LUMIN - Audiophile Network Music Player

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6 hours ago, Mikk said:

Similar arguments could easily have been used prior to the introduction of Leedh volume control, yet with the benefit of hindsight I think most people would agree that Leedh was a very beneficial addition to an already impressive piece of firmware, whether they use that feature or not.

I agree, especially when we talk about the models that contains a dac. They are to me integrated pieces with preamp, dac and server. I should not react negatively if they also include tone controls.

 

I more refer to U1/U1 Mini where the main focus (for me) is to act as network bridge/server. To be able to use it you need an external dac. You can then decide to buy a dac with our without volume control or you use the volume control in a regular pre-amp. To include ”everything” in all units is not the ideal solution in my view. I think it is a strength to have a product portfolio in different levels where you chose price and technical features you ask for. It will also be a more clear structure what level you are buying and what features you want to combine in each unit. I think the same way with phonestages. I prefer to make my separate choice. My preamp (VTL TI 6.5) has no phonostage. You have to buy an external one or go for VTL 5.5 that with an integrated phonostage. You can also chose a preamp that include also a dac but from another brand. I beleive in choices where you can start in one level and move upwards on the ladder.

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16 minutes ago, One and a half said:

Jriver activates the DAC mute relay after every track, you gave me a suggestion for that, but not as yet to implemented. Need to be home first.

I had the same experience with JRiver and DSD but no issues with PCM. I switched to Minimserver and Mp3Tag (for file maintenance) about 1,5 years ago. Since then I have had no issues not even once. On top of this all tags/folders in Lumïn work as intended. This was not the case when using JRiver.

 

In my view, JRiver is a very good system when using a laptop/pc as a source with direct connection to a dac. I still use JRiver for ripping and audio analazyse. In my view JRiver is one network solution, Lumïn is another. To use both is like using two preamplifiers at the same time.

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56 minutes ago, One and a half said:

I don't have remote access for the music server only from the LAN, so could let Minimserver start indexing

Same for me. First I used a laptop as a file server connected with LAN to Lumïn which worked excellent. Eventually (one year ago) I bought a Synology DS220J NAS + 2x WD Red 4TB. I use this only for my ripped music files or hires downloads (approx 5,000 albums). I feel this is a more safe and secure solution. On top of this I make backups on a separate external HD to be on the safe side. RAID is not a safe back up solution. Ripping, downloading and file maintenance is done on laptop connected to the LAN network. I understand this is also your way and it works flawless.

 

When I rip or download a new album (to the laptop) I start Mp3Tag and maintain all tags the way I want it like genres, add composer, soloist etc. If the images has too low resolution I fix this as well to minimum 600 pix. This can be done in JRiver as well but I think it is easier and faster in Mp3Tag with a better overview. Once ready I move the file to the music library in Synology. Then I push Minimserver rescanning in the Lumïn app and then Update Music Library and the new album will be put in the different Lumïn tabs.

 

This is my routine. The worst workload is to fix tags. The standard tags are normally not to my standard. Especially not in classical music. I am very picky to have it into my structure in order to search and find my albums.

 

I do not use Roon. I see no need for it. I only play my own files or chech out novelties by Qobuz. The best ones I purchase as hires download files (if possible). I want to have controll over my music and make sure they are available not only today but in 10 years as well.

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13 hours ago, nikolaos1969 said:

Hi, I use qnap 4tb+4tb connected to router--->lumin u1 mini-->CXA81 amp. Minimserver is the best way to search music files. Which amp do you use. Do you use an external dac. I use RAID. Why you are saying is not a safe solution.

On the last question, @One and a half expressed my view quite clear. To be a bit more precise on my backups...

When I rip, download and/or maintain my files, I do it locally on a laptop on the network and use an external WD HD before I export the files to my Synology NAS. This means that I have an external HD copy. From this HD I also make a backup and keep it in a safe place. So in fact I have my files in 4 different places; 2 x WD Red in a RAID plus on two external WD HD's. The music files are valuable me to me and I want to feel safe.

 

On Minimserver I should add that it is Minimserver 2. The ones of you that still use the first version I really urge you to update.

 

I use two dacs, one Aesthetix Romulus Signature cd/dac and one newly purchased Marantz SA-10 (that is also a SACD player). One is connected from Lumïn U1 Mini with a coax RCA and the other with AES/EBU which can operate in paralell. Unfortunatly it is not possible to do so with USB and s/pdif. So when I play dsd files I can only use USB and disconnect the s/pdif.

 

All my other electronics are from VTL.

