Lumin Thread

[sidvee]

In any case I have been told that using an external LPSU for Lumin models with SMPS voids the warranty, should anything happen. I had a D2 now I have a U2 mini. So I checked with them. Decided to avoid any mods for now.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

We did a/b with lhy clock + ether regen with lps. With u2 and u2 with l2. Most felt L2 was better. So lps improves it even further then it's welcome change

Haha...glad you shared that. Now I really have my doubts if anyone can come out with a LPSU that out performs Lumin internal SMPS. I think they might have changed the SMPS from the one in the U1 mini and U2 mini . And the present one might be hard to beat

 

[fLUX]

Haha...glad you shared that. Now I really have my doubts if anyone can come out with a LPSU that out performs Lumin internal SMPS. I think they might have changed the SMPS from the one in the U1 mini and U2 mini . And the present one might be hard to beat

What changes did you notice on changing the psu for u2 mini ? I plan to mod mine once the warranty is over.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

What changes did you notice on changing the psu for u2 mini ? I plan to mod mine once the warranty is over.

Sorry I dont have a U2 mini, so didnt try it for myself. But I've read from user feedback on several forums that there have been improvements with a LPSU. If you want to try, apart from LHY, there is also Plixir from Singapore that have a mod kit + LPSU available for the U2 mini, which is very highly regarded for their excellent linear power supplies.

 

[sidvee]

I have heard a LPSU modified D2. There was no night and day difference vs the stock D2, seemed like the LPSU added a bit more air in treble and further extension in bass.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I have heard a LPSU modified D2. There was no night and day difference vs the stock D2, seemed like the LPSU added a bit more air in treble and further extension in bass.
Cheers,
Sid

True...will depend on what LPSU was used. The really great ones like paul hynes, Sean jacobs and Ediscreation are very expensive. And will not justify adding for the cost of the stock D2. So all LPSU's are not created equal.

 

[sidvee]

It was a plixir unit.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[Fiftyfifty]

Hi

Thanks to some useful inputs on this forum, I'm leaning towards the L2 + U2 combo. The only reservation appears to be the SMPS on the L2. But while this may technically be a shortcoming, no L2 user has complained. Moreover, an LPS mod may come along in due course.

I'm a novice at networking and would aim for the least number of connections (this is also one strong reason for selecting the L2).

A few questions:
1. Is it beneficial to use a switch and Fibre Optic cable from router to the L2? If instead I connect a regular CAT cable here, the L2 will do the job of converting, no?
2. From the L2 to the U2, I would obviously want to go Fibre. I was recommended this one, but the price and jargon make me skeptical
https://www.adark.co/products/copy-...clayx-constellation-sfp-module-for-audiophile https://www.adark.co/collections/pr...clayx-constellation-sfp-module-for-audiophile
There are cheaper ones in the market, so where does one draw the line? Could knowledgeable FMs recommend some cables that will do the job effectively?
3. What is single mode vs multi mode fibre connection? Will i need some special SFPs or transceivers to connect?

What i need is a simple single cable, one end going into the L2 and the other into the U2. In my view, adding more converters and switches to the setup defeats the purpose of the L2/U2 combo.

Thanks in advance for your inputs!

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Hi

Thanks to some useful inputs on this forum, I'm leaning towards the L2 + U2 combo. The only reservation appears to be the SMPS on the L2. But while this may technically be a shortcoming, no L2 user has complained. Moreover, an LPS mod may come along in due course.

I'm a novice at networking and would aim for the least number of connections (this is also one strong reason for selecting the L2).

A few questions:
1. Is it beneficial to use a switch and Fibre Optic cable from router to the L2? If instead I connect a regular CAT cable here, the L2 will do the job of converting, no?
2. From the L2 to the U2, I would obviously want to go Fibre. I was recommended this one, but the price and jargon make me skeptical
https://www.adark.co/products/copy-...clayx-constellation-sfp-module-for-audiophile https://www.adark.co/collections/pr...clayx-constellation-sfp-module-for-audiophile
There are cheaper ones in the market, so where does one draw the line? Could knowledgeable FMs recommend some cables that will do the job effectively?
3. What is single mode vs multi mode fibre connection? Will i need some special SFPs or transceivers to connect?

What i need is a simple single cable, one end going into the L2 and the other into the U2. In my view, adding more converters and switches to the setup defeats the purpose of the L2/U2 combo.

Thanks in advance for your inputs!

Above is the best connection configuration for Lumin L2 as recommended by Lumin on their website.

And below is their networking guide with a few links to SFP switches and fiber cable to choose from.

LUMIN - Fibre Networking

www.luminmusic.com

 

[Analogous]

Just curious while considering the L2+U2 combo, would the T2 be a single box solution at a comparable price?

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Just curious while considering the L2+U2 combo, would the T2 be a single box solution at a comparable price?

