Roon is a must for me. Therefore Aurender out. It’s a nonstarter. I have a Lumin U1 Mini and it truly is very powerful with great SQ. Plus you can upgrade it with an SBooster LPS. I have also added Noico to the interior to dampen EMI. A nice little DIY project. But if you must have an internal DAC, Lumin has those units too.
Lumin or Aurender
I have about 4k for a new streamer. I was looking into Lumin and Aurender. I need a streamer with an Integrated DAC.
Also looking at NAD M10. Which of these is best in terms of performance, reliability, value ? I watched a YouTube review by Michael Borzenkov, a well regarded Russian audio reviewer, who claimed he couldn't tell a difference between vinyl and A100. Currently running Blusound node 2 into Mac c2600 dac. Thoughts?
Also looking at NAD M10. Which of these is best in terms of performance, reliability, value ? I watched a YouTube review by Michael Borzenkov, a well regarded Russian audio reviewer, who claimed he couldn't tell a difference between vinyl and A100. Currently running Blusound node 2 into Mac c2600 dac. Thoughts?
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My vote is for Lumin. I’ve had a T2 for a little over a year and loved it so much I recently purchased an X1. The T2 gets you 80% of the X1 performance for about one-third the cost so there’s a lot of value there. It has an integrated DAC and is within your price range. The Lumin app is my personal favorite too out of the three I have streamers using (Lumin, BluOs, iPeng). |
I have the Aurender N100H. The thing that most impresses me is that Aurender tech support can log into your player and correct software related issues. That is one reason, and a big reason, I am hesitant to seek out upgrades outside the Aurender product line. Not to mention the build quality is outstanding, which to me means a great deal of attention to everything else. |
I’m pleased overall with my little Aurender N100H. hgeifman ... Aurender Conductor App (free) is very easy to use. It is easy to switch between my stored CD’s, Tidal Streaming, Qobuz and Internet radio (listen to the Radio Paradise station at 320kbps) ...The Radio Paradise channels are also available on FLAC streams. |
I own the Aurender N10 Music Server and like it very much. I listen to Qobuz Streaming for their outstanding sound quality. My stored CD albums also sound excellent. Aurender Customer Support is excellent. I have contacted them with requests and also questions on the operation of my Aurender. As you can see from above posts, the selection of a music server is not an easy decision or process. It seems, everyone has a DIFFERENT server recommendation. I suggest you make a LIST of the important FEATURES your music server NEEDS and your questions. For example, please REVIEW the following: 1) What is your price range for a music server? Aurender makes several servers in different price ranges and so do others (i.e., Lumin). 2) What features does your server need? For example, I wanted my CD albums stored in the same box, wanted Tidal, Qobuz Streaming Services and also Internet radio stations. And, also the ability to add more additional streaming services when they become available. 3) Do you want a DAC built into the streamer or a separate DAC? For maximum flexibility, I decided on an ETERNAL DAC. 4) What digital outputs do you need? I decided on a Music streamer with BOTH USB and AES/EBU digital outputs to my DAC. In most cases, I prefer the AEB/EBU connection (a high priority for me). Some servers offer an Ethernet audio connection for output. 5) Is a Roon interface important to you? If needed, you need a Roon enabled server. I decided that Roon is not required. In my case, the Aurender Conductor App DOES exactly what I need. However, several of my friends purchased a Roon enabled server and likes it very much. Another friend purchased the Roonlabs Nucleus by Roon and recommends it. 6) Your server needs a controlling App that runs on an iPad or something similar. You need to review the App to ensure it supports your needs to easily find and manage your music selections. If possible, you should audition the App to ensure it does what you need easily. 7) Does your server offer Remote Internet Technical Support? The Aurender does. I used this once and they solved my user operational issue very quickly (whoops, it was my error). 8) Sound quality is the MOST important. In my case, I asked many questions, talked to many people, read many reviews and auditioned various servers to help me make the right decision. I selected the Aurender N10 Music Server for its sound quality. 9) If possible, audition different music servers at different price ranges to narrow down the range you can afford and sounds the best (to you). Please do NOT rush this process. Take your time and listen.
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I don't think you'll do better than this for even less than your budget...no affiliation. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649595856-lumin-a1/ I use a Lumin U1 which is solely a streamer and I'm extremely impressed with the SQ. If you're looking mainly for streaming quality versus storage/server (which is often a highlight of the Aurender products) I think Lumin products will check your boxes more completely. |
While I have gone the completely digital route, I would be highly skeptical of anyone who claimed no real difference between vinyl and digital. They don’t sound the same, though digital can sound very, very good. The M10 is intriguing - do you want an all in one unit? Really convenient, but probably outperformed by the Lumin and Aurender units. I do like the BluOS system quite a bit though be forewarned of connectivity issues if you run the M10 over WiFi instead of Ethernet (much preferred). If you’re really looking at the M10, you might also stretch a bit and consider the Linn Selekt DSM. Elegant and highly functional too. Lumin and Linn can both interact w/ Roon if that’s important. The Aurender cannot. Auralic will also have unit(s) you should consider, that work with Roon and sound quite good. It would help if you told us what your priorities are -we could give you better feedback. Best, |