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9 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

Simon is always very fast and effective in troubleshooting and helping to find a solution to any issue, I can say his success is around 99% (!!!)

I fully agree and can confirm this. In the beginning I had some issues (lack of own knowlrdge). He gave an instruction to run some programs and make a screenprint with the data. Next day he was back with some hints. Actually he informed on some changes that has to be made in Mp3Tag to get rid of the issue I had with some older files. Since that day I have not had a single hick-up with Minimserver on Windows 10. Same thing with Minimserver 2 (std version) which I run in Synology (Linux). It seems it is a perfect match for Lumïn.

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18 hours ago, One and a half said:

If I download an album, I would want to listen to it *now*.

You seems to be a busy man... 😉😄

 

Downloading for me takes some time in order to secure tags like genre, composers, artist, file names and some other information to have follow my structure to ensure I find what I'm looking for. When I'm ready with this in my office on the laptop, I press "rescan" in the Lumin app and within 2-3 minutes everything is updated in the app. That's about the time I need to go down to my music room and prepare myself for listening. My tip is to avoid stress. 

 

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@wklie. Previously I have been writing quite negative remarks and critical comments on to use Android for the Lumïn app. I never got them to work together with my Samsung Galaxy phones and on their tablett. It did not work out on my Sony Xperia either. I ended up buying an iPad that seemed to be a perfect match. Esoteric app, which is basically the same as yours but without all features, worked excellent.

 

At the same time I'm very happy to inform you that your latest version 4.1 for Android seems to work without any drawbacks. So far it works as well as with iPad. For now I see no reason to exclude Android as a tool for U1 Mini. For me this is very good news as I'm not that keen on Apples products. I hope you will keep the Android up on the toes also in the future.

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On 7/23/2021 at 6:20 PM, wklie said:

In case anyone hears a SQ difference after upgrading from firmware 13.x to 14.0, please report and state your model.

My sound memory is not long enough to remember any SQ differenses today. I did not expect any so I never made any special analysis after the update. If there are any, they are not huge.

 

If there är any changes made that are expected tog change the SQ, does connection type have influences on this, like AES/RCA coax versus USB?

 

Same question but linked to sources like Tidal, Qobuz or private library in a network? Are there any Lumin construction reasons that ought to or could give different SQ between the alternatives?

 

 

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7 hours ago, BlueSkyy said:

BTW, what's a "bovver boy"?

According to Lexico, Oxford:

• A young man, especially a member of a skinhead gang, who takes part in violent criminal activities; a hooligan; (later more generally) a man perceived as tough or aggressive.

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15 hours ago, One and a half said:

However all is not good with Minimserver and the iOS Lumin app even before the current drama. To add *two* albums took close to 3 hours

It sounds more that something else is wrong. If Minimserver works like you say, it should be widely known. I have run both Minimserver and Minimserver 2 in both laptops and in NAS (Synology) for quite some time using iOS for the Lumin app. Upload of a new album over the network takes few seconds 100 mbits/sec. I have never encounted what you describe. My pieces of advce is that you contact Minimservers helpdesk. They are very helpful and replies normally comes within 24 hours.

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I'm Aldo interested @wklie. I have U1Mini.

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4 hours ago, Liam said:

Furthermore, I believe I detect a difference between playing an actual 16bit file using the ‘native’ UI Mini setting contrasted with the actual ‘16bit’ setting.

I think it is hard to make this as general statement as this is also linked to how different dsp's and dac are working. Many dacs convert to 24 bits and the question is maybe more who are doing this best, U1Mini or the dsp/dac. 

 

I have not noticed the difference you write but I will make a more thorough trial.

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3 minutes ago, Liam said:

I am referring there only to a setting in the Lumin UI Mini streamer.

I understand this, but Lumin U1 Mini has no dac. To hear music you need to connect to dac. Some dacs/dsp's convert from 16 to 24 bits like U1 Mini does. Other dacs convert everything to dsd, like Marantz SA-10 and PS Audio.

 

What I say is that their is a chain to consider to make a judgement. In this chain there is also an input to consider like if you take the digital signal över USB from a laptop or you use a server över ethernet. You listen to system there more things can have impact, not just U1Mini. I'm not question what you hear but Will you hear the same things with all dacs? I din not know, but I'm not so sure.

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@wklie Congratulation to your new P1 Lumïn, which I read about yesrerday. A question: How is Leedh handling analogue input? I guess it is som kind of AD conversion, or?
 

