So, against my better judgement I came off the fence and tried the SBooster £300 seemed a lot of cash when there’s some reasonably measuring DACs out there for that money. I’m also aware of some of the ASR tests which have shown no measurable audible improvements from such upgrades on other DACs.
However, I’ve been impressed. Granted any sort of a/b trial is impossible, and having spent the cash, taken apart the D2 and snipped/desoldered a wire there’s a massive cognitive bias in favour of the upgrade. However, I felt that the soundstage deepened, timbre and transients improved (e.g. guitar, mandolin) and vocals sounded more natural/fluid. All in all a very worthwhile change.
However, perhaps the bigger suprise is that the original smps, which is about a tenth of the size/weight, does such a good job in the first place! I can see why Lumin would have wanted to deliver a tidy 1-box unit in this way, whatever perceived improvements might come from a large (and in this case very ugly) external lps.
Main difference with the Sbooster for me: a slight but noticeable digital glare/glassy character was eliminated with the Sbooster, and the bass firmed up with more bounce.
It was very worth it to me - took a very good DAC/Streamer and turned it into something quite special.
I run my D2 on a Plixir 12V @ 2A supply, one of my D1’s on another Plixir 12V @ 4A supply and a 3rd D1 using 12V fixed output on an HDPlex 200W that also powers my W10 Core PC @ 19V and my EtherREGEN @ 7.5V - for this last D1 I use LEEDH volume direct to my active analogue crossover then to my LX521 via 10 amplifiers by way of 2 x Lexicon DD8’s (8 * 125WPC)
The D2 will soon be setup using LEEDH to my Orion’s using Savant (DD8 rebadged) 8125 with its own active analogue crossover.
Hi, sorry to join late in this discussion. I recenty upgraded my Lumin T2 with the SBooster power supply, and I have to say I’m regretting it. On the positive side, it seems to have added a little more slam on the bass, and a little more space between instruments. What I don’t like is that the highs are now much brighter and forward, and it’s causing listening fatigue. I might be the only person that doesn’t prefer this LPS upgrade, but I prefer the more lay back sound of the T2 before the upgrade.
I now have voided the warranty of my T2 because I cut the wire between the power switch and the AC Socket. That is fine because it was a conscious decision on my part. However, I’m now considering going back to the original power supply. I wonder if I reconnect the red wire between the switch and the socket, will I have compromised the sound quality of the original unit? I’m not an electrical engineer, so I’m not sure how critical that wire between the switch and the socket is. Maybe @wklie or someone else be able to shed some lights?
If you’re not in a hurry to return it, you should burn in the Sbooster first for at least 100 hours as documented. If your T2 is new as well, please also burn it in 7x24 for several weeks by repeat playback together with the LPS.
Please check AC polarity reversal, if you use any kind of power strip that has US and UK sockets, since US and UK have opposite connections (in addition to voltage difference). (You share the same username of someone from my local forum, where AC polarity reversal is quite common here due to the use of both US and UK sockets.)
If you choose to reconnect the red wire, please make sure it is done in a safe way, not shorting anything and is not loose. Don’t worry about the SQ.
Thanks @wklie for the reply. I did read about the 100 hours burn in. I think it also mentioned it is not necessary to be running the device. I’ve had it for 1 week, so technically it should be burned in already. My T2 is not new. I’ve had it for 6 months now. I guess I’ll try to run it for another week and see if it calms down a bit.
I live in the US, so i guess i don’t have the polarity issue that you mentioned, but will double check.
It’s good to know that reconnecting should not affect the SQ. I might end up doing that if the sound doesn’t improve.
Sorry to hear you’ve found yourself in this situation and I hope you come to a resolution one way or another. I’m very curious as to what it is that people (myself included) are pereceiving in these changes, particularly when the subjective experiences differ. Would love to see some audio measurements with and w/o the SBooster on Lumin gear - I had a go at this with an ADC but unfortunately wasn’t very systematic (or skilled) in my approach and I suspect my cheap ADC probably had too many of its own issues to be useful.
Just received my new D2 this week and not sure that I have everything configured correctly. No matter what I try I keep showing an enhanced signal path play MQA tracks. I’ve tried changing the D2 in Roon to Decoder and Renderer and Render only. Any ideas?
OOI, do others using an SBooster or other LPS with the D2 get a ‘pop’ through their speakers if they turn it off via the LPS power switch? I was surprised by this as didn’t happen previously and doesn’t seem positive! I’ll turn off the amp (Hegel H360) from now on when I do it (it’s rare) but it makes me wonder what happens inside the DAC for this to occur?
Amp should be turned on last, and turned off first.
In more details: you should turn on equipment according to the order of the signal path (i.e. source -> preamp -> amp) , and turn off in reverse of signal path (i.e. amp -> preamp -> source).
I put a set of three Final Labs Daruma footers (basically two metal cups with a steel ball in between) under my D2. I had these lying around from an older system, and figured what the heck. Sometimes they have improved sound and sometimes I can’t hear any improvement. It may just be my brain, but it seemed to clean up the sound with the D2. A tinge more detail and things just sound more precise and intact. Can’t explain why, but I hear it.
My hifi is sounding wonderful. I cleaned the contacts with DeOxit, put some NOS tubes into my amp (a Woo WA5) and the D2 sound great. Makes me want to try a T2.
That said, my vinyl rig is hard to beat. Most visitors love the D2 but when I compare an MQA song to a vinyl version, they’re floored by how good a properly set up vinyl rig can sound. It’s a VPI Prime, Hana SL cartridge, and a Manley Chinook phono stage. Probably 3x the cost of the D2.
Again, I have to hear a T2 one of these days. I wonder what I am missing.
Dumb question @K_C - are you using an aftermarket power cable? I’ve used upgraded cables on my D2 and noticed an improvement. Digital gear seems to be more impacted to AC cables in my system. Currently using an older Foundation Research LC2 AC cable which has a medical grade filter in-line, and is known to tame the hashy, grainy sound imparted by digital gear.
Perhaps you may try using a power conditioner and see if it make a difference in your setup for source and possibly preamp - but do not connect the power amp or subwoofer through it.
Great opportunity to thumb up the T2 again, thx.
I think you will experience the T2 like your guests experience your vinyl comparison with the D2. Not telling the T2 sounds as record player, but referring to the difference you mention them mention.
K_C did you ever find a solution to the brightness problem with the sBooster? I am experiencing the same thing. I have 2 years on the D2 and looked into alternative power supplies so as to reduce the slight glare in the mid treble. I have about 150 hours on the sBooster and it is bright, harsh and sibilant in the treble. I have yet to add Roon to my system as I am trying to debug this problem first. Thanks.
This is something that I suspect may have a slight possibility of helping due to its function of AC line filtering with removal of (really undesirable) DC offset. This is not an endorsement. Get it only if you can return it for full refund if it does not help. Put the Emotiva CMX-2 before the LPS. Do not use the CMX-6.
£300 seemed a lot of cash when there’s some reasonably measuring DACs out there for that money. I’m also aware of some of the ASR tests which have shown no measurable audible improvements from such upgrades on other DACs.