Hah! Indeed I have thought about Audio Note speaker cables. But, at this point, I would like to upgrade my streamer first. Then maybe get some newer (Audio Note of course) speakers. I am currently using a set of bi-wired MIT cables. They seem decent enough. But then, I have not made to effort to try a great variety of cables. (GO EAGLES!)
@Richard Austen Picking this up again. I’ve had some very interesting conversations on the subject of these DAC’s since the original posts were started and while I’ve only seen a few AN units for sale (unfortunately) most were much older PCM 63 based with single ended outputs. While they were not too overly expensive it seemed to me that I should look for something with newer boards, caps and a balanced signal path. Today a kit came up for sale- the ANK 4.1 pro edition. It seems to be reasonably priced and is less than a year old. I’ve chatted with a couple of guys that have upgraded the transformers and caps in these kit pieces and say that the outcome is really good. Have you ever crossed paths with an upgraded Dac kit? If so- how did it compare to an digital and what are your thoughts on the process? I don’t believe there is some magic dust that is sprinkled on these as they go in the box- it’s got to be the combination of the components involved. I would think that if the right components were added a kit could be brought to have the same (or near) level of performance without having to spend a small fortune on a new one. I’ve seen a couple of DAC 5’s just sitting on the used market- listed between $25K to +$30K USD. I think that’s a little too much for this curiosity but modding a kit might may provide a workaround (or could become a complete waste of time as well).
The release of the new Lumin U2 has me excited. I've auditioned the U2 mini through an all AN system with DAC2.1x Signature, and it sounded fantastic. So natural, it let the AN equipment do what it does best. The upgraded power supply and fibre internet connectivity on the new U2 are significant upgrades, in that it should improve transmission quality to the DAC. Wonder how it would compare to U1x.
I've been using a Lumin U1 Mini with my AN 2.1x DAC for several years, and find the combination to work very well. The main issue for me is even though you can set the bit rate in the Lumin to output at redbook, when a tune comes on that is higher rate, the relay on the AN 2.1x will start to chatter sometimes. This can be annoying, but the Lumin seems to set it off less often than other streamer/transports I've used, such as the Bluesound Node, Sonore microrendu, and various RPi setups. the sound quality of the Lumin/AN combo is, however, exceptionally good.
I've had the same problems with other streamers, but not the Lumin U1. That said, if it continues to bug you, consider getting the Wyred4Sound Remedy Reclocker. Relay chatter will be gone and as a bonus, you should hear a small bump in SQ.
@Dewie - As I don’t follow these closely this is the first time I’ve looked into the U2 (aside from mini). For me the U2 Mini is at the perfect price point as I only stream to audition music before I decide to purchase on CD. For those who are more engaged in streaming I would think the U2 would work out wonderfully. Lumin seems to offer logical steps upwards in their product line. It’s hard to say how it would compare to the U1-X (with separate LPS). I would think the separate LPS would be better as it was developed for the higher priced X1, but who knows. As the U2 Mini incorporates its power supply in the chassis I haven’t seen the need to compare it to an external LPS. All of these newer Lumin revisions claim to use newer hardware and upgraded software- hard for me to define the differences. For me now- the latest U2 Mini serves my needs well!
Hi Bob. Does the Lumin transport use an internal clock? AN DACs perform better when they receive a well clocked signal.
It does, as do most streamers. it is just a better one. The AN DAC derives the clock from the incoming signal, so if the incoming signal is too high a frequency, the DAC can loose sync and start the chatter. Some streamers let you limit the output frequency, as does Roon. What the W4S box does is to clean up the clock. You can also choose the output frequency when you order one, so choose 44.1 to match the AN.
Thanks for this info, Bob. I've been battling this for years, and would love to finally put it to rest. Sounds like the W4S box is the answer.
Not exactly. But I have a U2 Mini with an ANK DAC4.1x. It sounds great, and the clock in the Lumin works smoothly with the DAC. I’ve now removed my transport from the system and just stream my CD collection (along with Qobuz) because I no longer detect any advantage to playing a disc.
Lumin U2 Mini is a very nice component. I owned one for a while with an sBooster power supply mod. A couple streamer options to use with Audio Note DACs I have heard in my system are Bricasti M5 and Innuos Pulse. I’m also primarily streaming these days.
That's a long story. Not unsatisfied. Just looking at options. At the time, I was not limited to a s/pdif only DAC, so I replaced the U2 Mini with a Sonore UltraRendu (less money, equal-if-not-better sound). But, USB only. For folks who need a streamer with AES or RCA outputs, Lumin U2 Mini, Bricasti M5 and Innuos Pulse are excellent options.
