Lumin Streamers Sound Better Without Roon?

[F208Frank]

Is this true that the Lumin streamers sound better with their own native app versus using the Roon app? Any Lumin owners agree or disagree with this? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[One and a half]

Will give it a try, this weekend.

[Audio]

I never use the native app except for putting the Lumin to sleep.

 

Comparing Roon and JRiver, JRiver sounded more detailed with the same source file.

 

(Audio)

[Cebolla]

Depending on how you have set up the internal DLNA server that you are using within JRiver, it's possible that JRiver is not doing anything to the audio files at all. So JRiver may be sending the audio files over the network intact, without any involvement of JRiver's audio engine, for the Lumin itself to decode and play, ie, exactly the same as the Lumin's own controller app behaves.

[F208Frank]

I personally feel that Lumin App sounds better than Roon, but I do love the Roon interface much more. I am surprised that this is not talked about much.

 

Lumin staff and most dealers also mention that they prefer the Lumin App from a pure sound perspective.

[One and a half]

Finally had some time to iinstall and then compare the Lumin app. Lumin recommends Minimserver, so, OK.

 

There's a bit of effort in installing minimserver and to make it work.

As an advice from Mininserver pages:

 

"If your music files are on another computer, you should install MinimServer on the other computer, which will need to be running whenever you're browsing your music collection or playing music. You can install MinimWatch on a Windows PC if you want to use the Windows PC to configure and manage MinimServer. You don't need to be running MinimWatch to browse your music collection or play music."

 

Well, the music files are on a different computer to where the Lumin is connected. The advice is then to install Mininserver on the machine where the files live, but it's a noisy Server, not adapted for audio, just general use and I would have to move the JCAT net card. Despite this advice, Minimserver picked up the files on the other computer, it hated the UNC convention \\Main-Server, but approved the mapped drive T:\.  🙄

 

Firewall

Mininserver install doesn't poke a hole in the Windows 2016 firewall to let through traffic to the Lumin app on the ipad. For linux, UDP port 1900 needs to be open, made rules for both directions, didn't work. Switched off the firewall and the server could be seen by the Lumin app. Mamma mia, what a process. I could find the ports to open in Roon took a little time, but for Minimserver, it's a STRUGGLE.

 

Java

If an application needs a port open, it's fine to configure in the windows firewall, but windows chooses the exe file, minimserver runs on java, so the whole of Java needs a port open? I don't know, but that's an open door to something I'm not too keen on.

 

Scanning music files

Oh Minimserver hates the %date% format on every .DSF, can't understand 11/12

 

Update

If new music files are added to the library, these need to be re-scanned manually, can be done on the fly, the server does stop and start. I suppose for an album it;s tolerable, but a box set may see an interruption. Roon has its days, sometimes indexing works right away, other times, it takes its sweet time. If the PC reboots, it will re-scan all the folders. It's quick, but not immediate, Roon is just a few seconds, on the iPad about 10s something to wake up.

 

After all that endurance above, comparison of the SQ of Roon and the Lumin app

- Stage height: same

- Stage Depth : same

- Micro details like snare drum/ brushes : Lumin app gain, to make it a measurement, 3 grains of sand

- Bass : same

- Vocals : No real difference

 
Interesting excercise, if there was a choice, I would go Roon not due to SQ, just for ease of use and familiarity. Lumin app does work in portrait mode on my iPad which is really cool, for Roon, landscape only unless I buy a new iPad (Pro). Have better things to spend on than line Apple's pockets with cash. 

 

[sfseay]

Minimserver on a Synology NAS is an easy process.  Start the app and point it to your music directory. Done!