wklie Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 (edited) 1 hour ago, captain.j said: My question is this - is the streaming section of the T3 vs the dedicated U2 that different to justify the added expense? Or would it be better to keep the T3 and add a suitable dac? They have basically the same streaming section except U2 has 1. linear power supply 2. fiber network 3. additional outputs like AES / toslink 4. lack of unneeded electronics (since you're using an external DAC). Edited February 22 by wklie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain.j Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 12 hours ago, wklie said: They have basically the same streaming section except U2 has 1. linear power supply 2. fiber network 3. additional outputs like AES / toslink 4. lack of unneeded electronics (since you're using an external DAC). Thanks for that, I suspected as much. I understand the power supply can improve things (to a degree) but other than that I’m struggling to see how the U2 can be “another level” in SQ. If anyone has directly compared the streaming capabilities only, of the T3 and U2 I’m all ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVDHack Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 I haven't directly compared the U2 to the T3 but I can vouch for the fibre connection on the U2, it made a difference for me. I went from an Aries to the U2 and there was an immediate improvement that I wasn't expecting. In the past linear power supplies have been a big improvement for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini07 Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 22 minutes ago, captain.j said: Thanks for that, I suspected as much. I understand the power supply can improve things (to a degree) but other than that I’m struggling to see how the U2 can be “another level” in SQ. If anyone has directly compared the streaming capabilities only, of the T3 and U2 I’m all ears. I have both the T3 (which is for sale) and the more recently purchased U2 which I currently use. My preferred dac is my Audia Flight One CDP via its coax input. I have also tried a couple of other dacs with both the Lumin products, although of course the T3 has its own built in ESS Sabre dac, which I feel is very good. My impressions of the T3 vs the U2 using only the digital outputs for streaming was that the U2 'sound' seemed a little fuller, perhaps a bit richer and maybe a tiny bit smoother. Both products provide a highly detailed, dynamic and natural sound. This of course will vary according to the type of separate dac you choose, and how it all fits into the overall system. The question is, 'would I have bought the U2 knowing how little difference there might be between the two?' Probably not. I don't believe there is enough product differentiation to justify the U2 (which is also more expensive). If I get time, I might do a more comprehensive review over the weekend. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximus Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 @gemini07The question is, 'would I have bought the U2 knowing how little difference there might be between the two? This is the reason why I haven't upgraded my T2, just added an LPS. You have to spend thousands on a decent dac to get to the complete next level, also include the cost of an extra decent power cord and interconnects. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini07 Posted February 23 Share Posted February 23 1 hour ago, maximus said: @gemini07The question is, 'would I have bought the U2 knowing how little difference there might be between the two? This is the reason why I haven't upgraded my T2, just added an LPS. You have to spend thousands on a decent dac to get to the complete next level, also include the cost of an extra decent power cord and interconnects. Yep - I think you've summed it up well. Getting a high quality dac to add to the T3 or T2 can provide a significant point of difference, there being such a wide range of excellent dacs around, but it will cost you. And there's no point getting a dac with minimal SQ difference to what's already in the T2 / T3 (which is pretty good). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 AI translation of D3 listening notes from https://spill.hk/audiovisual/LUMIN-D3-review/ Quote In this test, the LUMIN D3 was paired with the Cambridge Audio CXA81 amplifier and Mission ZX-2 speakers. In terms of streaming, we tested TIDAL, KKBOX, Spotify, and local music playback via DLNA. The D3’s sound signature is familiar to LUMIN’s tuning, with excellent musical layering. Listening to Joe Hisaishi’s ‘A Symphonic Celebration,’ the instruments were detailed and composed, with a smooth and clean sound that wasn’t bland. It had both dynamic and melodic qualities, presenting both dynamic and static music in a balanced manner. The instruments and vocals were slightly forward but not overly pronounced, emphasizing the stereo image while still blending perfectly with the accompaniment. There was proper separation while maintaining the integrity of the music. Describing it as ‘perfect’ might be a bit exaggerated, but LUMIN’s tuning indeed has a unique charm that enhances the musical layering and transparency, giving a sense of ‘it sounds good.’ Furthermore, there are noticeable differences in sound quality among different sources on the D3, particularly in terms of resolution and stereo imaging. TIDAL and DLNA local music offer the best results, followed by KKBOX played through AirPlay 2, and finally, Spotify. The main differences lie in the level of detail and stereo imaging. For the same songs by Jacky Cheung (‘Li Xiang Lan’) and Sandy Lam (‘Breathe In… Breathe Out’), lossless files present a denser and smoother musical presentation compared to compressed audio. However, different sources still provide a pleasing and transparent sound. Of course, the level of analysis and control is not on par with the high-end T3 that we tested before, considering the price difference, but it still maintains LUMIN’s familiar and pleasing sound signature. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psychometrics1 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 If anyone is interested my Lumin X1 is for sale via SNA (posted 7 March) at half the $19990 RRP with full packaging. Sadly I just can’t keep everything. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain.j Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 So further to my previous where I was mumbling about whether I’d made the right choice with the T3 etc etc, there’s been some developments. Hard decisions have been made and funds have been shifted in a manner to avoid arousing suspicion from her indoors and deals have been struck. And as if to validate any of these dubious decisions, it’s birthday season (mine, my wife and daughter all within weeks) so bugger it. March is an expensive month. After listening to the T3 hooked up to an Aqua La Scala dac for an extended loan, I decided I just wouldn’t be happy with where I’d landed. The T3 (as good as it is) needed to go, be replaced by the U2 and a nice dac added to the mix. Moving the T3 was clearly going to hurt financially so I was lucky up enough to be able to trade it back in to the dealer, grab the U2 and part with some cash. The less I have to think about that the better. The next issue was finding a suitable dac that was going to, at a minimum, replicate the performance of the La Scala, which to my ears was doing a very fine job indeed of converting 1010010010010010 into beautiful music. A rummage through the classified section of SNA threw up all manner of insipid, uninspiring boxes, many of which might be quit good, but I just wasn’t feeling it - until I spotted something called a Lampizator. Never heard of it. More googling required. From what I have read and seen on the interweb, this is a company I can get behind. A mad propeller-head bloke going all in on not just a technical design but also a business philosophy that puts the big faceless corporates to shame. However, not cheap. The entry model is over €4000 and the price rapidly climbs from there. I picked up the phone and called the business in Poland, and spoke to the great man himself, Lukasz Fikus. He didn’t discourage me from buying the second hand unit I’d seen on SNA, in fact he said it would outperform many machines twice the price and half the age. But he did hint that the current model’s heart was a step up from earlier designs. One of the things about Lampizator is they’ll take back anything they’ve ever built and bring it up to the latest spec if that is your desire. Or they’ll trade your machine and help you into something else. This means they have a pre-loved inventory, all with full warranty and new packaging after being lovingly pampered by a factory technician. Just pick your model, send a bunch of €€€€s and wait. So now I await the Lampi which I trust will be a good partner for the U2. God I hope I’m right! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Audiophile Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 50 minutes ago, captain.j said: So now I await the Lampi which I trust will be a good partner for the U2. God I hope I’m right! You will not be disappointed my friend 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemini07 Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 'So further to my previous where I was mumbling about whether I’d made the right choice with the T3 etc etc, there’s been some developments. Hard decisions have been made and funds have been shifted in a manner to avoid arousing suspicion from her indoors and deals have been struck.' Fortunately the T3 and U2 look identical from the front.... The Lampizator story is a great read, and their dacs are very highly regarded. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain.j Posted March 15 Share Posted March 15 2 minutes ago, gemini07 said: Fortunately the T3 and U2 look identical from the front.... Absolutely, same app too. She'll never suspect a thing 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy170468 Posted March 16 Share Posted March 16 Hi all... My scroll bar on the playlist has gone AWOL.... any ideas? Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 Android or iOS? Tablet or phone? Horizontal or Vertical? Lumin app version? Please kill the app and relaunch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 On 15/03/2024 at 4:09 PM, gemini07 said: Fortunately the T3 and U2 look identical from the front.... The Lampizator story is a great read, and their dacs are very highly regarded. I did meet customers before who upgraded their Lumin by taking advantage of the nearly identical appearance in the whole product line. I'm sure there are many others whom I had not met. Some LampizatOr DAC was configured to handled DSD only (to save money by getting rid of PCM hardware, if applicable). In these cases, Lumin is indispensable for providing PCM to DSD upsampling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 We have released a new feature in Lumin app for both iOS (app version 9.2.1) and Android (app version 6.2.0) to display Qobuz Musical Work, which is primarily useful for classical music. Note that if you have set Lumin app to use Double Tap, this will be required for selecting radio and external audio input (P1 or M1) too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NKMA Posted March 22 Share Posted March 22 has anyone tried the new L2, if yes, any first impressions will be appreciated.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain.j Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 A question from a digital streaming noobie. I simply stream through Tidal and have no other digital sources. What should I be selecting in the Re-sampling menu of the LUMIN app? It’s currently set to “Off” but when I hit “Custom” is get a dizzying array of options. Lumin U2 and Lampizator Amber4 with USB. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godot Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 Does this help? : https://www.luminmusic.com/manual/resampling-settings.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 23 Share Posted March 23 (edited) 3 hours ago, captain.j said: A question from a digital streaming noobie. I simply stream through Tidal and have no other digital sources. What should I be selecting in the Re-sampling menu of the LUMIN app? It’s currently set to “Off” but when I hit “Custom” is get a dizzying array of options. Leave it to off unless you prefer the sound quality of DSD upsampling, or you purchased a special DSD-only configuration of LampizatOr that cannot play PCM. Edited March 23 by wklie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 Listening impressions of Lumin T3 review from Qobuz magazine via AI translation: Quote T3 also benefits from its dual-mono architecture to create a sound devoid of any possible impurities, at a reference level in this price range. The elements are perfectly delineated, with unwavering precision, as on the drums of small jazz ensembles (such as Kind of Blue) or rock bands (like Led Zeppelin). In classical music, Holst’s The Planets (Karajan Decca or Levine DG version) allows each instrument in a large symphony orchestra to be defined, bringing out countless details and illuminating every harp or flute intervention. At the same time, listening to a much more subdued album like London Circa 1720 (HM), dedicated to Corelli’s pieces performed by the ensemble La Rêveuse, highlights the perfect timbre of the violins and especially the flute, while capturing every breath and preserving its magnificent flexibility. Similarly, Scott Ross’s harpsichord in his famous recordings of Scarlatti’s sonatas is showcased with remarkable string detail, already very fine with the U2 mini connected to our DAC, but even more subtle and defined thanks to the U2 and therefore the T3, whose conversion perfectly matches the purity of the network streamer. In the latest album Elles by Youn Sun Nah, the calm rendition of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” immediately transports you to the purest and brightest sounds imaginable, providing constant pleasure. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain.j Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 On 23/3/2024 at 8:02 PM, wklie said: Leave it to off unless you prefer the sound quality of DSD upsampling, or you purchased a special DSD-only configuration of LampizatOr that cannot play PCM. Thanks. I'm still get my head around it. Unless I'm mistaken, the only setting of interest to me is the 44kHz as that is what comes through Tidal. So the various settings relate to the ability of the DAC to upsample. So if the DAC can do DSD 256, that's what you select, ie there is no point in selecting a lesser rate if you're going to upsample. Is that correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 26 Share Posted March 26 (edited) Tidal sample rate ranges from 44.1kHz to 192kHz. Even if you're not on the higher price tier, you'll gain Hi-Res after April 10. Some (not all) people with certain DAC prefer the sound with Lumin doing the upsampling (usually to DSD) to Lumin not doing upsampling (set to off). This is independent from whether the DAC does forced or optional upsampling. In some cases like Chord DAC, where people paid for its upsampling, then Chord users should leave Lumin upsampling to off - leaving Chord to do what it is meant to do. Regardless of theory, you will have to do an A/B comparison with both settings (upsampling or not) for a 44.1kHz music to see which you like better. Edited March 26 by wklie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 Lumin D3 full review by HiFi News with measurements Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wklie Posted April 10 Share Posted April 10 (edited) @JkSpinner To answer your questions: 1. Generally I recommend our products with internal DAC over DAC inside an integrated amp (regardless of brand), but I have not received any SQ comparison report against your brand of amp. I believe people buy U2 because they really love their own DAC or will upgrade their DAC in the foreseeable future. D3 uses one ES9028PRO DAC chip, can output via analog or BNC-SPDIF (to external DAC) only. No USB audio output. Can play up to DSD256. T3 uses dual ES9028PRO DAC chips for dual mono analog output, BNC-SPDIF or USB audio output to external DAC. Can play up to DSD512 (primarily from sources with upsampling such as Roon) U2 / U2 Mini can output to USB (1 DAC) or AES / BNC / coax / toslink (up to 4 DAC). U2 Mini, D3 and T3 use switching mode power supplies. U2 has toroidal linear power supply and fiber network. 2. Quote do these streamers upsample / upscale these to a higher rate, or is this upscaling and support for various bit rates only for streaming from the likes of Tidal or Spotify. Do I get to choose the Bit and sampling rates or is this automatically done by the streamer With Lumin upsampling defaults to off. This applies to both local FLAC files and internet streaming. Not all users enable it, but those who upsample mainly choose DSD256 upsampling, although there are alternatives like 352.8kHz / 176.4kHz / 88.2kHz . One particular brand (not Lumin) in your other posts notably have some models that forced internal upsampling for analog output and cannot be turned off. 3. For your FLAC and WAV library, it is recommended to install the free MinimServer to a NAS or networked computer. Edited April 10 by wklie 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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