LUMIN - Audiophile Network Music Player

[Btrail]

Does U1 mini or U2 mini have the ability to send a fully unfolded MQA stream to a non MQA dac? This would be via Tidal Connect and or Roon. 

 

Also, is there any benefit of a u1 or u2 mini over using the streaming portion of a T2?

 

Thanks!

[stefano_mbp]

@BtrailYou should read carefully here , first unfolding can be done by sw players like Roon, Audirvana and others, and by streamers without dac (like Lumïn U1/U2 Mini), they are core decoder, subsequent unfoldings can be done only by dacs or streamers with “embedded” dac that are MQA renderer or full decoder.

Therefore Lumïn U1/U2 Mini can do just the first unfolding, they cannot send to a dac a fully decoded/unfolded MQA

 

[wklie]

8 hours ago, Btrail said:

Does U1 mini or U2 mini have the ability to send a fully unfolded MQA stream to a non MQA dac? This would be via Tidal Connect and or Roon. 

 

Also, is there any benefit of a u1 or u2 mini over using the streaming portion of a T2?

 

All certified MQA products with digital output, including U1 / U1 Mini / U2 Mini or any Lumin configured to have digital output, will only do the MQA Core decoding / first unfold.

 

Only with a Lumin with analog output (e.g. X1 P1 T3 T2 D2 M1) (or a MQA DAC from another MQA licensee) and you're actually using the analog output, then you can have MQA Full Decoding.

 

U2 Mini has a 2022 newer processor than T2.  If you are never going to use the T2 analog output, absence of electronics that you don't actually use can be beneficial to digital output.

[skyline]

I got an Isotek sine wave regenerator..

 

I plugged my Uptone JS-2 linear power supply into (that powers U1 mini and cable modem).

 

I have to say the U1 mini took a huge leap in performance.

 

More dynamics, musicality, analog. More everything.

 

For people swapping servers all the time, the U1 mini is capable of a lot more than you realize.

[wklie]

Lumin Firmware 15.1 adds a new free FLAC Jazz radio station. The current FLAC Jazz stations are:

- Super Stereo 7 from Chile
- City Radio Chile
- Cro Jazz
- Naim Jazz
- Jazz Groove (FLAC requires a paid subscription)

 

Related:
- Radio Blues FLAC

 

(Release note is here: https://www.luminmusic.com/firmware-notes.html )

[al210]

@wklie thanks for another update. Lumin continues to support their products and offers feature updates on a regular basis. A++

I know myself and other owners really appreciate that!

[al210]

I have an issue with playback through my Holo May DAC. The May output is half on DSD vs PCM. Not sure why this is in the May but it is. I do know the May has a separate section just for DSD so that has something to do with it.

 

Is there anyway in the Lumin I can set it to output -6 db less during pcm playback only? Kinda annoying that the May does this. A playlist that has both pcm and dsd makes the volume almost double when playing a pcm file vs dsd.

[wklie]

DSD is usually mastered to -6dB, so what you found to be annoying with your brand of DAC is most likely normal.  Many other audio software / firmware (including Lumin, Roon, Audirvana, etc.) try to compensate for it.  For explanation read:

https://help.roonlabs.com/portal/en/kb/articles/dsd-to-pcm-settings#DSD_to_PCM_Gain_Boost

 

The easiest thing you can do is to use Lumin to resample either all PCM to DSD, or DSD to PCM.

[wklie]

On second thought, it should be DSD to PCM.

[wklie]

We have overhauled our Qobuz integration in both Lumin firmware and apps.

 

With Lumin iOS app 8.0.1 (released) and Android app 5.1.0 (undergoing approval) we now support Qobuz My Weekly Q on Lumin hardware.

[Ropet]

2 hours ago, wklie said:

we now support Qobuz My Weekly Q on Lumin hardware.

Yes, this works but I got other problems with the new update with iPad but not with Android.

 

The search funktion does not work any longer in Qobuz. Search music in my NAS (Synology/Minimserver) works fine. This is what the screen shows when I search. It does not matter what I search. The same screen shows up. I tried to restart my iPad yesterday and then it was OK. But today it is the same problem and it does not help to rebooth.

 

 

Another function is also out which are the links to Allmusic, to the NAS/Qobuz in the box. They normally appear to right in box below. 
 

 

Maybe there are other issues as well after yesterdays v8.0 update(?). On my Experia mobile everything works as before. 
 

How do I solve this @wklie?

[Ropet]

10 minutes ago, Ropet said:

How do I solve this @wklie?

