U1 MINI into USB DAC?

So also looking at something else. Never working with a streamer only unit, can the U1 MINI be used with any DAC with a USB input ? I am only familiar with USB and computers, where it seems it is usually referred to, and needing the Windows driver to make it work. In this case it would be ia U1MINI to a DSD capable DAC (stand alone, or with an integrated amp) via the DSD capable USB input ??? Are there some USB inputs that can only work with a PC.

Some dac rely on windows drivers to get the most of all features the dac supports, while most usb dacs will operate up to say 384k/dsd128 higher rates may depend on a windows driver

Knowing what dac amp combo you are planning will help us here determine the outcome.

If it’s the NAD M33 doesn’t that have a built in streaming via BlueOS.

The one I have to try locally is the Denon PMA 110 , 110th anniversary integrated unit, with the Quad DAC. That will due DSD only over the USB. They refer to a windows driver for a computer, but say little about not using a computer.

If we define “can be used” means 44.1kHz plays, then practically all recent Linux-compatible DAC will work.

If a DAC requires a driver for Mac OS, then it will not work from Lumin. Ask me.

We rarely have any users with Denon USB DAC (because Denon AV receivers do not have USB DAC). DSD256 to Denon USB DAC will not work from Lumin U1 (Mini). I believe DSD128 should work.

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OK Peter, that would be fine, 64/128 is all I would be looking for. I will let you know how this works…

Peter for clarification here, this is not a receiver, this is their limited 110th anniversary integrated, built special in their high end plant in Japan. It’s a 60 pound power house that through my NAD M33 out the door. That said, it has a quad dac, 2 Burr Brown PCM 1795 chips per channel. And yes it sounds great, and worked fine, just vague information available from them, like most manufacturers. See attached for what Lumin, ROON and the Denon did.


![lumin3|465x500](upload://dDuHInlWv5EvyUgWGTpZdHHgTc9.jpeg)
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So you got DSD256 playing into PMA-A110 normally? That’s great. I did not know it’d work.

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Yes Peter sounds great. I thought to give this one a try with this new integrated and almost new U1 Mini, both returnable. No more down re-sampling like with the NAD.

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Peter, about the only thing that DAC does not due is MQA. Somewhere between ROON and Lumin it picks up MQA @176 then converts it to 88 and sends it to the DAC, and that’s what the DAC display reads. Not a huge point as I only own 3 CD’s with MQA and do not use Tidal. And even as it is , it sounds pretty good. If have Lumin app set to Core Decode, and the ROON device settings to Renderer only, and core decoder to enable yes.

MQA 176 is actually delivered as 44.1kHz. Consider the 176 as a label only. Your setup is correctly performing MQA Core decode (first unfold) from 44.1kHz to 88.2kHz.

Without Lumin analog output or a MQA DAC, you’ll not get MQA rendering, i.e. sample rate higher than 96kHz in a MQA-sanctioned manner.

If you do prefer Roon upsampling to DSD, then you may try this: in Roon set Lumin to No MQA Support, enable MQA Core Decoder, and enable DSD256 upsampling. You should see Roon perform MQA Core decode from 44.1/48kHz to 88.2/96kHz then use DSP Engine to upsample to DSD256.

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great, i will give it a try, let you know…

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Yup, it worked, the U1 and the DAC both say DSD 11.2Mhz . I prefer upsampling anyhow to DSD. Roon reads just as you said it would. Thank you. Who needs MQA ?