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From Node 2i to...Lumin D2, Auralic Altair G1, Matrix ...?

C

Cato

pfm Member
Apologies if other threads on the same topic already (but couldn't really find any) - I'm currently using a Node 2i and looking to take the next step up - mostly just to stream Tidal and Spotify. Price range say £1800-2500.

I know I could add a DAC to the Node, pimp the PS etc but prefer to keep to an all-in-one box with integrated DAC. Pre-amp facility nice to have but not required as going through a Brinkmann pre-amp anyways. No real need for a headphone amp either.

Software/interface is important but sound quality at least equally so - anyone else made this move ? What would you recommend ?

All thoughts welcome
 
Home loan/demo is the way to go.

All 3 are excellent - if you use ROON the App/Control Point levels the field.

Native App I’d go Altair, the Lightning DS App is Apple only but really good.

If you want Android the Lumin.

If you want max specs and features the Matrix.

Maybe of no consequence - choice of available colour Silver or Black. Matrix is silver, Altair is Black, Lumin is both.

Using Wi-Fi rules out Lumin.

No digital out on Altair if that matters for future plan adding DAC/Pre for example.

If you consider going Used/Ex Dem a Vega G1 or Lumin T2 would be what I’d spend £2.5K on.
 
Many thanks, all good points ! I don't use roon, though maybe I will, I do use IOS and not android though.
 
I'd probably favour the Auralic, but don't forget the Naim ND5XS2. Good sound, good app plus a digital out, should you feel the need to upgrade in the future.

The NAD C658 is also worth a look.
 
Amber Audio said:
Home loan/demo is the way to go.

All 3 are excellent - if you use ROON the App/Control Point levels the field.

Native App I’d go Altair, the Lightning DS App is Apple only but really good.

If you want Android the Lumin.

If you want max specs and features the Matrix.

Maybe of no consequence - choice of available colour Silver or Black. Matrix is silver, Altair is Black, Lumin is both.

Using Wi-Fi rules out Lumin.

No digital out on Altair if that matters for future plan adding DAC/Pre for example.

If you consider going Used/Ex Dem a Vega G1 or Lumin T2 would be what I’d spend £2.5K on.
Click to expand...

Cannot fault the above.

Roon would need an extra box to run the core which may bother you.
 
Cato said:
Many thanks, all good points ! I don't use roon, though maybe I will, I do use IOS and not android though.
Click to expand...

Have you had a play with it? Might help with the rest of the decisions. Going for Roon made me rethink our household music setup. There are lots of ways of using it but as above, I think it really wants a dedicated NUC (or similar) to run on, which might not be what you want.
 
Cato said:
Apologies if other threads on the same topic already (but couldn't really find any) - I'm currently using a Node 2i and looking to take the next step up - mostly just to stream Tidal and Spotify. Price range say £1800-2500.

I know I could add a DAC to the Node, pimp the PS etc but prefer to keep to an all-in-one box with integrated DAC. Pre-amp facility nice to have but not required as going through a Brinkmann pre-amp anyways. No real need for a headphone amp either.

Software/interface is important but sound quality at least equally so - anyone else made this move ? What would you recommend ?

All thoughts welcome
Click to expand...

You might want to consider a streamer that will support Tidal Connect in the near future.
 
Thanks all - agree re Tidal connect too. Find that functionality works well with the Node2i.

As for roon .. clearly the bees knees but not sure I feel like faffing around with much more than a single box at the moment - but clearly that may change.

quite like the Auralic functionality of a built in hard drive where I can load up some of more cherished CDs
 
I can’t help you with the Lumin, but I sell the other three. If you are based in the UK and you would like to try any of them at home, please just send me a PM.
 
Amber Audio said:
Home loan/demo is the way to go.

All 3 are excellent - if you use ROON the App/Control Point levels the field.

Native App I’d go Altair, the Lightning DS App is Apple only but really good.

If you want Android the Lumin.

If you want max specs and features the Matrix.

Maybe of no consequence - choice of available colour Silver or Black. Matrix is silver, Altair is Black, Lumin is both.

