All about the new Lumin U2 Streaming Network transport
The way we listen has changed radically over the last 5 years. Maybe it has for you too. Whatever the case, the world of audio is changing at pace and you owe it to yourself to have a look at where you could be.
This page is ostensibly about the Lumin U2 Network transport (which we look at in depth) but first we have to make the case for why you actually need such a component.
For almost everyone over a certain age, music has been something we have collected in some physical form – cassettes, vinyl records, CDs and other silver disks and even downloaded tracks that reside on a drive or computer.
Streaming came along and then suddenly there was access to a vast library of music, often at lower cost but for a long time at compromised levels of quality. Much of this was due to bandwidth constraints and various means and schemes were tried to get over this hurdle – Apple Lossless, FLAC, Meridian MQA. Most of the established brands did what they could to jump on each development but all too often applied legacy thinking to a modern problem.
So if you haven’t yet embraced streaming, it’s been with good reason.
Tidal MAX and Qobuz change everything. Both offer vast libraries of true high resolution music. (Tidal at a NZ$16.99 per month, Qobuz from $17.49). Both offer free trial periods.
These are recent developments – Tidal MAX was only introduced late last year (2023) and the recent drop in cost – effectively halved – came through last month.
We usually focus on hardware and components when it comes to improvements in sound but what’s happening here is genuinely game changing; With Tidal Max or Qobuz, this can deliver around 2, 4 or even 8x more data than a standard CD – you don’t have to be an expert to understand that this can sound a lot better.
What was once an ideal restricted to the high end of the audio industry, is now effectively ubiquitous. What isn’t so common is the ability of audio components to make the most of this opportunity to greatly improve the quality of sound you enjoy at home.
There are two issues in play – compatibility and delivered performance.
With format changes there will inevitably be components that simply do not have the capacity to accept the new format or be upgraded to it. And while there will be a rush of new components that are compatible, whether of not they actually deliver on the promise of genuinely better sound can be questioned.
These two challenges are at the heart of what makes the Lumin range of network players both better and your first choice when it comes to sound quality and future proofing.
The new Lumin U2 streaming transport illustrates both points perfectly.
But first let’s clarify the difference between streamers (also known at network players) and streaming (network) transports such as the U2. It’s simply that the Lumin U2, and it’s more affordable smaller sibling, the U2 Mini, don’t have DAC chipsets built in so their outputs are exclusively digital. Which means the U2 is designed for systems with either a separate existing DAC or an amplifier with digital inputs.
The Lumin family of Players – D3, T3, and the mighty X1 all have excellent inbuilt DAC sections so why would you consider a separate DAC and streaming transport?
The first reason is flexibility: most existing stand alone DACs have a greater variety and number of inputs. And we also know that digital technology evolves rapidly – you may very well be looking to upgrade at some stage in the future. The Lumin P1 (introduced in 2023) and just released P1 mini deal with this with a comprehensive array of modern digital inputs and features, but that’s a story for another day.
The second reason is simply performance. If a DAC is well built and designed, there are real benefits from isolation, both physical and electrical. A separate dedicated and optimised power supply helps. And there can be a lot going on in terms of the overall design that influences the quality of the analogue sound output, especially if running into matched power amplification.
If these criteria are filled, the Lumin U2 comes into it’s own. This goes back to the fundamental rule that if you put better sound in, you’ll get better sound out.
And with the improvements made possible by both Lumin, Tidal MAX and Qobuz, that gain becomes substantial and worthwhile.
A more considered listen.
So what does the U2 sound like? My first impression after just a couple of tracks was to email our friendly Lumin distributor to report ‘that’s just ******* scary’. Possibly not the best quote but you’ll probably get the idea of the impact it had. Let’s now take a more considered look and listen.
The U2 went into a comparatively simple and affordable system with the NuPrime AMG DAC and new STA-SE power amplifier running into a pair of Sonus fabers. It replaced the smaller U2 Mini.
While it operates entirely in the digital domain, the effect the U2 has on the analogue sound that you hear is utterly compelling. Good as the U2 Mini is (there are plenty of reviews of both this model and it’s predecessor) the U2 is next level.
Music gains a real sense of texture. You can hear right into the fabric of recordings, being able to follow individual threads of each instrument or voice as they come together to form the whole. There’s space between the threads but it’s not a vacuum, the more you listen, the more you hear. The background isn’t painted black – it’s more open and intriguing as it becomes obvious that there’s something going on there and it’s possibly only limited by the quality of the attached DAC.
In the Neal Asher science fiction books there’s the concept of ‘U Space’ or under space – it’s outside of our normal dimensional understanding. I get this feeling with the U2 – while I was able to confidently nail down all that the U2 Mini does right, there’s a sense of hitting uncharted territory with the better U2 as it peels back more layers and you hear well past the obvious.
This effect is magnified when listing to higher resolution. And this is where the U2 can really show you what’s possible. Two examples from my own listening – Chelsea Wolfes new album, ‘She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She‘, and the NZ band Jakob’s ‘Sines‘ – both at 96KHz/24bit – at 4608Mbps that’s well over 3x the bit rate of CD.
With the first there’s a studio heavy production, densely layered ‘industrial gothic’ by some descriptions. The combination of 96k and the U2 opens this right out, with unnerving soundstage projection not just outside of the speakers but well around, immersing you. And within this you can tease out multiple threads which all coalesce around Chelsea’s ethereal voice. It’s simply captivating.
