Better sound quality from Lumin app vs Roon?

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Hoa Pham

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I stream music running Roon core on my Dell server/SSD using ethernet connection to my new Teac 505 streamer/DAC. I also install Minimserver on the Dell, both Roon and Lumin app are on my Ipad.
I can play the same recording using Roon app and then switch to Lumin app for SQ comparison.
SQ from Roon: a bit polite, warmer balance, smooth sounding, analog like. But not as detail or robust as I would like; less fatigue in long listening session.
SQ from Lumin: more dynamic and detail, a bit louder (could be volume level were set higher than as in Roon), more air around instrument, not as smooth, sometime a bit bright.
They are both very good, I still need to decide what I like more. Have you auditioned both under your same system configuration, which one's better?
Thanks
 
If you have not burned-in your new NT-505 yet, you may turn on repeat and let it play 7x24.

When doing A/B comparison, for playing from MinimServer it's best to (temporarily) disable Roon Ready.

You may also disable Spotify Connect and Lumin Streaming (AirPlay) if these features are not used.
 
I was told recently that Linux based servers are brighter sounding than Windows based servers. I think Lumin is Linux based? Your findings would seem to fit in with this statement.

It makes me re-think what i need to get as i like a richer, warmer, non-fatiguing sound. Does anyone know which servers are based on which system?

I'm thinking of Aurender, Lumin (correct me if i was wrong), Sooloos (Linux i believe), Wadax, CH Precision, Lampizator, Innuos, DCS, any others?
 
Howiebrou said:
I was told recently that Linux based servers are brighter sounding than Windows based servers. I think Lumin is Linux based? Your findings would seem to fit in with this statement.

It makes me re-think what i need to get as i like a richer, warmer, non-fatiguing sound. Does anyone know which servers are based on which system?

I'm thinking of Aurender, Lumin (correct me if i was wrong), Sooloos (Linux i believe), Wadax, CH Precision, Lampizator, Innuos, DCS, any others?
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Auralic, Merging Nadac,...
 
I bought a T-2 this week that I absolutely love (Thanks you Peter) for a second system. I call this my pure tone system, single driver speakers, OTL amp, Auditorium and vintage WE cables. I don't think my Lumin is quite broken in but I preferred Roon at this point as well with this equipment. It's pretty close though.
 
Welcome to the forum, thank you for joining.

ihmeyers said:
I bought a T-2 this week that I absolutely love (Thanks you Peter) for a second system. I call this my pure tone system, single driver speakers, OTL amp, Auditorium and vintage WE cables. I don't think my Lumin is quite broken in but I preferred Roon at this point as well with this equipment. It's pretty close though.
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joeinid said:
Welcome to the forum, thank you for joining.
Click to expand...

:D Don't want to hijack this; the question is related.

The T2 is my first server. I initially installed it using an old CAT (6?) cable I had sitting around. I ordered a Supra cable because the price seemed reasonable and the reviews were all good. It came today and I hooked it up but it sounds much worse than the generic CAT cable it replaced.

Do CAT cables need to break-in? It would make sense to me that they would as other digital cables USB, digital interconnects, etc do. I thought I'd ask people that have much more experience with servers than I do.

Thanks.
 
ihmeyers said:
:D Don't want to hijack this; the question is related.

The T2 is my first server. I initially installed it using an old CAT (6?) cable I had sitting around. I ordered a Supra cable because the price seemed reasonable and the reviews were all good. It came today and I hooked it up but it sounds much worse than the generic CAT cable it replaced.
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Please look at the connectors of your generic CAT6 and the Supra. Is either of them shielded with a metal connector?
 
wklie said:
Please look at the connectors of your generic CAT6 and the Supra. Is either of them shielded with a metal connector?
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Thanks Peter. The Supra IS shielded. I didn't realize that until I bought it. There were so many positive audiophile comments I figured I would give it a shot. Please see the pictures attached. I assume the shielding is a problem.

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As I expected. Some manufacturers and I recommend unshielded network cable to be used for audio purpose. The reason is that the metal connectors may connect the ground between the network switch/router and the audio device, so ground noise (and/or ground loop) from the upstream may affect the downstream equipment. To make things worse, on some network switches the metal connector is actually shared with other network ports, so ground noise from other unrelated network devices will degrade your SQ too. This is the theory, but from time to time I see audiophiles preferring shielded network cable.

Only if you're not going to return the newly purchased cable, you may do this experiment to verify whether the above theory is relevant to your setup or not. Simply use a tape to wrap the network connector to be inserted in the Lumin. If done properly this floating shield should break the unwanted ground connection between the switch/router and the Lumin. See if this restores the SQ to be at least on par with the generic CAT6.
 
I will try to do that Peter, thank you. I think it will be a tight fit once I wrap the connector in tape. It was only $80, not all the money in the world but I can't understand why it was so highly reviewed when it's got what sounds like a significant design flaw.
 
Peter

I don't know if there is something different about the T2 but I have used the same Supra cable with the NT-505, Aries G1 and the Bridge II with no grounding issues in two separate system locations.
 
This is setup dependent - the model of the network switch / router / modem, the kind of power supplies for them, whether LPS are used, etc. According to marketing materials, certain audiophile switches are supposed to address these issues.

For Lumin X1, we use fiber isolation.
 
I stream TIDAL premium service directly to my Lumin D2 player. The sound quality is very good however a bit bright and fatiguing to my ears for most of the content that I play. I prefer a warmer sound with more low end weight, but unfortunately neither the Lumin or my pre-amplifier have tone control adjustments.

I am considering the addition of Roon to my setup because I understand the software provides additional signal processing in the form of a parametric equalizer .

Feedback from others that have a Roon / Lumin setup would be appreciated. In general does Roon offer sound quality benefits over streaming directly to Lumin? Are Roon's signal processing and tone control features an effective solution to tame a bright sound without sacrifice of sound quality? Is there another solution that I may want to consider?
 
Or you could just try Qobuz for the free trial and see if that helps as it's sound is much more balanced than Tidal which I have always found to have an upper mid-range glare. The D2 is far from a "bright" component with it's Wolfson dac chip so the sound you are hearing is from Tidal or another component in your chain.
 
Jack said:
Or you could just try Qobuz for the free trial and see if that helps as it's sound is much more balanced than Tidal which I have always found to have an upper mid-range glare. The D2 is far from a "bright" component with it's Wolfson dac chip so the sound you are hearing is from Tidal or another component in your chain.
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Jack, thanks for your response. I will trial Qobuz and see if the SQ is preferable over Tidal.
 
I kept my Tidal subscription because our daughter still uses it but every time I switch over from Qobuz to try something I hear the same things you hear and the wife hears it too. Unfortunately they have some things on small independent labels that Qobuz doesn't but the gap is closing rapidly and in some categories they have a lot more.
 
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