Lumin T2

audio.bill said:
Darrel - Congrats on your new Lumin T2! Definitely give it some time for everything to settle into your system, but if you still have any issue with the sound quality I'd suggest trying the T2 direct to your power amp. If I understand how you currently have it connected you're feeding the analog outputs of the T2 (which have already been converted to analog from the digital sources) to the analog inputs of the NAD M12. The M12 operates in the digital domain, so it converts its analog inputs back to digital for processing and volume control before converting its output back to analog to drive the power amp. So you're putting the analog output of the T2 through an additional conversion into digital only to then be converted back to analog again. Eliminating these two extra conversions could be beneficial to your system's level of performance, but the only way to know would be to try it. You'd have to use the Lumin T2's variable output to drive your power amp directly, or you could alternatively try an analog preamp in place of the NAD M12. The NAD is a fine piece of gear, but it may not be ideal to achieve the highest level of performance in your system's current configuration. Just something to consider.
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I went to bed rethinking your post. I will in the future have to move to a true analog preamp if I want to get the best out of the T2 and my system. From the start of my system about a year ago everything has been to keep elevating the music level. Streaming is the future at least for me. I spent 30 years with vinyl before getting into home theater. So, getting back to stereo I'll hit a few bumps along the way. I'll sort out the sound issues and start my next path to the right preamp. Thanks for the post.
 
I've got the T2 huming along with the rest of my system. I had the Lumin hooked up to my VanEvers Model 85 power conditioner. It has my plasma and router hooked to it. I love the VanEvers for the performance it gives my Plasma tv. But, I was afaid it and the router my be part of the issue. I now have the T2 hooked up to the AQ Niagra 1000. I also got into the Lumin setup under options and switched the "Analog Audio Output Lever" to low. And MQA to passthrough. The MQA passthrough has nothing to do with any hashness I was hearing. But, the output to low seems to be the fix. Plus using the AQ I think isolates the T2 from any inerference. The sound with the addition of the Cardas cables and GigaFoil and Keces is now raised and very satifying.

Plus Roon is a real treat with the T2
 
Darrel, can you tell me if there is a difference with the current configuration while switching from Analog Audio Output Level between Normal and Low? I have always been curious what this would do in a really highly resolving system and if it matters in one that hasn’t hit those levels yet (like mine).

FWIW, I don’t hear much difference between the two other than I have to turn the volume knob a little more at the Low setting. But I have a D2 instead of the T2 so not exactly apples to apples comparison.

thanks!
 
For setups that can handle the normal output voltage of Lumin, the Analog Output Level should be left as Normal. However, when there is too much gain (from pre amp and/or power amp), or clipping occurs with loud music, then the analog audio output needs to be set to low, or RCA output instead of the recommended XLR output can be used.
 
Not one to leave things alone. I thought it may be best to get away from the Cardas XLR and use some RCA interconnects. I have a older pair of Harmonic Technology Pro SilWay III that I haven't used in some time. They are a very smooth sounding cable. So, I added the Cardas XLR cables to the Oppo 205 and hooked up the Harmonic cables to the T2 and turned the Audio Output of the T2 back to normal. And now things sound less forward and music has dropped behind the speakers and instruments have a more natural sound.
 
Its always interesting to experiment with cables :) and good to hear that you have come to a sound you like .But sometimes one has to adjust to new things that sounds very different from where it was....and that can take time , or simple end up with a sound that one doesn't like.
 
Darrel said:
hooked up the Harmonic cables to the T2 and turned the Audio Output of the T2 back to normal. And now things sound less forward and music has dropped behind the speakers and instruments have a more natural sound.
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Please also try a direct to amp configuration, bypassing the M12, with both RCA and XLR interconnects (but not simultaneously connected). Make sure you turn down the volume using Lumin app before starting playback.
 
wklie said:
Please also try a direct to amp configuration, bypassing the M12, with both RCA and XLR interconnects (but not simultaneously connected). Make sure you turn down the volume using Lumin app before starting playback.
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Good suggestion. For now I plan to just settle in and evaluate my system as is and enjoy.

My room is not a dedicated music room. I use it for my computer hub. Watching sports, news and limited shows.
I also know now that I'll have to move away from the NAD M12 at some point. I'll be researching preamps and asking questions here.
 
I recently purchased a T2 and am in the process of installing it. I noticed that on the back panel of the unit is a binding post named "Ground". My unit sits on a wooden panel suspended inside a metal equipment rack. The power feeding my T2 is both balanced and filtered. Would it be beneficial to also ground the T2? If so, to what do I attach the other end of the grounding wire -- given that there aren't any pipes in or nearby my listening room?

Thank you.
 
Looking for some advice on which Lumin is right for my system. T2 (new or used) or a used A1?

