Best DAC to go with Aurender N100H?

You asked for our recommendation and that is an easy one.

Lumin T2 which is dramatically better than the older T1.

The Lumin T2 is a next generation platform and shares much of the sound quality of the Lumin Reference X1.

The Lumin has a wonderful mix of liquidity, and detail. The T2 floats both a wide and deep soundstage and has a very well balanced combination of good treble detail and a clean midrange without sounding bright.

The Lumin has many advantages over other streamers:

1: Dual ESS 9028 pro dacs run one per channel this enables the internal dac to process dual differential equations which generates much less distortion.

2: Full MQA decoding

3: Roon Capable

4: Can be used as both an Spdif and a full USB transport if you ever want to upgrade to an exterernal dac.

5: Great easy to use app with Spotify, Qubuzz, Tidal

6: Apple Airplay built in

7: Very reliable, over the air upgrades.

8: Allows you to upconvert and transcode PCM to DSD or play files natively, this means you can upconvert Tidal to DSD or to high oversampled PCM>

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Lumin Dealers

I like the Aurender a lot. If it were me though, I'd stretch just a bit to get the new Ayre QX-8 (network version). At $5650 it is a Roon end point and exceptionally musical DAC in one box. Aurender's software is nice, but I'd hate to be tied to an iPad and closed system. The only better DACs I've heard sell for at least a couple thousand $ more!

Thanks for all your responses.  I am a relative newbie to this digital world.  There’s lots of info to research, absorb, and process.  A one box solution is ok, as long as it has digital outputs so that I could use a separate DAC down the road.  Looks like the Lumin has that capability (?).

Yes the Lumin T2 can be used as a dedicated USB server so in the future you can move to an even better dac.


Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Lumin dealers

@mabonn the reason I recommended an older Lumin T1, A1, or current D2 over the T2 is because the T2 uses ESS SABRE chips without a transformer-coupled output stage. Based on your existing gear and what you've described as your preference in sound, I don't think you would like the T2 sound over the other options. But of course the best option is if you can audition one yourself.