T2 is an all in one Dac cum streamer without fiber networking, so it needs to be connected via normal copper RJ45 cable.

Where as the U2 is only a streaming digital transport, and the L2 is a network switch cum music storage server. Both of them have fiber functionality, so can be connected via fiber. But the combination of a L2+U2 will still need a external dac.

 

[Analogous]

T2 is an all in one Dac cum streamer without fiber networking, so it needs to be connected via normal copper RJ45 cable.

Where as the U2 is only a streaming digital transport, and the L2 is a network switch cum music storage server. Both of them have fiber functionality, so can be connected via fiber. But the combination of a L2+U2 will still need an external dac.

Thanks.
The costs would be similar? (U2+L2, and T2)?
Any thoughts on the SQ differences between the two?

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Thanks.
The costs would be similar? (U2+L2, and T2)?
Any thoughts on the SQ differences between the two?

No sir, the L2 + U2 combo will be more than the T2 by atleast 4.5 L i think.

Below is the pricing in India, maybe we can factor in a 10% discount from the qouted prices. Iam not aware of the exact pricing of the L2 in India. But I think it is in the 3 L ballpark.

https://theaudio.co/collections/vendors?q=Lumin

 

[Fiftyfifty]

View attachment 84136

Above is the best connection configuration for Lumin L2 as recommended by Lumin on their website.

And below is their networking guide with a few links to SFP switches and fiber cable to choose from.

LUMIN - Fibre Networking

www.luminmusic.com

@Yelamanchili manohar you are the go-to man!
The SFP LC module referred to in the diagram - is it built into the L2 or to be purchased separately in addition to the LC-LC cable? Can't we get LC-LC cables with SFP modules? I mean, can't I get a single cable to go from L2 and U2 without writing about issues like 1 GBase vs 10 Gbase, SFP vs SFP+, single mode vs multi mode, etc.?

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

@Yelamanchili manohar you are the go-to man!
The SFP LC module referred to in the diagram - is it built into the L2 or to be purchased separately in addition to the LC-LC cable? Can't we get LC-LC cables with SFP modules? I mean, can't I get a single cable to go from L2 and U2 without writing about issues like 1 GBase vs 10 Gbase, SFP vs SFP+, single mode vs multi mode, etc.?

No sir, both the Lumin L2 & U2 only have built in SFP cages of size LC ( SC is twice the size of LC ). So we still need SFP adapter of LC size + fiber cable. This SFP adapter is called as a SFP transceiver.

1) Single mode fiber is always yellow is color.
2). Multimode fiber comes in different colors.
3) Any single mode SFP LC adapter will work with any single mode fiber with a LC connector. So there is no chance of any incompatibility issues here.
4) The incompatibility only arises between the SFP cage built into the Lumin, and SFP adapter used at the end of the fiber.
5) So one can blindly buy any single mode fiber of the required length, as long as its yellow in color, and has a LC connection at both ends.
6) Then buy separately SFP ( Single mode with LC ) cages from Trendnet or Finnisar from Amazon india and see. If we can find the same model mentioned in the Lumin page, then we are in luck.

So to summarise :
1) Single mode fiber with LC connectors at both ends.
2) Single mode SFP transceiver with LC connector at both ends.

After typing all the above, I realized that @muralimmreddy recently went fiber from his L2 to X1 . Will fondly wait for him to chip in

 

[Fiftyfifty]

No sir, both the Lumin L2 & U2 only have built in SFP cages of size LC ( SC is twice the size of LC ). So we still need SFP adapter of LC size + fiber cable. This SFP adapter is called as a SFP transceiver.

1) Single mode fiber is always yellow is color.
2). Multimode fiber comes in different colors.
3) Any single mode SFP LC adapter will work with any single mode fiber with a LC connector. So there is no chance of any incompatibility issues here.
4) The incompatibility only arises between the SFP cage built into the Lumin, and SFP adapter used at the end of the fiber.
5) So one can blindly buy any single mode fiber of the required length, as long as its yellow in color, and has a LC connection at both ends.
6) Then buy separately SFP ( Single mode with LC ) cages from Trendnet or Finnisar from Amazon india and see. If we can find the same model mentioned in the Lumin page, then we are in luck.

So to summarise :
1) Single mode fiber with LC connectors at both ends.
2) Single mode SFP transceiver with LC connector at both ends.

After typing all the above, I realized that @muralimmreddy recently went fiber from his L2 to X1 . Will fondly wait for him to chip in

Next, don't i need to write my own Python code to optimise the connections
Nevermind, we shall learn!

Of the two LC-LC cables needed, the one from the switch to L2 needs to be long and the other short?

Will this work as a single cable solution? i.e., SFP modules + LC cable?

