Lumin U2 or Aurender N200

@swede58 as I mentioned previously I borrowed Nordost Tyr 2 speaker cables to compare to my current speaker cables, Audience FrontRow. I also borrowed Tyr 2 USB cable to compare with Audioquest Diamond that I currently use in my system.
My current cables are Nordost Tyr 2 XLR between Bricasti M3 DAC and Boulder 866 integrated. Power cables Nordost Heimdall 2 on Aurender N200, Frey 2 on DAC and Frey 2 on amp.

I started the comparison by replacing just the speaker cables. After letting the cables settle, I can say the Tyr 2 are different but not better. Really close but the Tyr 2 are slightly thinner sounding than the FrontRow. The overall balance is cooler with the Tyr 2 speaker cables. Drums sound just a bit smaller with the Tyr 2. Soundstage is superb but the FrontRow are no slouch there either.

After I got familiar with the new sound, I swapped the Diamond USB. Out wentvthe AQ and in went the Tyr 2. This was perhaps the biggest shock. The sound warmed up, everything became bigger, more detailed with better dynamics. The USB cable balanced the speaker cables out perfectly. However the traces of the cooler presentation still remain.
I ran this combo for 2 days listening to my reference music as well as the new stuff. But…after pulling out the Tyr 2 speaker cables and reintroducing FrontRow, I prefer the warmer, more vibrant and more delicate presentation with the FrontRow speaker cables. It’s hard to put back the AQ Diamond USB. My system never sounded this good. With Tyr 2 the bass is just so fast, deep and textured, the highs are crystal clear, there’s color in the mids that I’ve not heard with the Diamond.
I need to figure out next steps. I’m planning to give Audience FrontRow USB cable a try. The AQ Diamond is a nice USB cable but it just doesn’t hold a candle to Tyr 2.
Honesty I’m super happy with the FrontRow speaker cables. They’re not exactly cheap but I’ve not heard anything better up to this point. I satisfied my curiosity about the full Nordost loom and as in the past mixing and matching works out better for me.

@audphile1 

Thanks for posting your impressions. Your assessment aligns with mine, I have yet to find analog and digital cables from one brand offering great synergy and competing with very best, within my budget..LOL!  Usually it’s one or the other.

@audphile1  Your impressions of the AQ Diamond USB and what I experienced with my frontRow Reserve USB vs the AQ are the same. All the detail is still there but the mids filled in nicely and over time the bass is just amazing. So quick, detailed and textured. I don't know how the Tyr  2 will compare. Keep in mind I don't know how the "regular" frontRow usb cable compares, I went crazy and got their top of the line USB. (I am fortunate in that I only need a .75 meter cable which keeps the costway down) I imagine they are very similar with the reserve possibly being a hair smoother. I don't know that for sure, just a guess.

@lalitk yep. Mix n match always worked for me. I think Nordost came close to being perfect as a full set but the flavor offered by the Audience speaker cables is just more to my liking. 
 

@fthompson251 I used to run Audience AU24se+ USB cable in my system and it was fantastic. I expect the FrontRow to be even better. Unfortunately I need 1.5m and in that length the Reserve is more than I want to spend on a digital cable. 

So if you don’t like conductor you can use Roon, albeit the sound quality is degraded slightly (as with most Roon ready streamers).

@audphile1 For me that slightly has been a smaller and smaller slightly over the past year. I am going to say it might even be a dead heat now, not better not worse, just a different sound. Maybe I just don't care enough anymore as my brain keeps telling me "a little more air, less bloom, but I have to use that #$@ UI!" Not surprisingly I am using Roon about 95% of the time. That is squeeze for me, not conductor though, I have read conductor is much nicer to use. 

I have transitioned to ROON so I am using ACS for storage, library management and ripping. ROON now has a capability to show your folders, so I see mirror image of my ACS folders in my ROON app.

@lalitk what are your impressions between software choices?