Lumin U2 Streamer in 'da house....
- Thread starter Puma Cat
- Start date
its a big leap for the price. If that U2 has $1500 power supply please let me know. I'm not going to be using all those ports, and paying for MQA licensing into a pit. nah. If I bought an L2 + U2 I still don't have a Lumin DAC. um, that's $10,000. then I add a DAC. I may be confused, tell me like I'm 5?
The entire line really has me at pause. The T3 seems like a grown up D2 at double the old price - have you looked at the inside pics that Lumin posts on their site of the T3? Does that look like $5000? I guess it does but it's not pretty. at all. (that overhang and labelling is still the worst design crap ever, IMNSHO) Remember, its only one piece, add the L2 and you're at $10,000 and can't connect optically. I do think the L2 and T3 is my jam. $10,000? No.Fing.Way. Setting down a bit, becuase I'm kinda irked, I will likely purchase the T3, or I'll demo it. 500 hours of run in, it's a one-way street, tbh.
I love Lumin, I don't want to change, no reason, and am perfectly glad to go along with the program but it serisouly irks me when I feel like I have to question the value - there are tons of options, tbh. It's not a good feeling. I feel like stepping back and waiting. It also pisses me off thet the L2 is $5000 and noboby has any info on it. not my dealer(s). The D3, I'm not even going to ask.
Puma Cat, I applaud you for taking a swing at a U2 review. I hope you are incisive and frank. We need some tough love here. Lumin took care of me on my D2 motherboard so I'm kinda a lifer, a fanboi. I like the sound. It's not any longer a no-brainer though. It should be. Remeber, we are seriously banking on the App to control the device. The app is not ideal by any stretch but I can get by. If the app goes un-tended then that $5000 becomes a door stop.
...good thing I kept it short. ps Lumin I still love you.
The entire line really has me at pause. The T3 seems like a grown up D2 at double the old price - have you looked at the inside pics that Lumin posts on their site of the T3? Does that look like $5000? I guess it does but it's not pretty. at all. (that overhang and labelling is still the worst design crap ever, IMNSHO) Remember, its only one piece, add the L2 and you're at $10,000 and can't connect optically. I do think the L2 and T3 is my jam. $10,000? No.Fing.Way. Setting down a bit, becuase I'm kinda irked, I will likely purchase the T3, or I'll demo it. 500 hours of run in, it's a one-way street, tbh.
I love Lumin, I don't want to change, no reason, and am perfectly glad to go along with the program but it serisouly irks me when I feel like I have to question the value - there are tons of options, tbh. It's not a good feeling. I feel like stepping back and waiting. It also pisses me off thet the L2 is $5000 and noboby has any info on it. not my dealer(s). The D3, I'm not even going to ask.
Puma Cat, I applaud you for taking a swing at a U2 review. I hope you are incisive and frank. We need some tough love here. Lumin took care of me on my D2 motherboard so I'm kinda a lifer, a fanboi. I like the sound. It's not any longer a no-brainer though. It should be. Remeber, we are seriously banking on the App to control the device. The app is not ideal by any stretch but I can get by. If the app goes un-tended then that $5000 becomes a door stop.
...good thing I kept it short. ps Lumin I still love you.
PavelDosko
New member
I own a U2, I'm very happy with it, I wouldn't even consider L2, I'm happy with several Synology NAS
U2 is newer with a new processor, and support for SFP fiber network. Whereas U1 toroidal power supply was external, U2 design has the toroidal power supply (based on X1 design) placed inside.
CHEERS
LOL , I read through
I expected a message on the difference in sound etc ..
And thanks to Peter
Sometimes , someone will make a review of the difference in sound between the U1 vs U2 vs U1x
Puma Cat
Well-known member
- Thread Author
- #28
You'd have to have all three Lumin products, the U1, U2, and U1x in the same room on the some day, under same atmospheric conditions (temperature & barometric pressure) with the same music source (e.g. a Roon Core or MinimServer) DAC and amplification components, cabling, and speaker system while listening to the same well-mastered content to be able to do any informed comparison between them.
Likely most folks aren't set up to be able to do a properly-controlled listening evaluation such as this at home.
