Lumin compared to Marantz NA-11S1 or Sony HAP-Z1ES?

The Lumin looks to be a solid performer that is very convenient and relatively hassle-free. Priced at $7.2K, it sticks in the craw for those of us who knew it at $4k introductory price. However, to be fair, its a lot less than the competitors which range from $10K and over to €15K and more, so its good value.

Dunno what the Group buy price is, but say if its $1-2K less than the MSRP (rank speculation here), it starts to look like a VERY attractive package for those who can swing it.

I have never heard one myself, but the owners seem very happy and that is a positive.
 
I have been listening to the Bryston (BDP) Server > BNC > Stahl-Tek (Opus) DAC > Zanden amplification > Vivid (G2) speakers. It kills the fully tweaked Mac Mini with external PS I am comparing it to as well as the Marantz a friend brought over. Bryston support is hard to beat and @ $2995.00 it may be a good alternative for those that don't want to spend the extra money for the Lumin. I do like the fact that the Lumin has the external PS and I am anxious to hear it, but I gotta say I opened up the Bryston to have a looksy and it has got a nice hefty transformer in there and everything is very well isolated.
 
The Lumin is a capable Dac as well as a streamer, so not so fair a comparison pricewise. Bryston + Stahl-tek is a fairer comparator.

If you love your present Dac, like I do, a pure streamer would be the better, more economical option, though ione would have to consider the player interface quality as well.
 
wisnon said:
The Lumin is a capable Dac as well as a streamer, so not so fair a comparison pricewise. Bryston + Stahl-tek is a fairer comparator.

If you love your present Dac, like I do, a pure streamer would be the better, more economical option, though ione would have to consider the player interface quality as well.
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Lumin introduced several models at CES. I don't think they have a fully DAC-less model, but they have cheaper models, with simpler DACs, at the $1-2k range. Those should be killer, as well as the new Auralic streamer (they call "bridge"), at $999.

I had the chance to play with the Lumin interface at CES, and it's indeed pretty solid, the best of the UPNP bunch (I still like Apple Remote's better, though).

alexandre
 
asiufy said:
Lumin introduced several models at CES. I don't think they have a fully DAC-less model, but they have cheaper models, with simpler DACs, at the $1-2k range. Those should be killer, as well as the new Auralic streamer (they call "bridge"), at $999.

I had the chance to play with the Lumin interface at CES, and it's indeed pretty solid, the best of the UPNP bunch (I still like Apple Remote's better, though).

alexandre
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These ranges of prices to stream convenient, but often low-quality, music makes more sense to me.
 
asiufy said:
Lumin introduced several models at CES. I don't think they have a fully DAC-less model, but they have cheaper models, with simpler DACs, at the $1-2k range. Those should be killer, as well as the new Auralic streamer (they call "bridge"), at $999.

I had the chance to play with the Lumin interface at CES, and it's indeed pretty solid, the best of the UPNP bunch (I still like Apple Remote's better, though).

alexandre
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Doesn't Lumin use the open source Linn playback engine as the backbone of their interface ?
 
Lumin recommends MiniMServer combined with the Lumin app. Nothing Linn related that I'm aware of. Oddly, over at the Linn forum, many Linn users are using the Lumin app. There's an irony.
 
Hiker said:
These ranges of prices to stream convenient, but often low-quality, music makes more sense to me.
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Only those will stream high-quality, high def music (up to DSD) as well. Therein lies their charm :)


alexandre
 
Mike said:
Lumin recommends MiniMServer combined with the Lumin app. Nothing Linn related that I'm aware of. Oddly, over at the Linn forum, many Linn users are using the Lumin app. There's an irony.
Click to expand...

This thread here seems to imply it:
Lumin - a cheap chineese copy ?


The implication is that the Open source Linn engine is used and the actual Lumin application based on it may be more user friendly.
 
Some of you have mentioned the MinimServer program that Lumin recommends...i use it and it is superb. Simon Nash, who runs it, is very dedicated to seeing that it is a great program..
 
NorthStar said:
Do you have an iPod?
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No, I have no portable devices except a Nexus 7 tablet and it's just for controlling the Squeezebox Touch due to my extremely poor eyesight, but which may no longer have a function since I don't have a streaming service anymore. That's it's sole function because nothing else is usable on it.
No need for ipods or anything like that. I don't "listen" to MP3s except casually for research when I used to have streaming. I hate downloaded music too.
 
MusicDirector said:
No, I have no portable devices except a Nexus 7 tablet and it's just for controlling the Squeezebox Touch due to my extremely poor eyesight, but which may no longer have a function since I don't have a streaming service anymore. That's it's sole function because nothing else is usable on it.
No need for ipods or anything like that. I don't "listen" to MP3s except casually for research when I used to have streaming.
I hate downloaded music too.
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Anything else you love? ;)
 
I am burnING in my Sony Hap, this is an incredible value for 2k. It weighs 31 pounds, very solid in build quality and great on sound. I have owned numerous DACs including AMR, Lampizator 3, Antelope Gold, Eximus DP1, Weiss 202, just to name a few, this Sony has the biggest soundstage of all.

And Red Wine Audio has worked up a tube mod for 1095. They are also working up several other mods for the Sony.
 
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