Lumin U1 mini transport

Whether it’s a noticeable step up it will be system dependent so it’s hard to say. I do hope it should be better - if there’s a way to audition the U1 MINI with your DAC, please do.

As for functionality, we have built-in support for Qobuz Hi-Res that can be used, before Roon integrates it (if/when this rumor becomes a reality).

I think my system is pretty revealing. I’m running Magico A3s and a Hegel H160 with the Berkeley DAC. I use a ST i5 for Roon and storage. It may be difficult to demo the U1 MINI but I’ll give it a go.

1 Like

Users familiar with typical Roon endpoints may check this out - regarding the board at the center, see if others see what I see.

Not sure what I’m looking for but I see no photo.

This shows the internals of your current streamer (not a Lumin):

Not being an EE what am I looking for here?

There is a raspberry pi board upside down in the centre.

Interesting, as is the cabling. But does all this make it sonically inferior to a Lumin U1 MINI as a streamer?

I’d rather not say further, as this looks like a place to start a flame war since saying the wrong things will upset a large group of users, and other people chime in to say streamers cannot make a difference due to bits are bits, etc.

(Note that for AES or SPDIF we care about jitter, much more so than USB.)

1 Like

Understood and I agree.

1 Like

does this mean AES or Coax are the recommended outs to a DAC?
(I’m talking about U1 Mini :wink: )

I always tell customers to try both AES and USB outputs and see what they like.

However, if it is desired to play DSD128 or the DAC does not support DoP64 over AES / SPDIF, then USB has to be used.

1 Like

Yesterday, I’ve received the Lumin U1 mini for demo purposes.
It’s connected between Roon ROCK (passive cooled NUC with SBooster) and a Devialet 400.
Before I played directly over ethernet from ROCK to Devialet, and was not too happy about the SQ.
Then I added a SOtM USBultra and connected over USB to the Devialet (AQ Diamond cable), that improved SQ.
Now I’ve connected the Lumin U1 mini using coaxial (Nordost BNC), and what a game changer !!!
The Lumin U1 mini will remain in my hifi rack (bye bye SOtM).
Next upgrades will be:

  • power Lumin with SBooster
  • connect it via AES/EBU to the Devialet
  • upgrade network cables to AQ Carbon with Telegartner connectors
2 Likes

I am very curious to know what arguments you use to “talk” to these people.

I know several people that use Chromecast Audio as a streamer with their five figure DACs, simply because they believe streamers are totally unimportant, bits are bits, bit perfect stuff, etc.

And tell them to try, goes to a deaf ear, as they always ask me to “prove it” with some type of measurements and / or electric engineering diagram or measurement

People have measured Chromecast Audio and found that its jitter is very bad - there are at least two such reports. If they don’t think jitter is important or consider jitter to be inaudible, that makes people wonder why they bought five figure DACs in the first place. [Unless they believe their DAC reclocking is perfect, as some designer(s) claimed, but that is not necessarily consistent with all user reports.]

A while ago a distributor told us that Devialet users have been buying U1 MINI. I was a little surprised by that, but after reading your post now it makes sense.

1 Like

That’s exactly what they say — their DAC takes care of whatever issues the streamer introduces. I tell them “garbage-in-garbage-out”, but they keep telling me “prove it”.

1 Like

If they’re your good friends, perhaps bring a streamer and appropriate cable to their setup and do an A/B comparison against Chromecast?

I’ll let you know the differences in SQ (if any) of this A/B/C/D/E comparison:

  • Roon ROCK directly over ethernet to Devialet (dedicated switch with LPS)
  • Lumin U1 mini to USB connection (AQ Diamond USB cable)
  • Lumin U1 mini to coaxial SPDIF (Nordost Blue Heaven BNC)
  • Lumin U1 mini to AES/EBU (custom build by Love Cable)
  • Chromecast to optical (Toslink 3,5mm)
1 Like

Unfortunately I cannot do this now, since my DAC has a streamer built in.

That would be awesome! I look forward to your findings.

1 Like