Phil A
Member
Exactly. I had a Lumin U1 before the U2. The U1 was likely gone almost 2 months (give or take) before I finally got my U2. I also changed amps and some cabling shortly before I got rid of the U1 (and they likely were almost broken in by the time I got rid of the U1). So all I can offer is just some very general comments from listening to the same music before and after and with the time in between having both units it certainly is not in the category of a direct comparison. I'd guess by now the U2 is fully broken in. The U1 by itself (without the X1 power supply) is not listed as a current model. So it's going to be really hard to get get comments about a direct comparison. The Lumin U1x is also about the same price point of the Lumin P1 so it may be hard to find dealers who stock it. I'd say that the U2 is a hair smoother sounding to me vs. the U1. Other than that, I can't really offer anything of much value.
plonkywonki
Member
Just a quick iPhone snapshot of the U2 installed as the streamer. I'll re-shoot sometime when I have better light (this shot was backlit).
The U2 fits perfectly resting on top of the P1. It's impressive that the case sides and curved solid, machined-from-billet, front panel perfectly matches the curve of of the P1's front panel as well, so the stacked units give a very "unified" design appearance.
I'm loving the looks of the black U2 atop of the white P1!
acapella48
New member
Oh, that's easy: Quite simply, the U2 is in for review. Once I complete the review for it, it will go back to Lumin.
And, yes, I've thought quite a bit about getting the Lumin amp, named AMP.
Hey there!
I've had my U2 since the end of August but because of medical/health problems I just got around to setting it up yesterday. So, far, I'm lovin't it. Decided to join this forum to get input/feedback from Lumin owners instead of bugging Peter Lie.
Did you finish your review of the U2?
Puma Cat
Well-known member
- Thread Author
- #35
Nice! Also, your U2 will take about 400 hours to fully burn-in, so it will get even better with hours on the clock.
I haven't finished my review of the U2 yet as I've also had 3 other products in simultaneously for review, including the SoulNote D-1N DAC that I'm using in conjunction with the U2. I've got the "framework" of the U2 review mapped out, just need to add the use-case and musical content notes.
Some cool features of the U2:
1) the new, "dedicated for audio" direct-coupled USB-A port, which is how I'm connecting the SoulNote to it. The two used together sound absolutely superb.
2) The other is that it has a proper, dedicated chassis-ground terminal so I can make the best possible connection to my "sources" Altaira ground-plane noise reduction hub.
One of the things I really like about Lumin is how thoroughly they think things through.
BTW, where are you in Northern California? I"m in the East Bay.
Cheers.
acapella48
New member
I'm in the Central Valley about 20 minutes south of Sacramento.
BTW - I was listening to a track on one of my Qobuz playlists that has a Hammond B3 organ -- I couldn't help but notice that the organ sounded really really like an organ - like it was right there in my living room.
acapella48
New member
Yes, connected to my ANK Dac 4.1x
I keep forgetting to ask: Obviously I can't leave my tube gear turned on but can I leave the Lumin U2 running 24/7? I read that you could actually have it on during burn-in without your amp and I'm assuming my Dac turned on since its getting it's signal from network connection.
BTW - I lived in Fremont form 1979 - 1986
You may leave the Lumin running and playing repeatedly 7x24. Power off your ANK tube DAC. I have a suspicion that using a 1.5m coax cable (disconnect USB) may sound better than USB for your DAC.
In case anyone does a search for ANK DAC and reaches here, I'd like to repost my suggestions from e-mail.
These settings are based on the assumption that ANK DAC supports 96kHz and 88.2kHz (note that this is different for Audio Note DAC which does not support 88.2kHz).
In Lumin app, turn on Custom Re-sampling if using ANK DAC.
Resample DSD* / 352kHz / 176kHz to 88.2kHz (note if this does not play you'll need to set 44.1kHz instead)
Resample 384kHz / 192kHz to 96kHz
Set MQA to Core Decode (Default) (note if the DAC does not support 88.2kHz this needs to be turned off)
In case anyone does a search for ANK DAC and reaches here, I'd like to repost my suggestions from e-mail.
These settings are based on the assumption that ANK DAC supports 96kHz and 88.2kHz (note that this is different for Audio Note DAC which does not support 88.2kHz).
In Lumin app, turn on Custom Re-sampling if using ANK DAC.
Resample DSD* / 352kHz / 176kHz to 88.2kHz (note if this does not play you'll need to set 44.1kHz instead)
Resample 384kHz / 192kHz to 96kHz
Set MQA to Core Decode (Default) (note if the DAC does not support 88.2kHz this needs to be turned off)
