Lumin Review

Awesome review to read. One thing is for sure - the Lumin seems like a heck of a unit.
 
Elberoth said:
Great review. A pleasure to read.

One comment: there is no doubt in my mind that the Ethernet is a superior interface format. It is guaranteed to be bit perfect thanks to TCP/IP protocol and offers galvanic isolation, which prevents the computer grunge from entering the DAC/streamer.
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I heard that the GISO GB improves things significantly for Ethernet connections:

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www.acousence.de
 
Mike,

1. Great read; thx for taking the time to share. :cool:
2. Did you mention the DACs used in the Lumin?
3. I bet your speakers have lot to do with the sound quality at the end. ...And the quality music recordings of course.
4. A little steep (dispendieux) right now, but it augurs very well for the near future, and for everyone. :)
 
Mike said:
Thanks Bob. They are Wolfson DAC's. Same as in the Linn I believe.
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WM8742? If so, the same as in my spinner and would explain why they handle DSD as that chip has 4 filter setting for DSD and 5 for PCM, including a minimum Phase apodizing filter.
 
wisnon said:
WM8742? If so, the same as in my spinner and would explain why they handle DSD as that chip has 4 filter setting for DSD and 5 for PCM, including a minimum Phase apodizing filter.
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Would love to know with certitude which DAC model number, and how many of them exactly; channels on a single chip, or chips.
...In the Lumin digital music server.
 
Mike said:
I really wanted to compare the Lumin with the Linn and thanks to the generosity of you and Jock, I still may. Sadly, Linn (the company) never responded to me (directly) or my dealer's request for a demo unit - for over 6 months. DSD or not, that didn't impress me.
Lumin will be attending CES. Does anyone know if Linn will be there?
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Yeah Mike you are right. That sort of attitude doesn't win me as a customer either. As you know I have tried to reach out to Linn and explained your situation. Through the Linn forum I have pm-ed a designer called Murrays. So far no response... Now I am trying through a well respected guy on the forum who is probably a lot closer to the Linn folks. All together this is really lousy situation and I fully understand you are happy with the Lumin and don't care about the Linn situation.
Enjoy your Lumin!
 
I agree Bob. I can't speak to the folks at Linn, but they've been doing it a long long time and I'm sure they are great. I can tell you the folks at Lumin are passionate audiophiles. I wish I could share some things they've told me and pictures they've showed me in confidence, but let's just say, they are really passionate about audio and want the Lumin to be the most musically sounding digital source you've ever heard.....because they want it to be that way for their own use.
 
NorthStar said:
The product is one thing. The people behind that product is a stronger thing. It makes or breaks that product.
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Bob, the company responds very well to it's customers. The dealer network in North America is in flux right now. My Linn experience has been fabulous, I am offered downloadable updates as they become available. Any questions or emails are answered. And the Linn forum is also very good.
 
I have a Linn audio dealer near by, so I do understand their business here in North America, Canada; on Vancouver Island, Victoria.

I was simply responding to Mike's post in regards to his personal experience in what he said.

* It is very nice to have a good long standing reputation like Linn, and you still have to maintain it in all aspects of operation, distribution, accessibility, technical support, products to reviewers...
Nobody ever sit on his laureats without feeding them methodically and 'innovatively' in the now. In particular when it's a competitive business.
 
Linn does seem to be responsive to their dealers. But as WE all know in this era of commerce, that's only half of it. I hope that they get it together. North America would be a bad market to loose.
 
NorthStar said:
Would love to know with certitude which DAC model number, and how many of them exactly; channels on a single chip, or chips.
...In the Lumin digital music server.
Click to expand...

Analog Output Stage:

Wolfson WM8741 DAC chips, 1 chip per channel
Fully balanced layout with high quality components
Output connectors coupled with dual LUNDAHL LL7401 output transformers
 
Mike said:
Analog Output Stage:

Wolfson WM8741 DAC chips, 1 chip per channel
Fully balanced layout with high quality components
Output connectors coupled with dual LUNDAHL LL7401 output transformers
Click to expand...

Ha! The WM8741 DAC; the same DACs used in the Pioneer Elite SC-09* flagship (2008 model) AV receiver ($7,000 US MSRP).
- That receiver weighs 70.5 pounds.
...The very best Wolfson Microelectronics DAC (top-of-the-line) at the time, and I guess still now (along with the WM8742).
- Those are high performance Stereo DACs. And the Lumin is using two DACs per channel (two Stereo chips) in dual differential mode, for optimum fully balanced output operation.
{ http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8741 }

* It's a very smooth DAC that was used in combination with Class D ICE powered amplification. ...Made perfect sense.

Arcam is another high-end audio company who favors Wolfson DACs as well.
 
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