Topic: Lumin Audiophile Network Player

[mars73]

Very nice, thanks bro!

[wstam]

Hi Audio,

Thanks for sharing. Since your are from HK, have you checked out the linear power supply specially designed for Lumin by someone in HK? He has also posted in the Lumin thread in CA forum. Saw some good feedbacks on it.

Cheers.

[Audio]

wstam,

I will check it out once my Lumin has settle in.  Yes, I have been doing a lot of reading in the Lumin thread at Computer Audiophile and I did come across his DIY power supplies.  Quite nice really.

(Audio)

[Audio]

OK, I connected the Lumin into my main system....WOW!! wonderful sound.

Clean, dark, detailed...some would term it as a "bright sound" but to me, it is not.  I can play noisy tracks like "Money for Nothing" real noisy without the urge or the need to turn it down....it sounded so good even on pop tracks, I keep enjoying the music and forget that I wanted to evaluate the sound.  Playing Chinese Audiophile recording, no need to say, very transparent, clean, expanded sound stage and "dark spaces" everywhere, it is very highly focused soundstage.

OK, next I compare it to my best playback, EMM Labs CDSA as transport and Meitner Audio MA-1 as DAC.  The Meitner sounded less focused but there is a very pleasant midrange emphasis.  The sound is not as pinpoint accurate as the Lumin but it got a "lush" quality to it. I don't know but I can live with either sound ....but I really love the clarity of the Lumin.

I also read in CA that the Lumin can work with Jriver on DoPe (ethernet form of USB DoP), try it last night and it WORKS!!!  WOW, I now plays SACD ISO on the Lumin!!!   I don't know but I think I never heard SACD DSD sounded so good on my system before!!



I can control the Lumin using the Lumin App or the Jriver App....it is so flexible.  Pixel Magic is really doing a great job!

(Audio)

[DJQ]

Can i come visit? Heheh.

[mars73]

Hi Audio

I wonder if you have compared the dac sections of the Lumin vs Meitner. For example, comparing the sound from analogue outputs of Lumin vs analogue output of Meitner fed by the Lumin?

Thanks.

[AndrewC]

…
I also read in CA that the Lumin can work with Jriver on DoPe (ethernet form of USB DoP), try it last night and it WORKS!!!  WOW, I now plays SACD ISO on the Lumin!!!   I don't know but I think I never heard SACD DSD sounded so good on my system before!!
...

Spot on Audio! DoPE is the ticket … (USB was always going to be a crutch of a solution ). The streaming board OEM suppliers are all beginning to support DoPE, it'll take a while to trickle to other streaming/DSD capable platforms & software.

[jimi]

Nice thread, Audio.

Congrats on a very nice player!

So going to sell me your zuma cheap cheap then?! 

[Audio]

Thanks Jimi.

Sell Zuma?  No, it is now running Jriver streaming SACD ISO DSD to the Lumin.  Fantastic sound.

I have not touch my Meitner MA-1 for a long time now...   

(Audio)

[mars73]

Thanks Jimi.

Sell Zuma?  No, it is now running Jriver streaming SACD ISO DSD to the Lumin.  Fantastic sound.

I have not touch my Meitner MA-1 for a long time now...   

(Audio)

Hi Audio,

Why do you use the CAPS to stream instead of a NAS? Does it sound better that way?

You mentioned running minimserver. So that's on the CAPS instead of a NAS?

[jimi]

Wow! Better than the Meitner- high praise indeed

[Audio]

Wah, very dangerous.....

No, I don't mean the Lumin is better than the Meitner, they are just different animals.

Positive attributes the Lumin has over the Meitner is pin-point accuracy of sound placement, wider soundstage and the extremely dark background.  The Meitner sounded a more "lush" and have a little pleasant tone to the sound.

I used CAPS or any PC to stream and not use the NAS because of JRiver.  I believe Jriver cannot run on a NAS.  The NAS is required to have some streamer "server" running. 

Why Jriver?  Because I can get ALL MY SACD ISO to work and I finally can use the Lumin to listen to all my SACD on native DSD.  You don't have to use the CAPS of course....any PC or MCc running Jriver will work with the Lumin...THE BEST THING about this is the server never need to be in the same room.  SO COOL!

(Audio)

[mars73]

Hi Audio

Thanks for the reply. Sorry if this is a dumb question but I am completely new to streaming.

I was under the impression that you installed minimserver in a NAS and stream through ethernet to the Lumin. Is this still the case? If so, I'm not sure how Jriver fits into this picture.

Or is it that you use the NAS for your files like AIFF and FLAC but another CAPS running Jriver for DSD streaming?

[Quest]

I don't have any direct experience but if I am not wrong, it's because Jriver media server is compatible with the Lumin..
Personally I was using Jriver media server to stream to my second PC also, and it's not too complex.

End of the day, the NAS is also just a PC with software on it.
And no matter how fast the NAS is, a PC is still much faster. I personally like this option as it's faster with your cataloging, editting of album art, and adding new CDs.

Never used minimserver but almost all media server software on the NAS is not as user friendly from my experience.
You generally have to edit all data to be perfect then just upload it, and then scan/refresh..

[mars73]

The reason for asking is because I am hoping that I can stop using my Mac mini server at my audio rack, and migrate to a compact NAS which I can hide in my study room.

Otherwise the alternative is to use my current general purpose PC in my study as the NAS, but I suspect this won't be ideal as I have to get Jriver for it, and also the fact that it could be in use by other people doing other stuff when I need it to concurrently stream my music for listening.

I suppose I could use my Mac mini as the NAS / server but it takes up more space than a NAS, as it's got external hard drives and power supply. Some more I may have to purchase the Mac version of Jriver to use it, which would be annoying.