Thread: Lumin L2 & Lumin X1

Originally Posted by ozzy

I have a Lumin X1 connected via fiber from an Ether Regen. I have an 8TB external hardrive connected to the back of the Lumin X1 via a USB cable.

I am not sure what I would gain with adding the Lumin L1/L2 over just using my external hard drive.

Can anyone explain what would be the advantage?

ozzy

LUMIN USB Storage

"Browsing of USB storage is limited to simple Folder Browsing where you can navigate through your folder structure on the drive. All folders are visible (even if they don't contain music) and artwork thumbnails for folders will be the first embedded artwork found directly in the folder."

Originally Posted by ozzy

I have a Lumin X1 connected via fiber from an Ether Regen. I have an 8TB external hardrive connected to the back of the Lumin X1 via a USB cable.

I am not sure what I would gain with adding the Lumin L1/L2 over just using my external hard drive.

Can anyone explain what would be the advantage?

ozzy

From Lumin's L2 webpage:

4 PORTS
With 4 network ports LUMIN L2 can simplify your wiring and remove the need for cheap (and electrically noisy) switches around your hi-fi.

FIBRE NETWORKING
2x SFP ports allow optical fibre networking input and output, completely electrically isolating your hi-fi from the rest of your network.

LOW-NOISE DESIGN
Shielded, low-noise power supply, thick and rigid CNC aluminium chassis, and spacious layout all help provide untouched data to your network player.

Also, from the web page, it's designed for ease of set-up and use:

UPnP Openhome music server
ZERO CONFIGURATION
Simply add music to LUMIN L2 via USB or over the network and it all gets served automatically. No complex installation or setup steps.

LUMIN SERVER SOFTWARE
Our bespoke server software is specifically designed for the demands of LUMIN owners - featuring rock-solid stability, rich tag support and, of course, high resolution PCM/DSD support.

BUILD QUALITY
Silent, vibration-free design offers the same thick shielded CNC chassis construction as our high-end P1 music player. Available in the same black and silver finishes, LUMIN L2 is the perfect accompaniment.

The Lumin L2, or a NAS or computer with Mimimserver installed, is a music server and not a hard drive mounted either locally or remotely as a disk volume.

It's like the difference between accessing a website that shows you a bunch of photos on webpages, with search capability and metadata information. Versus opening a folder on your computer that shows all the individual photo files as names and directories. Certainly in both cases you can find and select a photo to look at, but the former provides a lot more convenience and functionality.

Also, as a server, it can be accessed and used from multiple places simultaneously. You can do the same with a network share of a mounted directory, but that's not possible if you are just connecting a hard drive to a single device (e.g. the Lumin X1) which does not export network shares.

I found that usb access was sometimes slow on my Lumin A1 and it always had to boot up when I turned on the A1 which took what seemed like a variable amount of time from not too long to kind of long.

I got an L1 this year and installed it connected to my router. Now all the music on it is always available and it may well sound more dynamic and I think it also sounds identical to streaming the same content from Qobuz, for example now.

The other feature that I LOVE is that it can be accessed by any audio streamer that uses the UPnP protocol. So I keep it attached to my router in a location where I access it with my Vitus amp's built-in streamer.

Even better is that there's an option to access the L1 remotely so when I'm where my Lumin A1 resides, my music is accessible there, too.

Thanks Neko and Christian, those were very informative replies. Something I may consider getting at some point is an L2.

Cheers, gents.

Or, Minimserver Starter for $0 on your existing computer (if you have one) / Minimserver Full for $28 GBP. Personally I think using a music server instead of manual navigation of a directory structure to be significantly better, even if you only have one playback device and/or are only using the Lumin app, from a functionality perspective. But of course everyone should use whatever is best for themselves.

Yes, as always, please install the free MinimServer to a NAS or computer instead of using a USB drive connected to the Lumin. I have been saying this repeatedly for as many years as I'm here.

Especially if the L2 is considered to be expensive, please consider fanless NAS instead.

Originally Posted by ozzy

mgeso,

Thank you for your post.
I have read all the info that I can find on the Lumin 1&2. It has a lot of features that frankly doesn't mean anything to me. Nor does it help anyone who already owns a Lumin X1 and an attached quality external hard drive. Other than perhaps adding another $$$ piece of equipment, that will require additional cabling, shelve space etc.

