LUMIN - Audiophile Network Music Player

[BlueSkyy]

On 3/19/2019 at 3:41 AM, wklie said:

@BlueSkyy For the HDMI handshake discussed earlier,  we've found a way to improve it for Denon / Marantz AV receivers.  This will go into the next firmware for S1 / A1 / T1.  If you're interested in testing it, I can also send you a beta firmware.

 

On 3/19/2019 at 3:41 AM, wklie said:

 

 

Yes I would like to test the firmware for you!  Please ship it to me!

[BlueSkyy]

On 3/7/2019 at 6:30 PM, Evo-No-Revo said:

My new Lumin X1 arrived today. This is my 4th Lumin so it isn't unfamiliar. I have it connected to a Luxman L-509X via both XLR and RCA.

With the S1 at least, it was recommended to me not to have both outputs connected simultaneously.  Is the design of the X1 such that this is no longer an issue or did I simply misread what you said?

[wklie]

13 hours ago, BlueSkyy said:

it was recommended to me not to have both [analog] outputs connected simultaneously.

 

That is still true for X1.  The S1 beta firmware was sent to you in PM.

[BlueSkyy]

6 hours ago, wklie said:

 

That is still true for X1.  The S1 beta firmware was sent to you in PM.

Many thanks!

[wklie]

A user grubble shared his impression of Lumin D2 against his previous setup in https://www.audioshark.org/showthread.php?t=13088&page=7&p=266498&viewfull=1#post266498

 

Quote

The Comet errs on the neutral and dry side of things. The D2 digs a little deeper into the music and presents a bit more detail on music. In playing Vijay Iyer’s “Mutations” album on Quboz, the upsampling on the D2 presents a lot more information than I have heard it via the microRendu + Comet combo. There’s a lot of information on the strings tracks that has a lot of spatial cues, subtle but quite effective at painting the palette of the stage for the listener. The Comet gets this almost right but causes a bit of overlap and smearing of instruments into each other. The D2 almost gets it right with placing them in distinct positions with a bit of spatiality and separateness to them.

On Gogo Penguin’s brilliant “A Humdrum Star”, there’s a drive to the second track “Raven” that has a pace and rhythm in the drums which doesn’t sound slow but leads the piano accompanying. On the Comet, the drums recede into the background and doesn’t have the urgency on that drive with this track. A different presentation.

I’ve got around 40 hours on the D2 whereas the Comet has been with me for a couple of years now. Definitely appreciate the convenience of one unit to do streaming and DAC duties but didn’t expect the DAC to be quite outstanding. This isn’t a laid back sounding unit at all, which I thought surprising. Employing Wolfson DAC chips, a previous DAC I heard with these were quite warm sounding and laid back. The D2 has some of the warmth but is actually quite neutral overall in its presentation. The implementation has a lot to do with this so the folks at Lumin know how to squeeze the detail out of this DAC chipset.

Quite impressed overall in my system. Connected via balanced outs to a Luxman L-550AX driving Merlin TSM-MxE speakers.

 

[erniejade]

Great review!. 

[Evo-No-Revo]

I am pretty confused as to how or if I can get this to work.

I installed a JCAT LAN Card with two ethernet ports in a HTPC running Roon Core. I want to see if I can bridge the two JCAT LAN Connections and connect an Ethernet cable from one of the JCAT LAN ports directly into the X1 ethernet port?

I have bridged the connection between the two JCAT LAN ports and run an ethernet cable direct into the X1 ethernet port. The Lumin X1 doesn’t show up in Roon.

I searched and have seen the big thread on Computer Audiophile but I can’t seem to get this to work. I don’t know if it even will work..🤔

Thanks for any help.

[wklie]

I believe this configuration has been proven successful before: Bridged Ethernet Any Pro's or all Cons?

In your setup, please leave the SFP (fiber) network port unplugged (so that it does not create a loop in your network).

 

Firstly, please power cycle the Lumin X1. See if the front panel shows a progress circle or “Network Error”. If no error is shown, then the physical path from router - JCAT - Lumin X1 is good as the X1 can get an IP address. If a “Network Error” is shown, your JCAT is not properly configured or there is some sort of network cable issue.

