Audiophilepure

As I conclude, let me address one important topic, the DAC. Since the U2 Mini is a transport only, any observations I make about it are inextricably linked to the DAC to which it is connected. As I said, the iFi Audio iDSD Micro I used with it is a great DAC, but I wish I had the chance to listen to the U2 Mini with the previously reviewed Canor DAC 2.10. What I can say, the U2 Mini/iDSD Micro pairing sounded amazing on my system!

Every recording I listened to had its unique and distinctive flavor. Based on this, I think the LUMIN U2 Mini would be a great pairing with any DAC within the marketplace. It is that great sounding. I told my dad about the U2 Mini when I started listening to it and he was envious. With the LUMIN U2 Mini music streamer, you can have your cake and eat it too!

https://www.hifinews.com/content/aurender-n200-network-audio-transport

Just as powerful was Mitsuko Uchida’s recording of Beethoven’s ‘Diabelli Variations’ [Decca 4852731; 192kHz/24-bit], in which the N200 revealed even the slightest touch of finger on key as well as the complexities and intricacies of the writing. Meanwhile, the speed and definition of the sound here – even in the complexity of the Variation 33 fugue, with notes tumbling over each other – was quite breathtaking.

This characteristic was also readily apparent in another fugue, the massive piece concluding Britten’s ‘Young Person’s Guide To The Orchestra’, in the Michael Stern/Kansas City Symphony Britten’s Orchestra recording [Reference Recordings RR-120SACD; DSD64] This is one of my go-to test pieces, and remains hugely enjoyable even on repeated listening. Through the Aurender/iFi Audio combination the instruments sounded wonderfully well-shaped, and the drama of the crashing finale is of a quality to have you turning it up and listening again.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/lumin-p1-music-serverdac

And that glorious ability with instrumental timbre is also much in evidence with pianist Jan Gunnar Hoff’s Steinway on his latest solo set, Home [2L 168; DXD], the level of detail in the often-reflective pieces here simply breathtaking. Combine the P1 with a suitably revealing system, and it’s hard not to be captivated by the ‘piano in the room’ effect of this masterful recording, whether with the contemplative ‘Magma’ or the imaginative improvisations on ‘Summertime’ and ‘Moon River’, both of which are a very long way from the usual ‘heard it all before’ interpretations.

As I spent much of my time using the P1 as a player into my usual reference set-up, streaming music from my network storage, I didn’t spend too long exploring the variable volume options on offer here, but perhaps the Leedh level adjustment does bring just a shade more detail when playing with low output settings, whether into a unity gain input on my preamp or straight through to the power amp. Mind you, the sound appeared even more convincing when the P1 was used purely as a player, running at fixed ‘full power’ output.