Lumin U2 mini vs Mac laptop sound test

That is a head scratcher. Could say a lot about your dac…I’ve found a difference between inputs on even decent dacs I’ve tried (my own dac vs others $500-$1k range). I upgraded from a decent basic rpi based streamer transport (Allo Digione) to a better designed and optimized rpi based transport (Pi2design Mercury streamer) which fires out I2s, coax, AES, and optical as options - even simultaneously.

Huge difference/improvement with coax, haven’t had the opportunity to try the other outputs yet. My dac is a Toppings D70s. I’d love to say your pre/dac and amp are such stars that it supersedes the quality of signal, however:

a.) I am subject to enormous bias as I own an SPL Elector Pre and I melt over its abilities (big crush on this pre and surely anything made by SPL)

b.) Most find that source tends to dictate much of the resulting sound

The biggest difference would be switching DACs.  And they are BIG! And a lot of them have settings for different filters.  Without naming DACs,  #1 dac was very accurate but a little on the sterile side.  Dac #2 had more bloom with a much more powerful low end.  It just depends which one pleases you.

I use a Blue Sound Node and it is a bit grainy but after all it is just streaming. I also won’t use an intergrated amp without a DAC. I wish HiFI Rose 150 came with.

@johnah5  Thanks for posting John.   I use the Bluenode as a streamer and keep wondering about a high end streamer.  Even if others can hear the difference, I am not sure I can as I don't have golden ears and am getting a bit older.  If it was minimal to no difference to your and your buddy, might also be hard for me to tell a difference even if others can.  

@12many 

Yes! Welcome.  I am doing another test today lower volume really listening deeply to see if I can hear a difference and will post the results. However, when I was setting things up this morning, it is absolutely not night and day.