Auralic vs Lumin and other questions

[bart]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Pretty sure you can Bart.

Developed in partnership with Intel, the Nucleus sits on your network acting as a Roon Server Core for your NAS or USB drive-based music library. Roon can also stream from your Tidal account and make it all available to any and every Roon endpoint you have. Roon built a custom based operating system around the Intel NUC board. The Nucleus is housed in a special casing and runs fanless so it can be placed with your hi-fi equipment if you want to connect it via USB to your DAC.

Serge, the Roon Nucleus yes.
Because it is a core and an endpoint.
But I believe not every Roon core is also an endpoint.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by bart

Serge, the Roon Nucleus yes.
Because it is a core and an endpoint.
But I believe not every Roon core is also an endpoint.

Hmm, not sure what you mean here Bart. What example of Roon core device do you have in mind that cannot output audio signal?

[joel_hifi]

Serge, you may also consider the Innuos Zenith Mk3 streamer/server/ripper that can also act as Roon Core so you don't need to add a Roon Nucleus. MSRP ranging USD 4250/4900/5650 for 1/2/4 TB SSD units. You may also consider the smaller more affordable models Zen Mk3 or even ZenMini Mk3 + LPSU, both units with 1/2/4/8 TB HDD.

Also regarding Roon's lesser sound quality, the Innuos offers a plug-in called Squeezelite which brings the Roon sound to another level, to my ears far superior to the earlier Auralic series (I have Aries Mini, Aries and Altair). I cannot comment vs. Auralic current series or vs. Lumin as I don't have experience with them. And I cannot advise you to consider Aurender as they do not support Roon.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by joel_hifi

Serge, you may also consider the Innuos Zenith Mk3 streamer/server/ripper that can also act as Roon Core so you don't need to add a Roon Nucleus. MSRP ranging USD 4250/4900/5650 for 1/2/4 TB SSD units. You may also consider the smaller more affordable models Zen Mk3 or even ZenMini Mk3 + LPSU, both units with 1/2/4/8 TB HDD.

Also regarding Roon's lesser sound quality, the Innuos offers a plug-in called Squeezelite which brings the Roon sound to another level, to my ears far superior to the earlier Auralic series (I have Aries Mini, Aries and Altair). I cannot comment vs. Auralic current series or vs. Lumin as I don't have experience with them. And I cannot advise you to consider Aurender as they do not support Roon.

Thanks Joel.

I have heard of but have no experience with Innuous. I did however find a dealer right near me. Must be a home based dealer. https://www.thevoicethatis.com/pages/products.html

[joel_hifi]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Thanks Joel.

I have heard of but have no experience with Innuous. I did however find a dealer right near me. Must be a home based dealer. https://www.thevoicethatis.com/pages/products.html

Serge, definitely worth the audition. And I can see that this dealer also retails Grimm Audio, so you might also check out Bart's MU1 streamer

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by joel_hifi

Serge, definitely worth the audition. And I can see that this dealer also retails Grimm Audio, so you might also check out Bart's MU1 streamer

I've never heard of his business and I have been in the area over 4 years but he is very well stocked. https://youtu.be/272SLW7q-FE

[PHC1]

Amazing how the universe works. So it was a suggestion from Joel in Switzerland that led me to discover a dealer in my own backyard in the US of A.

[PHC1]

Seems like a nice place. I'll have to drop by for a listen to some of the gear.

https://www.soundstageglobal.com/ind...and-john-marks

[bart]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Hmm, not sure what you mean here Bart. What example of Roon core device do you have in mind that cannot output audio signal?

Example of a Roon core that needs an endpoint (as far as my a-technical brain goes):

https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/p...nt=20893269700

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by bart

Example of a Roon core that needs an endpoint (as far as my a-technical brain goes):

https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/p...nt=20893269700

Hmm, not sure but I think it is no different than say a Roon Nucleus.

Roon Nucleus can be hooked up to your DAC via USB

Playback
There are three ways to use Nucleus to play audio, and you can use any or all of these at the same time:

1. Connect an integrated audio component, DAC, or headphone amp via one of the two USB ports
2. Use the HDMI port to connect to an audio/video receiver (AVR) or other multichannel HDMI device
3. Most Popular: Stream over your network. Nucleus supports many networked audio devices like Airplay, Sonos, 100s of Roon Ready products, and devices with legacy streaming protocols from Devialet, Meridian, Squeezebox, and KEF