Using Wi-Fi rules out Lumin.

No digital out on Altair if that matters for future plan adding DAC/Pre for example.

If you consider going Used/Ex Dem a Vega G1 or Lumin T2 would be what I’d spend £2.5K on.
Click to expand...

I own a Lumin D2 with a Teddy Pardo PS.
Haven't compared it directly, bought s/h, but it was much better than a cec da5 dac which I tested before. Much better shading, instruments have their own life and space.

I use it with wifi, through a simple wifi end point/repeater from tplink.

I really don't like Lumin's native app as well as all native apps i've tested (linn, Lindemann, Lumin and several others) and to a lesser degree all the upnp apps (mconnect, bubbleUpnp etc.) mostly for their akward search, and for really akward handling of long favourites list. If I could use Tidal's app with tidal connect in the same way that i use spotify, that would be so much better.

Lumin has great support, and updates firmware regularly (re tidal connect hopefully.)

It also has many options, like special handling of volume control, flexible upsampling options, mqa options, dual output levels and more.

Omer.
 
omers said:
I own a Lumin D2 with a Teddy Pardo PS.
Haven't compared it directly, bought s/h, but it was much better than a cec da5 dac which I tested before. Much better shading, instruments have their own life and space.

I use it with wifi, through a simple wifi end point/repeater from tplink.

I really don't like Lumin's native app as well as all native apps i've tested (linn, Lindemann, Lumin and several others) and to a lesser degree all the upnp apps (mconnect, bubbleUpnp etc.) mostly for their akward search, and for really akward handling of long favourites list. If I could use Tidal's app with tidal connect in the same way that i use spotify, that would be so much better.

Lumin has great support, and updates firmware regularly (re tidal connect hopefully.)

It also has many options, like special handling of volume control, flexible upsampling options, mqa options, dual output levels and more.

Omer.
Click to expand...

thank you Omer - the lumin does seem to get a lot of positive remarks for sound quality. Though many seem to add a power supply from pardo or others .. which again adds to box count and complexity.

Think on balance I’m leaning towards Auralic, for convenience. Wireless an advantage too
 
Cato said:
thank you Omer - the lumin does seem to get a lot of positive remarks for sound quality. Though many seem to add a power supply from pardo or others .. which again adds to box count and complexity.

Think on balance I’m leaning towards Auralic, for convenience. Wireless an advantage too
Click to expand...

Haven't heard an Auralic. I too try to reduce box count.

I have only had a quick listen of a vanilla D2, my unit already had the external PS operation when I got it.
 
I'm using an Aurallic aries mini - works great over wifi. It's the "cheap" one but it sounds very good for the money. As mentioned, I'm using it with Roon but you can stick a hard drive into it and use it on it's own with Aurallic's very solid "Lightning" app too.
 
Cato said:
Apologies if other threads on the same topic already (but couldn't really find any) - I'm currently using a Node 2i and looking to take the next step up - mostly just to stream Tidal and Spotify. Price range say £1800-2500.

I know I could add a DAC to the Node, pimp the PS etc but prefer to keep to an all-in-one box with integrated DAC. Pre-amp facility nice to have but not required as going through a Brinkmann pre-amp anyways. No real need for a headphone amp either.

Software/interface is important but sound quality at least equally so - anyone else made this move ? What would you recommend ?

All thoughts welcome
Click to expand...

there’s a nice Aries G2 for sale in the PF classified section, an excellent chap is selling it. That would be me.
 
The streamer itself ( as long as it can send but perfect data) will not affect SQ in the slightest, I would choose on software because that is what you interact with, Roon is my personal favourite.
Keith
 
Purité Audio said:
The streamer itself ( as long as it can send but perfect data) will not affect SQ in the slightest, I would choose on software because that is what you interact with, Roon is my personal favourite.
Keith
Click to expand...

Hi Keith,

Sure, but as I'm looking for a one-box solution, the quality and implementation of the internal dac will be decisive? In addition to the software of course
 
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