Hi Folks. Currently using a Node and have the PD Creative upgrade in process. I am very curious about the Liminal Minis What is the difference between the 1 and 2 and has anyone compared them to the Node as just a streamer. Thanks in advance as usual. School me.
This thread on the Roon forums may be of some help: Lumin U2 mini released Lumin gear is absolutely top drawer. I haven't heard the U models as I have a T2, but I would have no hesitation in buying any of their products and I'd bet heavily that the U2 Mini will be substantially superior to the Node. Obviously the output quality is somewhat dependent on the quality of the DAC you are connecting to.
I think the quality of my other gear is pretty well balanced. Pontus II, Audiolab CDT6000, Rogue RP- preamp. Belles Aria mono block amps and Dynaudio Special 40s. Kimber TC12 speaker cables, Kimber D60 coax and Audience Ohno interconnects. I have yet to install the linear power supply upgrade due to Aliexpress completely mucking up my order for the power supply but I have wondered if the node used purely as a streamer was holding up it's end.
The Node purely as a streamer won’t become a bottleneck until you get into very high end stuff. Even then, it’s questionable. The Pontus is reclocking the output of the Node anyhow. And please don’t take this as anything other than a constructive observation but I would wager your Dynaudios are your current bottleneck. That’s just based on my experience with the Contour 20s, and the fact that I currently run a Node into an Ares II. Nine times out of ten, a system’s greatest bottleneck is either the speakers or the room. Point is, you’ll get much better bang for your buck by putting the same money you’d otherwise spend on a Lumin streamer into higher tier speakers, or possibly the preamp.
the RP 5 is fantastic. Much more transparent, refined and dynamic than the RP 1. I did not care for the sound of the RP 1, somewhat dull and opaque, no offense. An RP 5 would be a very successful upgrade for you.
Here's a good site for Lumin discussion: https://www.audioshark.org/lumin-169/ After using a Node 2i for a couple years I bought a Lumin D2 on a whim. Although the Lumin app isn't quite as friendly as the Node's, I love the machine. The D2 has an onboard DAC which I compared to my Benchmark DAC3 HGC. The Lumin by itself won out for me, it just sounds more natural than when using the DAC3. At this point, I'm using the D2 with its volume control straight in to my amp. I'm shocked at how good this sounds, especially after trying the Benchmark DAC without a preamp. That was noticeably inferior to the DAC with the pre.
I really, really, really wish I hadn't seen this post. Having had a stable setup for a whole year, the one thing I keep looking at is a possible replacement for the Node 2i (streamer only). The Lumin U2 Mini (not being confused with the D2) * appears * to fit the bill nicely. Fortunately, the U2 Mini is just at a price point where a mistake is not acceptable. Also, some (not all) reviews comparing the audio quality of the Node 2i (as a streamer) vs the U1 Mini indicated there was little difference is SQ. So far, those two factors have kept me from spending money I don't have... And then @timind posts and the stomach churning internal conflict starts all over again.... . I'll get over it. Probably.
I bought the Lumin because I was having trouble with my Node2i. It would drop out for 3-4 seconds of the first song selected during the days initial use. I thought about replacing it with the newest Node, but got a good deal on the Lumin. Does the Lumin D2, as a stand alone streamer, sound better than the Node 2i? I can't say as I didn't compare them critically. Does the Lumin D2 alone sound better than the Node 2i feeding a Benchmark DAC3? I thought so, and by a noticeable margin. After a month or so of occasional comparing, I sold the DAC3, which paid for the Lumin. The Node 2i is sitting on a shelf in my bedroom.
Lumin U1 Mini does sound better than the Node when used as a streamer transport. I’ve compared them in my system. Difference is obvious. Not heard and compared the U1 Mini vs the U2 Mini but some tell me there is not that much difference in sound quality. Gotta experience it myself though. Maybe this is a great opportunity to pick up a used U1 Mini. Then you can use the differences in saving to put towards a better preamp?
I'm taking the interim step of getting a PD Creative linear power supply for my Node. It costs about a hundred bucks plus you need to get a 5v line power supply on Ebay costing anywhere from $50 to $150. The installation is super easy Instructions and reviews are on Youtube. It appears to offer some improvements.
I got the PD Creative kit but not sure it made much difference to SQ. HOWEVER, there is a design flaw within the physical internal layout of the unmodified Node 2i; a couple of capacitors are situated too close to the heat sink and overheat, shortening their working life. A search on the web for "red light permanently on" (or similar) will produce lots of hits for this issue. So, installing the PD Creative kit removes that specific issue. I don't know if there is a similar issue with the latest Node (N130).
Hmm, I wonder if this design flaw is the cause of the issue with my Node 2i. As it's not being used, I thimk I'll pop it open and see if I can insulate the caps. Will have to search for more info.
The Bluesound products are definitely a good way to start streaming and playing digital files. I looked at all the current streamers , what they could do in my system, connectivity , features, ease of use. The U2 Mini looks like a great steamer , I unfortunately had no way to demo. I went with an Aurender N200 and the improvements over the Vault coax out are not subtle. It sounds great and it should for the price. 100% illustrated how important the front end digital source components are.
I have a N130 so I guess I'll find out if Ali express ever gets themselves together and sends me my power supply. I personally recommend people work through Ebay for their 5v power supply so they have recourse if it goes bad.. Aliexpress seems to be a total mess.
A couple of links relating to the Node 2/2i issue (it's resolvable): Online article: Bluesound Node 2 Solid Red Light Fix The comments to this brief vid may or may not help:
That will be a fun little project. And by fun I mean not the least bit fun. The clamshell cases are a pain in the neck to pry apart without looking like an apprentice went at it with a dull cold chisel, due to that softish coated plastic. For your added pleasure they drizzled some glue into the mating edges. At least this was the case with the Powernode I vandalized. Then again, if it's not functional you don't have much to lose beyond broken fingernails. Hint: that metal backplate that needs to come off and has no obvious fasteners is held in place with double faced acetate tape and magnets. Peel that off and all will be revealed. Cheers, Robert
My own experience with the Node 2i was positive and I never felt it needed an external DAC to sound great. However I never tried a top end DAC so YMMV. I did try the DAC in my Parasound Pre6 and also in my MiniDSP SHL and neither revealed any particular benefit, though there were slight differences. Through no failing of the Node, I ended up chasing sound fairies and landed on a Lumin T2. While it's sound is not relevant to the OPs U1/U2 query, I can say that the Lumin has been rock solid stable, never skipped a beat and is built incredibly well inside and out. Lumin themselves release minor updates regularly and they typically apply to their entire line up, they don't ignore last year's model. Cheers, Robert
Thanks. I have a 3rd gen while it does a decent job into the Pontus, I am always looking for more...you know how it foes. For now I'll stick with the PD upgrade and look into a Lumin later when I sell some gear. I have been buying a bit indiscriminately lately with the Pontus and RP-5 Rogue.