 

In Lumin app, please make sure Lumin X1 Roon Ready setting is enabled.

 

It is important for the HTPC to be configured to allow multicast packets to pass through the JCAT bridge. If you’re running Linux, this may be less easy.

 

If the bridge is intact and multicast works, you should be able to find Lumin X1 in Roon audio setup under networked Roon Ready devices. You can then enable it and be able to choose it as a playback zone.

 

If you have changed any network configuration and after that Roon still does not see Lumin X1, please restart the Roon Core.

[wklie]

Lumin AMP driving PMC Fenestria ($65000 per pair):

https://www.soundstageglobal.com/index.php/shows-events/montreal-audio-fest-2019-montreal-canada/826-mae-2019-pmcs-north-american-fenestria-loudspeaker-launch

 

Quote

The speakers were driven by a Lumin X1 music server and a brand-new Lumin amplifier, aptly named Amp (160Wpc into 8 ohms, 320Wpc into 4 ohms). The sound of the Fenestrias was remarkable, even under suboptimal show conditions (the big rooms of the Hotel Bonaventure sound rather resonant). The bass was deep, rich, and powerful, easily reaching to 20Hz, the bottom of the audioband. But what PMC wanted us to focus on was the clarity of the midband and highs. Even with deep bass belting out, the frequencies above were always crystal-clear, and so extended that the first descriptors to cross my mind were “feathery” and “delicate.” The Fenestria is a big, bold, powerful-sounding speaker that’s also extremely refined and able to show immense detail.

 

[Evo-No-Revo]

21 hours ago, wklie said:

It is important for the HTPC to be configured to allow multicast packets to pass through the JCAT bridge. If you’re running Linux, this may be less easy.

 

I have the progress circle on the X1 screen, Roon enabled but no X1 in audio devices in Roon.

 

I have tried to figure out online how to allow multicast packets but I am unclear how to do that in regards to the JCAT bridge.  I am running Windows 10 Pro. 

 

Any suggestions?

[wklie]

@Evo-No-Revo Let's verify non-Roon playback first.  Please install MinimServer on the HTPC.  See if you can use Lumin app to see the X1 renderer,  and see the MinimServer library on HTPC, then use the X1 to play some music from MinimServer to X1.

 

Do @Marcin_gps and @One and a half have any suggestions for setting up JCAT Ethernet bridge for use with Roon?

[wklie]

@Evo-No-Revo One more thing: it is very important that you verify everything are on the same subnet.

[One and a half]

@wklie & @Evo-No-Revo, for the JCAT NET card, it is possible to bridge under Windows and not worry about multicast packets, I didn't.

 

Choose one port on the JCAT, it needs to be wired to the router. This port was allocated a fixed IP address. The other port on the JCAT to the Lumin is assigned DHCP, since the Lumin will only work with DHCP.  There's a small wizard in Windows where two ports can be bridged, in control panel network, network connections.  The worst part is identify which port is which, so the correct cable to the right device can be plugged in. Although I use Winserver2016, it's the same coding as Win 10 when tinkering on that OS.

 

The PC needs to be on first and running, then power up the Lumin. Within 2 seconds, the Lumin will display 'network error' while it finds the network and is assigned an IP address from the router. This should only take another 3-5 s. The full circle will replace the Network error, waiting for a file to come through.

 

FWIW, I found Win2016, a server OS, with no multimedia extensions to work and sound better than Win10 using the JCAT NET. 

[One and a half]

@wklie & @Evo-No-Revo for Roon, the Lumin should appear fairly quickly on the Core and the control PC/iPad. Once the Lumin has the IP address, it's all downhill. Lately, Roon has been playing up with the control point not even seeing the Core, but devices are found. 1.6 has seen a convenience with Quobuz setup with performance of old taking a back seat. For instance if a new album is copied to the monitored library, 1.5 used be recognised immediately, 1.6 can be immediate or 30 minutes later.

 

Use the Lumin app to find the IP address and ping it, should be good from a hardware layer anyway.

[wklie]

3 hours ago, One and a half said:

Choose one port on the JCAT, it needs to be wired to the router. This port was allocated a fixed IP address. The other port on the JCAT to the Lumin is assigned DHCP, since the Lumin will only work with DHCP.