Jakob are guitar driven post rock – having previously referenced this recording when evaluating other components, both in analogue vinyl and downloaded formats I thought I’d found the limits of what I could get out of this album simply because of familiarity. The U2 delivers a completely new version with an entire layer beyond the seemingly intentional distortion.
This is not to understate the impact the U2 makes to all music played regardless of resolution. The improvements made are across the board and with extended listening I’m in awe of the depth and involvement gained in all my favourite albums.
You’ll find plenty of your own examples. You’ll have a different language for describing what you hear. But it will be just as valid and real.
If you want to dive into the technical details of how and why the U2 performs at this level, Lumin provide plenty of information on their own site. As you are likely to, I’ve also read other reviews on the U2. And comments within in these prompted introspection around context.
Reviews in context.
Every writer has skin in the game when it comes to making comparisons – they will inevitably put together a system over time and have favourites. Often there will have been a significant investment made in what we can call legacy components or formats. The Lumin U2 (and recent improvements in high resolution streaming) represents a challenge to many;
Storage is rapidly becoming a non-issue. The U2 can easily access any network connected drive and there are two USB ports allowing direct connection so it’s there if you want it. But as I found myself, even higher resolution is now effectively on tap, not just for existing albums but almost everything new. So for someone jumping into serious streaming from either a CD or vinyl base, there’s no longer any of the issues around storage – you can simply stream at will from Tidal or Qobuz. This makes for much simpler lower cost systems. While the U2 isn’t what we’ll call entry level, it’s ability to deliver fantastic sound into systems where it may well be the premier component shouldn’t be discounted.
Any review is fixed in time. But the performance of the U2 – and in fact all models in the Lumin range – isn’t. 3 factors come into play here. The first and most important is that Lumin have a proven track record of implementing frequent software improvements that enhance both usability and performance. Being one of the newest models in the Lumin family, the U2 benefits from improved processing capability allowing many years of upgrades.
This upgrade ability also allows Lumin to capitalise on improvements made to streaming services – Lumin were first off the mark with Tidal Max and it was able to be implemented across the entire range. Many audio companies simply don’t have this capacity and may never make up this gap. Even if they do, Lumin remain several steps ahead.
Finally, while it’s a one off gain, the burn in period for all serious audio electronics is a real thing and as systems become more transparent it becomes more obvious and extended. Because the Lumin U2 is operating at such a high level, the effect is even greater and over a longer period of time. Since my first listen, the U2 has become progressively better and every day is a new adventure – I’m not sure when we’ll get to the end point as earlier experience has this stretching out beyond six months. So any review or comparsion should factor this in. Especially if comparing with a reference which has been in place for an extended period.
So as we stated at the start – context is everything.
You’ll also consider this when thinking about the Lumin for yourself – Is it the U2 the best upgrade for your own system?
That’s why Lumin give you the choice of models. Without wanting to generalise, an older or lower cost system tends to have lower resolution and while the better sound in, better sound out dictum will always hold, the gains will be less obvious in a lower resolution system. So the U2 Mini may be more appropriate – it runs on the same software, has many of the same features and technologies, is designed and built alongside the larger U2 and is around half the cost.
But having now heard the U2 for myself after becoming completely familiar with the U2 Mini, it’s easy to appreciate the improvements made. What are the key differences inside that contribute to this?
Physically, the U2 is around twice the size and weight of the U2 mini. The power supply is upgraded to a linear unit directly derived from the much more costly P1. There’s a new dedicated USB output for connection to your DAC and an optical connection to appropriate modems. This improves performance relative to ethernet by providing electrical isolation. All these factors, combined the more advanced internal architecture, deliver a significant improvement in sound quality that you can immediately hear and will appreciate more and more over time.
It’s also a given that improvements made to a system in which the U2 is resident will be doubly worthwhile. The U2 simply delivers more music so the benefit of better cables, electronics, speakers and isolation are all magnified.
Conclusion.
The U2 is a thoroughly modern source component; it’s digital nature doesn’t detract from what it actually does – that’s playing music. By this measure it’s probably the most satisfying audio component I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. It’s delivered more of every quality I enjoy and revealed masses of perviously unheard detail. In years gone by this would have been the type of recommendation you would have acted on if applied to a high end turntable. Likewise a CD player
Yet the Lumin U2 goes far past this. It provides easy low cost access to a vast library of music via streaming services. It’s vastly easier to set up and use. It only gets better over time with a proven track record of free software and firmware upgrades. You’re able to take advantage of further improvements in digital to analogue conversion as the performance of DACs and digital preamps keeps up the rapid pace of development. In fact it’s components like the U2 that now drive DAC development.
The U2 is undoubtedly a luxury component. Every aspect – the build and finish, the fully realised and proven operating software, even the packaging are first rate. But it’s the sound quality which is ultimately the most impressive attribute. It’s a component that will immediately improve the sound of your system by a significant margin. But even more importantly it will set you up for the next decade or more, delivering further free improvements and greatly enhancing the performance of all downstream components, both existing and still to be heard.
Lumin U2 – NZ$9000 new including GST & delivery.
Further reading
- The official Lumin U2 page
- Lumin U2 reviews
- Our introduction to the Lumin range.
- Tidal Max explained