Lumin vs Auralic

calgarian you can do either hard-wired or wireless with the Auralic I was just pointing out Lumin is hard-wired only if that's an issue.

The Vega G2 only has wired Ethernet.  However, I wouldn't let that stop me. You could always use a power line Ethernet network to get a wired connection from your router to your equipment rack and there are also wireless network extenders that have Ethernet ports on them.

The Lumin is wired Ethernet as well.  My plan was to go wired, so wireless isn't an issue.   Any thoughts on which brand would sound better....as well as which brand would have less warranty issues?  Specifically, I read that the Auralic has a buffering system in place; would this create more possible servicing issues in the long term?  How sturdy are these storage devices in these units?   

Calgarian, my comment about wired vs. wireless was to clarify the comment that Jond made.  I suspect there is confusion between the Aries series and Vega series and Auralic didn't do themselves any favors when they came up with the current naming scheme.

I've not heard either so I can't comment on sound.  I'm in the same boat as you - looking for my next step, which is why I've been following this thread.  Both units are probably out of my price range but I've been watching both companies and reading reviews.  I will say that I've not seen anybody complaining about service issues with either company and I can't imagine the buffering system would affect the reliability of the Auralic in any appreciable way.  Dick

Dick, thanks for your comments.  

I agree with you.  Auralic's nomenclature is extremely confusing....G1 or G2 could mean the Aries or the Vega.  

Between the Lumin and the Auralic VEGA products, I'm currently leaning towards the Auralic.  What bothers me is that all the reviews on the Vega G2 seem to imply that the VEGA is first and foremost a DAC and that the "basic streaming function" is just a bonus.  In one of the Auralic forums, one of the developers of their products even called the streaming portion of the VEGA "free".  The reviews I've read all say that adding the Aries G2 really brings out all that the DAC in the VEGA G2 can deliver.  I, on the other hand, view the VEGA as a one-box streamer...that would compete with the likes of the one-box Lumin products, such as the new T2 (or D2, S1, A1, etc).  The Lumin reviews don't necessarily talk about the specific performance of the DAC vs the streamer portion of their all in one products.  I'm looking for one box solution that sounds good without necessarily having to add more pieces.

I'm also curious about how well either the Lumin or Auralic would sound like if they were connected directly to my power amplifier.   I'm hoping the unit I end up purchasing will allow me to sell my preamp if the sound is good enough.....