Playing CDs directly sounds to me a bit better than playing the same CD rips via the Node 2i - both in to the same DAC. Not loads in it but definitely there, side by side. If you really want to ditch CDs altogether it's nothing to lose sleep over though.
Comparing to Spotify is interesting as it usually sounds a different master, and can either be surprisingly ('live with') good or really quite flat/compressed. Never the same, from the few I've tried.
Have wondered about a LPS for he Node as the benefits it's meant to bring are what I hear between it and CD.
Also, I've heard better CD transports than this one.
Clear as mud