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Lumin P1 or X1 or others?

Hi,

Nowadays, audio companies are launching more and more streamers. I am listening music from jazz to electro-industrial, contemporain  to baroque, dark ambient to experimental, so really wide genres. 

I would actually need digital inputs as well. After all, I want to connect wadia transport and Sony dat to it - Of course I can sacrifice this for quality because I also have an analog tube amplifier. 

In addition, in Hungary, where I live, my hearing opportunities are limited.   
So i listened in a Solution power amp driven paradigm Persona 9H speaker system ( i like other kind of sound - it was too dry, emotionless, sterile for me). On some music you might have heard a difference e.g.  Dead can Dance Anastasia sacd, JAZZ is noticeably airier and has some intangible sense of difference.  On classical music, the x1 sounded airier again.  I would say - if i can put it that way - the difference is 10-15% (for me).

I was also looking for a used streamer.  My current option is either a new X1, or a new P1, or a used (1,5 years old ) X1 at the same price as new P1.   

What do you think? Which is the best option? Or do you have other suggested option?

Thank your answer in advance

visva

Showing 2 responses by yyzsantabarbara

yyzsantabarbara
4,563 posts
 

@ozzy Do you have a Uptone Audio EtherRegen ($650) or Sonore OpticalModule ($300)? I am curious about putting either one of those in front of a Lumin X1 or P1 then using the Fibre input.

I was of the opinion that taking Fibre directly from a network switch to the Lumin Fibre input was the way to go, but recently I read a white paper by the designer of both the ER and OM and he laid out the argument why using just Fibre was not enough.

I tried an EtherRegen in front of my Sonore OpticalRendu then USB to my Musetec 005 DAC and I noticed a very nice improvement in clarity and focus. If I had a Lumin X1 or P1 the streaming setup would be even simpler and thus potentially even better.

If anyone is interested on the John Swenson whitepaper on streaming you can drill down from this post.

Audiogon Discussion Forum

 

yyzsantabarbara
4,563 posts
 

Now that I have an X1 at home, let me add to my original post about an EtherRegen connected in front of the Lumin X1. I use an EtherRegen from my network switch to take RJ45 into the eR and then fibre to the X1.

I feel that the eR takes a bit of the bite out of the streaming sonics of the X1. This is a good thing for me. This is compared to the fibre coming directly from my network switch. I found similar improvement with other fibre streamers.

The eR + X1 streaming into my Benchmark DAC3B into my RAAL VM-1a headphone amp is a bit too loud compared to my other fibre streamer, the Sonore OpticalRendu. I think I prefer the Sonore OpticalRendu a tiny bit more for fibre streaming. It seems a bit more refined compared to the full blast sonics from the eR. Though the sound is very close. I think this is a huge complement to the Sonore OpticalRendu since it cost so much less.

I am not using any super elaborate USB cable (maybe $100) or LPS ($300) with the opticalRendu.

The X1 used as both a streamer and DAC into a preamp or headphone amp is the best overall sound I have now.

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