Lumin X2

If you have ever wondered whether algorithms and processors can actually be audible, you simply must take a look at Lumin’s X2. Alongside numerous detailed circuit refinements, the Hong Kong-based manufacturer has equipped its flagship model with a new processing core. Yet, this improved platform does not stand alone: through years of research and development, Lumin created a discrete D/A converter meticulously tailored to its versatile streaming engine. By constructing the converter from individually selected components, every aspect of the digital-to-analog conversion process can be precisely optimized – from circuit topology and power supply to clocking and signal integrity. The result is a dual triumph: the X2 operates vastly faster than its award-winning predecessor, the X1, and its internal components work together with greater cohesion and fluidity. The effect is subtle, yet once you have experienced an A/B comparison, you wouldn’t want to be without it. Indeed, music played through this new class leader sounds more relaxed, uncluttered, and noticeably more focused. At the same time, the large X-series model has remained true to its character: the “Two” delivers a wonderfully silky musical performance, sounding as analog and fluid as few other network players. Its comprehensive capabilities encompass not only every conceivable audio format and support for numerous web services (utilizing the new “Connect” implementations where available), but also – and perhaps most importantly – the sophisticated integration of individual functions into a cohesive whole, exemplified by the circuit board layout. The power supply is housed in an external unit, and multiple optimized Femto-grade clocks handle 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sampling rates, along with their multiples. And speaking of clocking specs: with support for 768 kHz PCM and DSD 512, Lumin’s new “Discrete DAC” offers plenty of headroom for upsampling and oversampling, as well as future-proofing.