2. digital
  3. 158196-144981

Lumin T2 burn in time?

Hi, I just got a Lumin T2 streamer 3 days ago, and have been playing it continuously for 3 days.   So far I think the sound is pretty good.  Great details with excellent spaciousness.   However, I find the bass to be a little bit thin.   I'm comparing this to my current Cambridge Audio 851N streamer.   The Lumin is 3x the price of the 851N.

My question for you Lumin owners - how long of a burn in period are you giving your streamer/dac before it reaches its optimal sound?  and do you think the bass will improve with the burn in?   

Overall I do like the sound, but if the bass department doesn't improve, it would be a show stopper for me.   Another thing I wished I had known before purchasing this unit is the lack of remote control.   The Lumin App is not bad, but the lack of basic control via an infrared remote is a real bummer.    I'm not looking for full fledged feature set from a remote, just basic rewind, forward, start, and stop.   It saves me the hassle of opening my phone every time to perform these simple tasks.   

Anyway thanks in advance!
128x128xcool
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
When I purchased my Lumin U1 I was told by the manufacturer's rep that 500-600 hrs were needed for burn-in.  However my unit sounded great out of the box and I can't say I really noticed much of an improvement over time.  The U1 is a digital transport/streamer only - no DAC.  It actually made every aspect of my non-Lumin DAC sound better, including the bass.  I suspect it's the DAC portion of your T1 that is responsible for what you're finding objectionable.  I like to keep the streamer/transport separate from the DAC to give more flexibility, and in fact I'm now moving towards a Lampizator DAC that I will pair with my U1.
tuberist
951 posts
 
T2 owner here. My Lumin sounded good right out of the box. One of the things it does exceptionally well is dynamics and bass. You may have poor system synergy. IMO, the Lumin app is well thought out and took me a couple of days to figure out all its features. I enjoy the absence of a "remote" since the iPad and iPhone are so easy to use.
big_greg
6,640 posts
 
I've listened to the T2 and did not find it lacking bass.  I have a TEAC NT-505, which is further down the pecking order (Lumin/TEAC/Esoteric are all part of the same company) and there are no issues with lack of bass in it either.  Sound quality has not changed in any noticeable way since I first got it. 

 Your unit may have an issue, or the Cambridge Audio unit may emphasize bass and after hearing that it seems like something is "missing".
bwguy's avatar
bwguy
228 posts
 
Are you using a preamp or are you connecting the Lumin directly to your amp?
I purchased my T2 in January.  I initially thought is was a little harsh and thin sounding on some music.  However, after a month or so , the harshness went way and dynamics improved.  Bass is very deep and defined.
i also like using the app instead of a remote as I always have my phone or iPad with me when using the Lumin.
xcool's avatar
xcool OP
273 posts
 
I have my Lumin T2 connected to a preamp.   I don't find the Lumin harsh, but I do find it a little thin sounding.   I do like the details and the spaciousness.   Bass is definitely lacking some slams, as compared to my Cambridge Audio 851N.   I'm hoping it will improve after burn in.   It would be a shame if it doesn't, because I do like a lot of the SQ about this unit.
More to discover