I have currently a ipad playing into an Ayre Codex or Khadas tone board (qobuz, tidal, roon). The khadas has amazing chips and measures amazing but does not sound very relaxing and real. Fatigue sets in quickly. the Ayre measures horrible but i can listen all day. I have a turntable system as well which sound vpi prime, jc3 jr, various cartridges.

i want the most balanced real sounds possible but that I can listen to all night and get lost in the music. The A1 has many fans. the T2 is being touted as better and also relaxed and realistic. is it the best of both or fatiguing ESS all over again? can't listen to both i don't think...

w4s pre > decware mystery > vivid 1.5 > gik acoustics
 
AVphile said:
Would it be beneficial to also ground the T2? If so, to what do I attach the other end of the grounding wire -- given that there aren't any pipes in or nearby my listening room?
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In most cases you don't need to connect the ground terminal. A few users connect it to a grounding box.
 
When using it as a Roon endpoint, will it only run Roon bridge or does it run the Roon core ? I am trying to figure out when using Roon, do I need a separate server to run the core or not.
 
Technically, Lumin is a Roon Ready endpoint / player. It does not run Roon Core.

You need a separate computer to run Roon Core - ROCK, e.g. NUC8i7BEH, 8GB RAM, m.2 250GB SSD for Roon database, 2.5" HDD for music, fanless chassis.
 
stellablues said:
Looking for some advice on which Lumin is right for my system. T2 (new or used) or a used A1?

I have currently a ipad playing into an Ayre Codex or Khadas tone board (qobuz, tidal, roon). The khadas has amazing chips and measures amazing but does not sound very relaxing and real. Fatigue sets in quickly. the Ayre measures horrible but i can listen all day. I have a turntable system as well which sound vpi prime, jc3 jr, various cartridges.

i want the most balanced real sounds possible but that I can listen to all night and get lost in the music. The A1 has many fans. the T2 is being touted as better and also relaxed and realistic. is it the best of both or fatiguing ESS all over again? can't listen to both i don't think...

w4s pre > decware mystery > vivid 1.5 > gik acoustics
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As manufacturer we prefer people to buy new units, so I'll leave this question to others for more unbiased comment.
 
thanks peter, sorry if i posted in the wrong area. i perhaps could have asked somewhere else but since we have a concentration of people who have owned or listened to many of the lumin products i asked here.

maybe my question could be asked another way. the lumin a1 at its time was a statement piece with its channeled enclosure and its output transformers, it’s separated powersupply, etc. these were said to be done for sonics and many praised and love the sonics. now the t2 which is said to replace the a1 forgoes those items, is said to be ‘better’ and costs 40% less. i have read every thread on every message board trying to determine how you and others describe what you mean by better and how this could be true given that many of the things which were marketed as making it so good have now gone away. maybe they were not as important as the original marketing made it out to believe? maybe the new chips overcame those expensive design decisions and allowed the manufacturing costs to come down without affecting the sound in any way?

so maybe i would buy the t2 new if i understood why it would outperform the used a1 which has so many elements to its design which make sense to my lizard brain about why it was good in the first place. i am easily made a slave to the marketing and engineering statements because i don’t have the facilities to test and disagree, so i trusted what i read and for the a1 i’m still anchored on those things lumin and reviewers touted.

regards
 
stellablues , i am not able to listen to A1 , so it might not matter that much. I do own T1 , and am to replace it with i think right now T2. But before i do so i have had the joy of having X1 on loan , and right now i have S1 on loan , and i hope when the shop have their T2 back from demo that i can also have that on loan.
Right now i can say that the S1 compared to T1 is much more revealing , has better soundstage , and better dynamics. From my memory of the X1 its a good margin better than S1 and X1 is maybe also a tad brighter sounding where S1 is to the more organic side, S1 has a fantastic crispness to guitar and voices are really good. So i can only say that i am really curious on how T2 will perform...and if money wasn't a thing then i would buy the X1 in an instant.
 
thanks for sharing your experience. i see a lot of people upgrading these players often looking for something more, which obviously is how this hobby works, so no issue there but some a1 users sound like diehards who feel they never need to upgrade. i wonder if i’m in that camp or the scary path of only wanting the x1 sound and nothing else will do.
 
He he , yes the X1 is seriously good. From some reviews i have been reading if i remember correctly the A1 should sound more warm than S1 and maybe not the same degree of resolution , but as i have no possibility to listen for myself to an A1 it is not easy for me to give you advice regarding that specific " problem " maybe when i het to listen to T2 i can bring some kind of clarity to you about the difference.
Are there any specific artist you prefer to use as test track so to speak , as then i could try to play that while i have the S1 , and when S1 goes back to the shop and i hook up my T1 i can tell or try to tell the difference as to how i hear it.
 
stellablues said:
sorry if i posted in the wrong area. ...

how this could be true given that many of the things which were marketed as making it so good have now gone away. maybe they were not as important as the original marketing made it out to believe? maybe the new chips overcame those expensive design decisions and allowed the manufacturing costs to come down without affecting the sound in any way?
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You posted in exactly the right area.

All those things are still good and important, but they are really expensive to include so they are now reserved for higher priced products in the lineup. Even if lacking these things, T2 has other improvements to more than make up for it - it's the overall design that originated from the X1 which we took a long time to perfect. The analog output stage and the transport section design, as well as the modern DAC chips and processor as you pointed out, give it an improvement in SQ while decreasing the price.

However, there are many aspects to SQ. There be some aspects that one do not care for.
 
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