I must sound like a broken record, sorry, but I still don't know how the Lumin L2 will better my Lumin X1 connected via fiber from an Ether Regen. My recorded music is connected on an 8 TB Hard drive to the Lumin X1. And, the music is easily accessed via the Lumin App.

ozzy

Hi Ozzy -

I totally understand the search for answers on new gear. But I wonder why you are trying so hard to be convinced you need the L2?

It sounds like you are fine with what you have. Why not just be happy with that and stop wanting to be convinced about the L2?

Originally Posted by ozzy

It caught my interest because I am really impressed with the sound and functionality of my Lumin X1 and I thought that perhaps this device would be a good add on.

That is until I saw the price. I have seen the 8TB version selling for $8000!
So, I kept trying to figure out why, and what it does that makes it cost so much money.

ozzy

The L2 is $5500 with 8TB. It’s not just storage. With a 4-port audiophile-grade network switch on board, its two optical fiber SFP ports and two RJ45 copper ports, the L2 can streamline and enhance your network.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Originally Posted by ozzy

"With a 4-port audiophile-grade network switch on board, its two optical fiber SFP ports and two RJ45 copper ports, the L2 can streamline and enhance your network."

Mike, How? What more will it be able to do over what I am already using the X1 & hard drive for?

I have seen it priced $5000-and $8000.

ozzy

Why don't you go listen to it for yourself rather than asking others to tell you?

Originally Posted by ozzy

"With a 4-port audiophile-grade network switch on board, its two optical fiber SFP ports and two RJ45 copper ports, the L2 can streamline and enhance your network."

Mike, How? What more will it be able to do (music wise) over what I am already using the X1, hard drive, Ether Regen, fiber cable for? Can I use the 4-port switch for my Apple TV video connection?

I have seen it priced $5500-and $8000. Nice to know the lower price is more accurate.

ozzy

It’s really aimed at folks already with a Lumin. What we learned with the L1 (and hopefully the Professor will chime in here) is that music stored on the L1/L2 actually sounds better than the exact same file played on the local NAS. The L2 is more of a complete solution for someone wanting to add network filtering, storage, fiber all under one roof or shall I say, in one box rather than having wires and boxes everywhere.

The $8000 number might be the price in Canada. The fully loaded 8TB SSD one here is $5500.

It’s really a cool piece. Sounds great. We’ve been playing with it for a couple of weeks now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Originally Posted by Crocorock

Thanks for this post.
My understanding is that the K41 is a pure server. No streaming services.

I would like to know which sounds the best: K41 or L2?

Respectfully, not sure how someone could answer this question with any accuracy without doing a direct side-by-side comparison in a well set-up room with proper acoustics, listening to the exact same well-mastered music content using the same DAC, amplification components, power distribution and speakers on the same day, at the same temperature and barometric pressure in the room. If all these other factors are not "controlled" (as in performing a properly controlled scientific or engineering experiment), any conclusions comparing them would be "anecdotal" rather than "objective", as it were.

Maybe a dealer that carries both products, or a reviewer that has had both in for review, and has properly set up both the L2 and K41 in a controlled manner in the "reference system", would be able provide the information you're looking for.

Good luck in your research and cheers.

Originally Posted by further

I do not know if that I the case with the L2 or the K41, but would not at all be surprised they both improve with run in time.

and...

Originally Posted by further

My feel is even 200 hours run in is probably not enough. Rightly or wrongly, I have believed that power supplies can make a significant difference and can take many hours to evolve. My original K50 had linear power supplies, while the G4 triple-cascade technology is different. I was happy with my original K50 and happy now. Possibly in error, but I believe my upgraded hardware may be better suited for software changes recently released and those coming.

Yep, none of these findings are inconsistent with my experience with "burning in" my Lumin P1. The guidance from Lumin is that the P1 requires 500 hours of "burn-in" to acheive optimal performance, and I've found that to be an acccurate figure.

Also agree with the statement that power supplies make a difference; they certainly do.