Now I just sit and wait for an updated U1 to U2…🤩

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@wklie A big thanks for adding the possibility to read pdf booklet direct on the screen. This is really welcome, specially for classic music that normally has much interesting information of the composer, music and the musicians.🏅

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13 hours ago, BlueSkyy said:

I was never gifted with the ability to hear changes that many are able to hear sonic differences in things like fuses or contact enhancers or devices that elevate speaker cables off the floor etc.

Same for me but sometimes I’m not sure. Just in case I have bought so called hifi cables. Cables, fuses and many other tweaks usually devide users in ”believers” and ”non believers” or a group that hear (big) differences or no differences. That is a sign to me that one should really question if there is a real differences or if it is an impact of other things. Our brain is a quite sofisticated instrument to translate believes into facts, not only in hifi. A good example is the impact of conspiration theories that many translate into fact sheets if it match own personality or pre-conceptions.
 

Everything is not pure magic. The challenge is to find out what and in that case I do not think engineers have all the answers. I think one also have to put in ”consumer behaviour” in the mix as well.

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13 hours ago, skyline said:

It is easy to hear when it’s in the wrong direction.

In Europe curren direction changes 50 times per second and I presume the flow must be the same in both direction, or?

 

If fuses can make a clear and big sound difference to the better it should be a quick fix to upgrade all hifi products in the factory with a minimal engineering resource. Better sounding and possibly better reviews. What is holding them back?

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@wklie I listen to mainly classical and jazz music. The Swedish public radio for classical music has a quite interesting content with frequent direct transmissions from concert. Unfortunately they only send in MP3 192 kbps. I contacted them and asked why not higher resolution. 
 

I’ve got an answer that they actually have a link where they transmit in AAC 320 kbps. However not over their app. I have to use traditional https- link:  https://http-live.sr.se/p2musik-aac-320

 

One reason for buying Lumïn was to get rid of a typical computer/laptop usb-solution in my gear. Today I run with a Synology NAS/Minimserver2 -> Acus router -> ethernet -> U1 Mini.

 

Is there a way that I can import the link above inte Lumïn without going back to laptops?

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8 hours ago, wklie said:

I have made a custom firmware for you.

This is the kind of service that is so important and appreciated for consumers. One should not need to be an it technician to enjoy the benefits of a purchase. The hardware is only half way... Thanks!

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2 hours ago, al210 said:

Just some folders with a zero.

It happens also to me when I drill down "too many" levels. Open the grey folder "Qobuz" on your image. Then scroll down to "Qobuz" and click on it and it should be OK again. Att least, this works at my place.

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On 12/14/2021 at 2:31 AM, wklie said:

Qobuz favorite sorting is now also added to Lumin

This is a very welcome feature. Now the Favourite feature is really useful. Today I got an update to 7.1.1. What are the news on this vs 7.1.0.?

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14 minutes ago, sonodynesrp205 said:

will there be a big difference in sound quality, given that the D2 would connect via RCA to my amplifier?

Generally speaking it could be a difference if both unites är fully balanced, which is not always the case. Even if, I doubt that the difference is "big".

 

I should go for D2 as it is a more updated machine including firmware. If I should by a T-modell I should save some more money and then by the T2. Which of them sounds best is personal and hard to advice on. It is connected to taste and how it perform in your total set up.

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1 hour ago, roadCingKlassik said:

, I was wondering if the output from the U1 Mini USB 1 & USB 2 are identical?

I can't hear any differences. I'm not sure exactly how you compared. If you use both USB's at the same time it will not work, unfortunately. I have two dacs and when I switch I connect USB2 but I also have to take out USB1. However, if I use SPDIF's outlets I can connect the AES to one dac and RCA Coax or Toslink to the other but not USB plus SPDIF at the same time. It is a pity. The only drawback with SPDIF in my set up is that it does not accept dsd. That is why I use USB.

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4 hours ago, roadCingKlassik said:

Then why offer 2 usb ports

You can use one as source input. (USB storage, flash drive, USB harddisk)

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@wklie I try to improve my knowledgebase on digital transmission. I should appreciate if you could give me some general explenations on USB transmission from U1 Mini. I want to understand in order have some thoughts on how U1 Mini can impact SQ in different DACs to what grade the streamer can impact the SQ.

 

1. If I understand correctly, using AES transmission between U1 Mini and my DAC I have a constant flow in real time and it needs a syncronization between U1 Mini and the clock in the DAC, but it is the DAC’s clocking that determins the final SQ, or?
 

2. With USB the information is sent in blocks as raw data and is buffered and clocked by the DAC, or?
 

3. How is the U1 Mini Quad Clock involved with AES (or SPDIF) versus USB transmission?