 

For the first port, does it have to be static fixed IP?  Can it be DHCP?

[Marcin_gps]

You could also try using internet connection sharing and manual IP config for both ports or running a DHCP server on the port which connects to Lumin: http://www.dhcpserver.de/cms/

Best regards, 
Marcin

[One and a half]

3 hours ago, wklie said:

 

For the first port, does it have to be static fixed IP?  Can it be DHCP?

For Server use, the IP Address I like to fix. Suppose it could have been DHCP as well, just it was easier to diagnose which port was active.

[wklie]

In issue #169 of Hi-Fi+ there is a superb LUMIN X1 review.
http://www.luminmusic.com/downloads/LUMIN-X1-HIFI+169.pdf

 

During the review Alan Sircom states:
 

Quote

 

To say I'm impressed by the LUMIN X1 is something of an understatement. I am blown away by its performance.

 

It has a sense of absolute confidence in it's own performance that is typically the domain of the best in analogue

 

It puts it in direct competition with products that cost several times as much and take up a lot of shelf space in the process.

 

 

[Evo-No-Revo]

5 hours ago, wklie said:

 

On 3/25/2019 at 6:56 PM, wklie said:

 

Thanks @wklie  @Marcin_gps and @One and a half!

Unfortunately I am out of town for about 10 days.  I will report back my progress next month.

Thanks again!

Christopher

 

 

[BlueSkyy]

On 3/20/2019 at 10:47 PM, wklie said:

 

That is still true for X1.  The S1 beta firmware was sent to you in PM.

I was able to reconfigure my system to utilize the S1's HDMI output vice the BNC output that I was using because of the HDMI's handshaking issue I have experienced.

 

The beta firmware seems to have resolved the issue.  I look forward to seeing the change incorporated into one of the next formal releases.

 

Nicely done!

[BlueSkyy]

I couldn't stand it any longer.  My first Lumin an A1 was replaced by an S1 both of which served me well but the raw aluminum color of those two unit never quite fit in my rack.  In order to "correct" the visual, I bit the bullet and ordered a black X1 which is now inbound from the importer in California.

 

Seriously, it wasn't the color of the A1 and S1 was bothered me.  It's my constant desire to  upgrade!  I look forward to taking my hours in the company of a fine single malt breaking the X1 in.  I do have a couple of concern, however, and those are: 1) is that the rest of my system up to the task of allowing the X1 to soar and 2) how best to connect the X1 to my QNAP NAS?

 

I am currently using Cat 7 from the QNAP through the router to a 16 port POE switch into the S1.  I suspect there are better, more direct, ways to getting music into the X1.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

One note to Lumin:  Please don't bring out another flagship machine until I've move on to another plane of existence!  (Just kidding)

[One and a half]

1 hour ago, BlueSkyy said:

I couldn't stand it any longer.  My first Lumin an A1 was replaced by an S1 both of which served me well but the raw aluminum color of those two unit never quite fit in my rack.  In order to "correct" the visual, I bit the bullet and ordered a black X1 which is now inbound from the importer in California.

 

Seriously, it wasn't the color of the A1 and S1 was bothered me.  It's my constant desire to  upgrade!  I look forward to taking my hours in the company of a fine single malt breaking the X1 in.  I do have a couple of concern, however, and those are: 1) is that the rest of my system up to the task of allowing the X1 to soar and 2) how best to connect the X1 to my QNAP NAS?

 

I am currently using Cat 7 from the QNAP through the router to a 16 port POE switch into the S1.  I suspect there are better, more direct, ways to getting music into the X1.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

One note to Lumin:  Please don't bring out another flagship machine until I've move on to another plane of existence!  (Just kidding)

 

The direct connection works best, Server -> Lumin. The minimum signal path is use for the Lumin U1 at home, is a JCAT Net Femto card in a Win2016 running Roon. The JCAT is a 2 port Ethernet, one port is connected to the router, the other direct to the Lumin.

For an X1, it could be possible to substitute Ethernet for Fiber, but the FMC bothers me somewhat, in that their power supplies must be very low noise types. You obtain galvanic isolation, at the expense of the FMC, SFP, & their PSU with power paths well away from the X1, I'm suggesting metres and lots of them. 