@wklie I removed the app and reloaded it. Then came a new version update 8.0.1. It seems this solved it. Now everything looks and works as before (I hope).

[gbr]

Hello,

 

I do see the "My Weekly Q" icon in the qobuz top navigation. But it is missing the long press context menu to enqueue all the contained tracks into the current playlist.

 

I am using the setting to add a track by a single touch. If I switch to adding tracks by double touch there is the solution to enter the WeeklyQ list, touch one track and select all the other tracks by the select-all-icon. Maybe I have to switch to this setting to also work around the wrong order of added tracks when quickly touched in single touch mode with the U1 mini...

[wklie]

Checking.

[wklie]

18 hours ago, gbr said:

I do see the "My Weekly Q" icon in the qobuz top navigation. But it is missing the long press context menu to enqueue all the contained tracks into the current playlist.

 

Please update app to 8.0.2 in 24 hours.

[wklie]

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/lumin-p1-network-player-preamplifier/

[SQFIRST]

On 9/19/2022 at 10:57 PM, wklie said:

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/lumin-p1-network-player-preamplifier/

 

Congratulations on the positive review, Peter and Lumin team!

 

Just wanted to share a related personal observation with the X1 as I imagine the P1 is similar:

 

The effect of combining network based integrated streamer-dacs exposes the detrimental effect that line noise can have on digital audio. It is not the first time that a listener has lamented over the fact that Roon sounded different/inferior when compared to the direct-play of the Lumin App. Considering that the Lumin App is using the optimized path which is internal to the Lumin streamer-dac, the difference is the result of the exposure that the Roon path has to line noise. In setups that are not as transparent or unable to provide an A-to-B comparison, the Lumin streamer-dacs bring into focus the need to have clean power and network. Keeping in mind that the Lumin Streamer-dacs cause a reduction in the number of power supplies, interconnects and components that would otherwise be needed (pc+dac+preamp); it is no surprise when one experiences this sound quality difference when comparing Roon against the Lumin app. Most times one is not aware of the noise that exists in one's Roon setup. Overall, it is unfortunate and bit unfair that Roon takes a hit on this when it is system environment specific. The Lumin experience is a boon and a curse because once you hear the clear version with Lumin, you are compelled to get on a quest to clear up the rest of your network path that supports the Roon server. It is rather painful but certainly worth it in the end :)

Side note- it was a bit confusing to see the L1 sitting on top of the P1 in the article as it appears like an external power supply :)

 

Thank you Lumin for the amazing audio experience that I enjoy with my X1.

[gbr]

On 9/16/2022 at 12:06 PM, wklie said:

 

Please update app to 8.0.2 in 24 hours.

I am a little bit late: But thank you for the quick update with the context menu on the "My Weely Q" icon.

[pl_svn]

@wklie Peter... now that all major software players require an active internet connection even to play just local files 🙄🤬... *please* swear on what you hold dearest that Lumin streamers will *never* require an active internet connection to play local files

and use it as a further point in your marketing strategy 😉

[al210]

Not sure why my album tracks are showing out of order in the Lumin app when I browse by folder?

If I browse by album there in numerical order.

[wklie]

12 hours ago, pl_svn said:

@wklie Peter... now that all major software players require an active internet connection even to play just local files 🙄🤬... *please* swear on what you hold dearest that Lumin streamers will *never* require an active internet connection to play local files

and use it as a further point in your marketing strategy 😉

 

Lumin certainly does not require internet to play local files, although we do require the presence of a WiFi router.  I'm not so sure about that as a marketing message - without internet you lose internet firmware upgrade, internet radio, Tidal / Qobuz / Spotify streaming, etc.

 

I'm not aware of internet requirement for software players - JRiver, Audirvana ?  (Roon certainly does require internet.)

[stefano_mbp]

@al210it seems the app is still working to load and index the library … see the rotating dented wheel.

You should wait until the wheel disappear 

[pl_svn]

@wklie sure, you obviously need a network connected to the internet: I was just meaning... when internet is (temporarily) down

 

Roon 2.0 can't play even just local files when internet is down (Roon 1.8 did) and (I'm told) the same applies to Audirvana Studio 🙄

[al210]

19 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

@al210it seems the app is still working to load and index the library … see the rotating dented wheel.

You should wait until the wheel disappear 

I waited like you suggested but there still out of order but only when I browse by folder. If I browse by album the tracks are in the correct order.

[stefano_mbp]

4 hours ago, al210 said:

I waited like you suggested but there still out of order but only when I browse by folder. If I browse by album the tracks are in the correct order.

… better to wait for an answer from @wklie