AfterDark. Project ClayX Constellation Reference Finisar SFP Fiber Cable for Audiophiles

AfterDark. Project ClayX Constellation Reference Finisar SFP Fiber Cable for Audiophiles The is the mod version of the very best Finisar SFP+ Fiber Cable below. This mod will improve the perfromance on optical and data transfer. Since optical fiber are so sensitive to vibration that sensor on...

www.adark.co

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Next, don't i need to write my own Python code to optimise the connections
Nevermind, we shall learn!

Of the two LC-LC cables needed, the one from the switch to L2 needs to be long and the other short?

Will this work as a single cable solution? i.e., SFP modules + LC cable?

AfterDark. Project ClayX Constellation Reference Finisar SFP Fiber Cable for Audiophiles

AfterDark. Project ClayX Constellation Reference Finisar SFP Fiber Cable for Audiophiles The is the mod version of the very best Finisar SFP+ Fiber Cable below. This mod will improve the perfromance on optical and data transfer. Since optical fiber are so sensitive to vibration that sensor on...

www.adark.co

The first fiber run from router / switch to L2 can be as long as is required, without any sharp bends or deformation of the cable. And from the L2 to the U2, it can be short and it can be fiber too. However, best to experiment here, as some folks have preferred going copper here.

Apparently fiber seems to give a squeaky clean presentation that some folks didnt like, and claim that using 1.5 mtr of copper ethernet for this last leg has brought forth a more organic sound.

 

[muralimmreddy]

After typing all the above, I realized that @muralimmreddy recently went fiber from his L2 to X1 . Will fondly wait for him to chip in

I tried a cheap amazon sfp cable, so not sure if good one would be make day and night difference. with cheap cable it did not make much difference.

The first fiber run from router / switch to L2 can be as long as is required, without any sharp bends or deformation of the cable. And from the L2 to the U2, it can be short and it can be fiber too. However, best to experiment here, as some folks have preferred going copper here.

Apparently fiber seems to give a squeaky clean presentation that some folks didnt like, and claim that using 1.5 mtr of copper ethernet for this last leg has brought forth a more organic sound.

We just had a switch shoot out (led by the network switch proponent and man himself @drkrack ) with SOTM, L2 and etherregen with various combinations of LPS, clocks and DC cables in the mix. Insane how small changes made a difference. So i am sure pure network isolation with fiber optic from switch all the way to streamer should be the best

 

[bornfi]

Next, don't i need to write my own Python code to optimise the connections
Nevermind, we shall learn!

Of the two LC-LC cables needed, the one from the switch to L2 needs to be long and the other short?

Will this work as a single cable solution? i.e., SFP modules + LC cable?

AfterDark. Project ClayX Constellation Reference Finisar SFP Fiber Cable for Audiophiles

AfterDark. Project ClayX Constellation Reference Finisar SFP Fiber Cable for Audiophiles The is the mod version of the very best Finisar SFP+ Fiber Cable below. This mod will improve the perfromance on optical and data transfer. Since optical fiber are so sensitive to vibration that sensor on...

www.adark.co

I looked at the pricing of Adark products and there is no need to pay that much for the fiber solution. I recommended this from Amazon to someone a few days ago. @Yelamanchili manohar has described this in detail but the rule-of-thumb is that always buy the SFP modules in pair and they both must be exactly same. And then depending on whether modules take Single-mode or Multi-mode, buy the fiber optic cable.

Amazon.in

When you scroll, you will see a cable too.

Luckily or fortunately no audiophile company has entered into this cable business so, it is available at a very reasonable price. But with SFP module, some companies have and their pricing is ridiculous knowing that none of them manufacture them themselves.

It will also be very safe to go through the literature of Lumin to ensure that they do not pose any restrictions on Single-mode vs Multi-mode.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

I looked at the pricing of Adark products and there is no need to pay that much for the fiber solution. I recommended this from Amazon to someone a few days ago. @Yelamanchili manohar has described this in detail but the rule-of-thumb is that always buy the SFP modules in pair and they both must be exactly same. And then depending on whether modules take Single-mode or Multi-mode, buy the fiber optic cable.

Amazon.in

When you scroll, you will see a cable too.

Luckily or fortunately no audiophile company has entered into this cable business so, it is available at a very reasonable price. But with SFP module, some companies have and their pricing is ridiculous knowing that none of them manufacture them themselves.

It will also be very safe to go through the literature of Lumin to ensure that they do not pose any restrictions on Single-mode vs Multi-mode.

Very well said. Most of the giants are not making their own SFP's, and only labeling their name from one or two producers. So under the skin they are all the same. Absolutely no need to spend a lot here.

I saw a set of FMC convertor's with a fiber cable for USD 500 on Rakuten in japan, labelled as Melco. The only reason it is priced accordingly, is because it has been tested and certified to work with Melco products. Will it sound any better than other combo's I really doubt.