Experience with Lumin L2?


Has anyone tried the LUMIN L2?  The LUMIN L1 I've been using is starting to not cooperate and the L2 looks tempting with the SPDIF connections 

Ag insider logo xs@2xbrianbonf

@brianbonf had mine for 1 month now and it is by some distance the best sonic upgrade to my system since I went digital 5 years ago. However, and this is an important caveat, I have an all Lumin front-end now, the P1 and U1 in separate rooms, the L2 serving up local files from its internal SSDs to both streamers via the network. The L2 is also the main ethernet switch for both streamers. The upshot is the maximum sonic benefit is derived from the L2 used as the hub of an all Lumin ecosystem. I make zero claims this is true for any other setup, which is not to say there wouldn’t be some sonic benefit, but I suspect the $4K L2 is only good value within a Lumin-based system.

I own the Lumin X1 and I have an 8TB hard drive attached to it. I really don't see anything that would suggest that the sound quality would be better with the L2.

ozzy

@kairosman
Great to hear! Thank you for the feedback. Are you copper to L2 then fibre to P1, or some other config?

I have found the L2 to be convenient and it improves the clarity of my streaming.   I was able to run fiber optic from my router to the L2 (35 feet) and fiber optic into the X1.  I no longer need an EtherRegen.  I connected my Apple TV module to the L2.   This is where the improvements in audio quality is must noticeable.  With the X1 streaming signal through the L2, there is an improvement in clarity but it’s subtle at best.  The investment feels worthwhile and I would recommend it.  

brianbonf,

How did you run fiber from your router without the etherregen?

Many of the cheap fiber converters degrade the sound.

ozzy