166%22%7D&pdp_npi=2%40dis%21USD%21%2151.04%21%21%21%21%21%402103250d16591474965192445edff6%2112000026851211166%21sea&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=USThere are of course plenty of other options.