I’ve read a few reviews of the L2 (Audiophile Style and High Fidelity Poland) and it seems it would be the optimal solution for someone already owning a Lumin streamer. For instance, if one had a large library of stored music, you could use the SSDs to access your music from a Lumin streamer via its bespoke app. From what I have gathered, the SQ would be better than accessing those same files via a NAS. Further, one could use its broadcast-grade switch capabilities. Whether that switch would be better than, say, an etherRegen, I do not know. It does seem to me that keeping one’s system housed within the Lumin ecosystem could be an advantage. That’s what I have gathered from the few reviews I’ve read and some interactions with a Lumin rep.

For those using Roon, a Lumin rep said using a connected drive within a Roon NUC would probably be better than mapping the L2 drives to Roon.

For me, therefore, the L2 is something to consider. I have an X1 and it’s connected by fiber to an etherRegen. I also use Roon with a NUC-embedded drive. If I were to use the L2, I’d buy the version without drives and install the SSDs myself, which Lumin permits one to do. I’d sell my etherRegen and external AfterDark OCXO clock that is connected to it. In turn, I’d use the fiber out to my X1 and an RJ45 connection to my Roon NUC. As for use, I’d primarily use the Lumin app for stored music and high-quality streaming. I’d use Roon only for streaming when casually listening or wishing to use its music discovery feature. So, in essence, I’d ignore the Roon NUC stored music.

In sum, the L2, for me, would be an optional way to squeeze a bit more SQ from my system.

Originally Posted by Flashman

I’ve read a few reviews of the L2 (Audiophile Style and High Fidelity Poland) and it seems it would be the optimal solution for someone already owning a Lumin streamer. For instance, if one had a large library of stored music, you could use the SSDs to access your music from a Lumin streamer via its bespoke app. From what I have gathered, the SQ would be better than accessing those same files via a NAS. Further, one could use its broadcast-grade switch capabilities. Whether that switch would be better than, say, an etherRegen, I do not know. It does seem to me that keeping one’s system housed within the Lumin ecosystem could be an advantage. That’s what I have gathered from the few reviews I’ve read and some interactions with a Lumin rep.

For those using Roon, a Lumin rep said using a connected drive within a Roon NUC would probably be better than mapping the L2 drives to Roon.

For me, therefore, the L2 is something to consider. I have an X1 and it’s connected by fiber to an etherRegen. I also use Roon with a NUC-embedded drive. If I were to use the L2, I’d buy the version without drives and install the SSDs myself, which Lumin permits one to do. I’d sell my etherRegen and external AfterDark OCXO clock that is connected to it. In turn, I’d use the fiber out to my X1 and an RJ45 connection to my Roon NUC. As for use, I’d primarily use the Lumin app for stored music and high-quality streaming. I’d use Roon only for streaming when casually listening or wishing to use its music discovery feature. So, in essence, I’d ignore the Roon NUC stored music.

In sum, the L2, for me, would be an optional way to squeeze a bit more SQ from my system.

A well-writtten and informative post. I'd agree that the L2's target customer base is primarily for Lumin X1, P1, etc., owners as a very-high quality and very good-sounding "library" for music files, either ripped from disc or from direct download.

Personally, I can't say if files stored on the L2 would sound better than those stored on a generic hard drive, NAS, or a music server's hard drive, simply because I've never heard an L2.

But...knowing Lumin's expertise in this area and how highly they execute on virtually everything they do with respect to product design and development, if I were to hypothesize, it would be that the L2 sounds better than a "generic" external HD, NAS, or when that file is sent from an upstream music server.

What I can say that a music file ripped from disc, and residing on a small hard drive directly connected to a Lumin P1 or a U2 sounds better using the Lumin app than when that same ripped file is served up using Roon from an upstream music server, (e.g. my Akasa NUC Roon Core), and the Akasa NUC Roon Core sounds better than when that same recording is streamed from Qobuz.

Summing up, in my direct experience the highest audio quality sequence is obtained as follows, assuming the same music file/album is the reference file:

1) Lumin app serving up ripped music file resident on HD directly connected to P1/U2 > 2) ripped music file served up via Roon on Akasa NUC-type music server HD via optical fiber > 3) streamed via Qobuz with optical fiber.

Cheers, gents.