Lumin U2 Mini Network Player

I first bumped into Lumin products at the Munich show a couple of years ago. The Chinese company had a sleek and modern room dedicated to digital audio. Not only did the components look sexy, but they also sounded the part. I was impressed.

Our local dealer just took on Lumin and excitedly sent me photos announcing their arrival. I scheduled a review based on my experience, audiophile buzz and descriptions from the dealer. Here are my thoughts on yet another audiophile streamer, the $2400 Lumin U2 Mini Network Player.

My thanks to Atlas Audio/Video here in Victoria for the audition of the U2 Mini.

Let’s get the “digital speak” out of the way first. The Lumin U2 Mini is a Roon Ready streamer with MQA support, and AES, BNC, coax, optical, and USB digital outputs. The U2 is Lumin’s entry-level streamer. As such, no DAC is included. Lumin has stuffed the U2 with its new processing system, which they say “delivers greater flexibility and future-proofing.” The new Lumin processor can up and down from 44.1kHz to DSD256/PCM384.

An aesthetic note: the display is minimalist much like the Mini’s box—a simple blue-green display with track number, artist, format, and elapsed time indications.

And a tech note: this Lumin model is Ethernet only.

My Use

I’ve recently been blessed with a comprehensive, high-quality Danish streaming setup from Audio Group Denmark, specifically its subsidiaries Ansuz Acoustics and Aavik Acoustics, including the Ansuz PowerSwitch D2, Ansuz Digitalz Ethernet D2 cable (x3) and the Aavik 280 Network Music Player (streamer) and DAC separates. About €40,000 in total. A straight-ahead comparison between my Aavik streamer (€10,000) and the $2400 Lumin would seem unfair. A real David and Goliath situation. And when you see the diminutive Lumin box in person, the metaphor becomes clearer.

But, not so fast. I reviewed the Lumin with the dealer’s associated products, all excellent, and many were reviewed in Audiophilia. They included Hegel H390 Integrated Amplifier, including its DAC section, the mighty Paradigm Persona 9H Loudspeakers and an AudioQuest Niagara 5000 Low-Z Noise Dissipation System. Not an insignificant system and comparable with my reference setup.

I used the Lumin UPnP app (iOS, photo left), which worked well with Tidal and Qobuz. As the Mini has MQA support and plays up to 384 PCM, both services offered great sound. And along with a Roon Endpoint, Spotify and AirPlay no fans of these will go unrewarded.

The cabling was all AudioQuest including USB Carbon, Diamond Ethernet, and Blizzard AC.

Specifications

Playback Resolution: Up to DSD512, up to 768 kHz, 32-bit PCM, MQA Decoding

Digital Output 
USB: DSD512, 44.1–768 kHz, 16–32-bit
Optical, Coaxial RCA, Coaxial BNC, AES/EBU: DSD64 (DoP, DSD over PCM), PCM 44.1kHz–192kHz, 16–24-bit

Power Supply: Internal shielded 100–240V AC auto-ranging

Dimensions (WDH): 11.8" x 9.6" x 2.4" (300 x 244 x 60 mm)

Weight: 5.5 lb (2.5 kg)

Lumin U2 Mini rear panel. The unit also comes in silver.

Sound

I played a mixture of both MQA and HiRes files, and both sounded equally fine. At my first session, the system was playing through a fine set of speakers missing the final few hours of break-in. It showed. The U2 is a transparency machine. Whatever is up or downstream, you’re going to hear it. Match carefully, especially the DAC. We gave the Mini the best accompaniment for the next review sessions—a broken in pair of Paradigm Persona 9H Loudspeakers in glorious Carbon Black. The difference was remarkable.

Now, I could hear what the dealer had been talking about; in that, it equals some of the streamers he’s heard at twice or three times the price.

My first impression at the second audition session was the depth of the soundstage. One of the very best I’ve heard. Not as wide or high as dCS or my Aavik, but the depth was remarkably inviting. From the first notes of Jan Vogler’s intriguing CD The Dvorak Album, specifically the track “Dvořák: Songs My Mother Taught Me, Op. 55 No. 4” the balance between piano and cello was well nigh perfect, but the beautifully recorded piano’s decay went way back into the stage.

Practically, “As with all Lumins, it offers a lossless digital volume control, allowing your DAC to be connected straight into power amps, no preamp needed if you don't have multiple sources.” As our DAC was onboard the Hegel, I used the Hegel remote for volume and mute duties.

The volume could be cranked with no deleterious effects. The Paradigm Personas can handle just about anything but the sound the Lumin was making was so immersive and beautiful at all levels, I didn’t feel the need to boost the volume too much to feel the music’s full effect.

At a later session, more intimate chamber music, this time Mozart and the flute, specifically his Flute Quartets. A recent Indecen release with Orchestre de Paris principal flute Vincent Lucas called La ci darem la mano (eng. There we will give each other our hands) is a delightful CD full of exquisite music and playing. The U2 allowed Lucas’ flute to sparkle and his superb articulation in the fast passages was very clear due to the Mini’s transparency. No matter how quick the passage, nothing was missed or blurred. This is the best flute CD I’ve heard in while. Lucas’ accompanying string players are also very fine.

Our Max Geiger recommended Lady Blackbird’s Black Acid Soul as an Audiophilia Recording of the Year 2022. Lady Blackbird’s styling on the opening track “Blackbird’ highlighted her expressive voice with all the usual sotto voce, hushed effects. She uses her voice to great effect, imbuing the songs with gravitas and musicality. The Lumen’s natural affinity for wringing out the utmost musicality from a recording (even a performance) was a great advocate for Lady Blackbird.

Summary

The Lumin U2 Mini was a bit of a surprise. Yes, the buzz was strong about the company and the reviews have been stellar. But on first listen, I was disappointed (break in, break in break in!). As soon as the skies were blue, the U2 Mini made its presence felt very quickly. A very refined digital sound—there’s no way you’d confuse this with analog—and in the very best of the digital domain. I was also surprised at the very reasonable price of $2400. Sure, you have to buy a quality, well-matched DAC, but that’ll be fun research. Cables will be important, too. But while listening and making decisions, you’ll have great satisfaction knowing the all-important streamer brand new to your system is a little cracker. Very highly recommended.

Further information: Lumin