 

Another possibility is a dedicated server, Melco, Zenith models, perhaps wait with the model that has fiber output, to maintain that direct path.

 

Have a fish through this thread on fiber, there are some tips with caveats. FWIW, the U1 with Ethernet works very well, great stage height, location of instruments and vocals, and one thing that's really annoying. A crap recording, really does sound like crap, no quarter given.

[mav52]

3 hours ago, BlueSkyy said:

I couldn't stand it any longer.  My first Lumin an A1 was replaced by an S1 both of which served me well but the raw aluminum color of those two unit never quite fit in my rack.  In order to "correct" the visual, I bit the bullet and ordered a black X1 which is now inbound from the importer in California.

 

Seriously, it wasn't the color of the A1 and S1 was bothered me.  It's my constant desire to  upgrade!  I look forward to taking my hours in the company of a fine single malt breaking the X1 in.  I do have a couple of concern, however, and those are: 1) is that the rest of my system up to the task of allowing the X1 to soar and 2) how best to connect the X1 to my QNAP NAS?

 

I am currently using Cat 7 from the QNAP through the router to a 16 port POE switch into the S1.  I suspect there are better, more direct, ways to getting music into the X1.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

One note to Lumin:  Please don't bring out another flagship machine until I've move on to another plane of existence!  (Just kidding)

I'm in the same mode you are,  wanting to go to a S1 or a X1 but my wallet will not let go

[kelly200269]

7 hours ago, mav52 said:

I'm in the same mode you are,  wanting to go to a S1 or a X1 but my wallet will not let go

Ditto. I absolutely LOVE my A1, but unless I win the lottery my trusted A1 will be there for the immediate, and probably long-term future.

Not that I’m dissatisfied. Not at all. I recently went down the Roon/Nucleus route, and the A1 integrates absolutely perfectly with the Roon ‘system’.

I just want to say a MASSIVE ‘Thank You!’ to Peter @wklie and everyone else at Lumin for the constant firmware updates to my now (relatively aged) A1, that keep it relevant, and keep me listening!

My Lumin has seriously been the very best investment I’ve made in audio, probably since the time I purchased my Linn LP12 over thirty-years ago 😀

[wklie]

There's also the latest Lumin T2 which is much more friendly to wallet .  Here's what a dealer said at audiogon forum https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/lumin-vs-auralic

Quote

The Lumin products are quite magical the new T2 is a quantum leap over the T1. The new T2 is like a mini version of the X1 which is in a class by itself as an uber level streaming dac.

The T2 has a full lush sound with a sense of image density that you just don’t find in the more affordable digital products. The difference is the X1 just goes to an insanse level of increased resolution and furthers the T2 in every parameter.

The design of the Lumin is exceptionally advanced with dual Ess 9028 pro dac which do differential computation of an eight core processor [@wklie edit: should be eight DAC output] summed to lower distortion and increase dynamic range.

A state of the art analog stage and a very advanced power supply beat the older T1 which was a mini A1 even in the face of having a switching power supply that is internal, the Dual Ess beat the older Wolfsons.

Take a T2 for a spin, it is Roon capable, MQA, offers the option of upconverting PCM to high resolution files as well as playing PCM as DSD we demo our T2 playing Tidal as DSD and it sound marvelous.

Also the Lumin has built in Airplay which is also very convenient, and the Lumin app is super easy to use.

If you prefer your digital to sound like analog,have freedom to upconvert and crossconvert, have a rock solid app, constant firmware upgrades to new features, ease of use and a great looking product get a T2.

We sell many brands of digital: Ifi, Mytek, Nuprime, Naim, Lumin, Aqua Hifi, T+A, and a few others the Lumin is our favorite.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Lumin dealers

 

 

And here's what user Ym2000 said at audioshark forum https://www.audioshark.org/showthread.php?t=15835&page=2&p=267780&viewfull=1#post267780

 

Quote

I just purchased T2 last month - it’s been on 7/24 last week and listening now is pure bliss.
streaming Tidal most of the time and using its DAC for MQA as I have c2600 Mcintosh.
Hard for me to provide valuable insight into comparison with x1 as I never owned it but this T2 is a thing of beauty both in built quality and sound.