I’m currently using the Lumin U2 and it’s built with their “Leedh Processing” which acts as a volume control. It’s one of those setups where you define a min/max range between it and the downstream devices and allows you to vary the output between. Honestly I’ve never tried it and this feature wasn’t a consideration for me when I purchased it. I set everything to native sampling, Leedh is turned off and volume is 100% going into my Dac. My ARC Ref 6 handles all of the attenuation to the amp.
Streamer for mostly Qobuz with volume control
Looking for a streamer to go to the main system, it has to have volume control and will go to a qutest by USB, setup is m30.2 XD LFD NCSE 2 (no remote control), Chord qutest. Can consider streamer dac but really like the chord. Budget max 3000, auralic? Lumin, aurender, other contender on a more budget friendly side (1000$)?? For those who have a similar setup can chime in it would be appreciated.
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- 11 posts total
I’m quite happy with my Auralic Aries G1, which has a digital volume control. However, I’ve never used the volume control, so I don’t know that my satisfaction means much to you. Any digital volume control reduces dynamic range. If the volume attenuation is appreciable, that will be noticeable -- the sound will become a little flat. I don’t know of any streamers without DACs that have analog volume control -- that wouldn’t make sense. If I were in your shoes, I’d consider an inexpensive low-noise preamp like a Topping PRE90 to control volume in the analog domain. The Topping was reviewed recently in Stereophile by Kal Rubinson, who is less easily swayed by audio jewelry than many reviewers.
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The Lumin streamer with “Leedh Processing” is supposed to help mitigate some of the digital artifacts seen when controlling volume digitally (as @mike_in_nc notes). Regardless- I would always prefer to run at full output and let the preamp do the fine adjustments. |
- 11 posts total