Lumin U2 (with internal LPS and SFP port)

wklie

wklie

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Lumin U2 has internal LPS and adds support for fiber network (SFP port), as compared to U2 Mini.

LUMIN U2
 
Peter - thanks for the update. Does the "Up/down sampling up to DSD256" mean that one can take a DSD256 sample and downsample it to DSD128 before sending it to one's DAC down the dedicated USB output?
 
wklie said:
Lumin U2 has internal LPS and adds support for fiber network (SFP port), as compared to U2 Mini.

LUMIN U2
Click to expand...

Fantastic news! I'm now going to recommend the U2 to all my friends that need a digital transport that supports an optical fiber network input, but want to continue using their current DAC.

Well done, Lumin! :congrats:
 
I just went and looked up the photos on the new U2. It looks very impressive.

Here's some photos (which I cropped slightly to fit on the web page more easily)...

Lumin-U2.jpg


Lumin-U2-Top-View-Internal.jpg


U2-Top-View.jpg


Specs are very impressive:
DSD512, PCM768, DSD256 Upsampling, 3 USB ports including a NEW dedicated low-noise USB output, 4, count 'em, 4 exceptionally low-phase-noise crystal clock oscillators (woot!), ultra-low-noise rectifier and linear regulator, extra large toroidal transformer, and LEEDH volume processing control. 👊👍

Also note, the rear panel has a dedicated chassis ground terminal (inside red border box) you can connect to an Altaira...👌
Lumin-U2-Rear.jpg


Looks like another home run to me...
 
Phil A said:
Peter - thanks for the update. Does the "Up/down sampling up to DSD256" mean that one can take a DSD256 sample and downsample it to DSD128 before sending it to one's DAC down the dedicated USB output?
Click to expand...

Yes, this is possible with U2 and U2 Mini.
 
This looks like a KILLER product! I am intrigued by the Internal LPS and the "Dual-Network interface with built-in Network Switch".

The second feature leaves me scratching my technically challenged head. What exactly does this do? Thanks in advance for any help here.
 
Just like the X1 and P1, U2 support fiber network and (copper) Ethernet. There are other threads here and in other forums that discuss sound quality impact from fiber network (for noise isolation).
 
JCS123 said:
This looks like a KILLER product! I am intrigued by the Internal LPS and the "Dual-Network interface with built-in Network Switch".

The second feature leaves me scratching my technically challenged head. What exactly does this do? Thanks in advance for any help here.
Click to expand...

The 'Dual-Network' aspect means that you can connect one to your network and then use the second to connect something like a NAS, or another network-enabled device to it.
This can help reduce cabling, or if you're router connections are already full, can save on buying a network switch (which always come with noisy plug-top power supplies too).
Hope that helps!

Note that the SFP slot doesn't have to be used as an Optical Fibre Network port; many companies manufacture modules that adapt the SFP slot into a standard 1000BASE-T RJ45 port.
 
So for those who don't use SFP and who only want to stream Spotify the case for U2 over U2 mini comes down to the quality of the internal power supply?
And if so, if it's powered from a high-end distributor such as an Everest then the weight in favor of the better internal power supply is somewhat diminished?
It would be nice if I could bring home both to try for myself but that's not going to happen.
I wonder if U2 technology is going to trickle through to a new Esoteric network transport?
 
brodricj said:
So for those who don't use SFP and who only want to stream Spotify the case for U2 over U2 mini comes down to the quality of the internal power supply?
And if so, if it's powered from a high-end distributor such as an Everest then the weight in favor of the better internal power supply is somewhat diminished?
It would be nice if I could bring home both to try for myself but that's not going to happen.
I wonder if U2 technology is going to trickle through to a new Esoteric network transport?
Click to expand...

I'd imagine that Esoteric will have to build around whatever silicon Lumin's system works with. Plus it makes for a good reason to update models.

Besides the power supply, there's the better USB output and the ability to connect it to another network device.
BUT MOST IMPORTANT, the U2 would look way sexier with your Esoteric stack than the boxy U2 mini.

I wouldn't expect difference between power supplies to be mitigated by use of an Everest or any other AC device.
 
I had planned on using the USB output of the network streamer to the D1X DAC. If I had the N-03T (instead of the Lumin, or something else) I'd do the same, save me from having to buy another clock cable. As sexy looking as the U2 is it's getting close to the N-03T price. N-03T is basically a pimped up U1 with an Esoteric power supply and chassis so I'm guessing a firmware upgrade will not quite get it to U2 performance. The local Lumin dealer does not have U2 mini so it's not possible for me to compare it to the PS3.
 
brodricj said:
The local Lumin dealer does not have U2 mini so it's not possible for me to compare it to the PS3.
Click to expand...

It should always be possible to place an order if it is an authorized Lumin dealer, but if you want to loan a unit to test, then that depends on the dealer policy.
 
I was invited to the dealer showroom to listen to something I didn't want to buy. They said they didn't have U2 mini. So I left it at that.
 
brodricj said:
So for those who don't use SFP and who only want to stream Spotify the case for U2 over U2 mini comes down to the quality of the internal power supply?
And if so, if it's powered from a high-end distributor such as an Everest then the weight in favor of the better internal power supply is somewhat diminished?
Click to expand...

In my experience power conditioning/distribution does not compensate for large differences in power supplies.
 
A streamer with SFP and a good power supply. Smart.

MSRP for USA?

Did some googling, and it appears to be a mystery.
 
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