Linn vs Lumin

Mike

Mike

Audioshark
Staff member
Joined
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Messages
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Location
Sarasota, FL
Did someone do a Linn vs Lumin shootout last night? Hmm....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Well,well,well. That didn't take long for you to do your "Mother Superior" dance, did it ?

A little background information. Mike and I are very good friends. We talk almost every day. We are both opinionated and a little stubborn. If I want Mike to get something I like,he usually won't do it,or he will fight me all the way. I'm kinda the same with him.

I've been trying to get him into a Linn streamer for 2 yrs. He fought me tooth and nail. His biggest excuse was it doesn't do DSD. So he finally finds the Lumin,which does handle DSD,and jumps on the streamer bandwagon. And now he finally loves his digital playback ! I'm actually very happy for him, he's now enjoying a lot more music,which is great !!

Last night Jock brought his Lumin over for a little comparison with the Linn Akurate DS. The Lumin sounded a little better than the Linn, it wasn't a huge difference but it was enough that I ordered one this morning. It's a very musical sounding streamer and I preferred it over the Linn. Nothing against the Linn,it's a fantastic player in it's own right. But in my system, the Lumin is just a little better.

So...............yes Mike, you were right :disbelief:
 
The Lumin is a very very good streamer. Once it fully broken in, I'll be able to truly compare it to the Linn Klimax. I figure a couple of weeks should do the trick.

So far, it's much closer than one would think because of the cost of each.
 
Mark and Jock were right - network music players are vastly superior. When I think about all the DACS I went through, I just shutter. To me, buying a DAC is like buying half a car. The DAC manufacturer has no clue what USB cable you are using, whether you're using a Mc, Windows or Linux machine, whether you are using a laptop or desktop, what your hardware looks like (SSD VS HD or soundcard or PS), they have no idea what software you are using, etc. Too much of a crapshoot.
 
MDP said:
Last night Jock brought his Lumin over for a little comparison with the Linn Akurate DS. The Lumin sounded a little better than the Linn, it wasn't a huge difference but it was enough that I ordered one this morning. It's a very musical sounding streamer and I preferred it over the Linn. Nothing against the Linn,it's a fantastic player in it's own right. But in my system, the Lumin is just a little better.

So...............yes Mike, you were right :disbelief:
Click to expand...

WOW! Congrats Mark!
 
Mike said:
Mark and Jock were right - network music players are vastly superior. When I think about all the DACS I went through, I just shutter. To me, buying a DAC is like buying half a car. The DAC manufacturer has no clue what USB cable you are using, whether you're using a Mc, Windows or Linux machine, whether you are using a laptop or desktop, what your hardware looks like (SSD VS HD or soundcard or PS), they have no idea what software you are using, etc. Too much of a crapshoot.
Click to expand...

...Ha! Mike, they're for smart people, j/k. By the way this isn't directed at you specifically but if it fits, put the pants on & swim a lap or two.... For mine I'm subscribing to the "do your homework" group. You need to be very switched on to what triggers your good sound bad sound likes & dislikes & suit the dac with the appropriate cables & power supply etc, that will deliver the sound that you want. The biggest & most overlooked factor when it comes to digital is isolation. Why people spend 10, 20 30k on a t/t in the isolation department & then proceed to rubbish digital really shits me. Have a look at those really exceptional t/t & you will see some extravagant isolation going on there that would absolutely floor most if they knew what it cost to incorporate the said isolation into the final figure, everything counts & that count adds up! Simply put, it doesn't mean one is better than the other, what does matter is application, cables, what are they made of, your likes dislikes to the same properties of the metal & it's soundings etc,thoughtful matching so that the "synergy" is an easy given in said system, not all & very few pieces of gear/components gel well together for a complete sound without one or 2 numbers of the sound wave graph spiking like hell out of control & it has to sound like the thang that can put you to sleep at the start of the song & make you want to run a marathon by the end!! Simple huh!!!!! Then again, if it's that easy, why wouldn't you take the network player? Me? I'm not the retiring type.....yet!
 
Congrats, Mark! Wow, I know you are careful when it comes to switching gear. You've must've heard something special in the Lumin to give up the Linn!

Congrats again!!
 
Congratulations, Mark, on the new Lumin. I'm also considering the Lumin and currently have a Linn Klimax. I had enjoyed the Akurate DS before moving to the Kimax, which was a pretty big step up, so Im curious if anyone has compared the Klimax with the Lumin. Im considering the Lumin primarily for its DSD capabilities, but am curious how it compares with the Linn on standard and hi-Rez PCM. Thanks in advance for comments.

Van
 
Cavl said:
Congratulations, Mark, on the new Lumin. I'm also considering the Lumin and currently have a Linn Klimax. I had enjoyed the Akurate DS before moving to the Kimax, which was a pretty big step up, so Im curious if anyone has compared the Klimax with the Lumin. Im considering the Lumin primarily for its DSD capabilities, but am curious how it compares with the Linn on standard and hi-Rez PCM. Thanks in advance for comments.

Van
Click to expand...

Jock has both and compared. If DSD is what you are after, I think it's a lateral move sonically, but a step up functionally. But Jock can better explain the subtle nuances.
 
It's dangerously close.

I want to give the Lumin another week to break in before any true opinion but after 3 days the Lumin had all of the promise to pass the Klimax DS in SQ.

I have another week on it now but haven't listened to it yet. Ill report later once I wake up my ears to listen. :)


Cavl said:
Congratulations, Mark, on the new Lumin. I'm also considering the Lumin and currently have a Linn Klimax. I had enjoyed the Akurate DS before moving to the Kimax, which was a pretty big step up, so Im curious if anyone has compared the Klimax with the Lumin. Im considering the Lumin primarily for its DSD capabilities, but am curious how it compares with the Linn on standard and hi-Rez PCM. Thanks in advance for comments.

Van
Click to expand...
 
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