The Lumin U2X is a high-end Hi-Res Audio network streamer with a separate power supply and isolated USB audio output.
You need to add your own DAC and have a bulging wallet.
Many high-end network streamers come with a built-in DAC, and that's great if you don't already have a top-end equivalent in your system – but if you do, then of course it's unnecessary.
That's why Lumin's new U2X takes a different approach. It's made for systems that already have excellent DACs, and focuses entirely on delivering high quality audio to them.
Lumin's previous network transports have garnered rave reviews and the U2X comes with some significant enhancements.
It is based on the technology inside the firm's flagship X1 streamer, and Lumin says that it equals the X1 "in both status and build quality".
The transport uses the same "indestructible" single-billet CNC construction as the Lumin X1, keeps the power supply separate, and has a newly-developed isolated circuit architecture for its USB digital out.
Lumin says that it also features the firm's most advanced clocking circuits to date.
Lumin U2X: key features and pricing
The Lumin U2X has native DSD512 and PCM768 playback, plus DSD256 up/down sampling and MQA support. It also features the brand's new 10M Clock I/O, which is designed to deliver or follow a master clock configuration where one unit sets the timing for everything else.
That can reduce jitter by ensuring that all of your devices are completely in sync, and the U2X can be set as the master clock or to follow the clock of another unit.
The new isolated USB audio port is designed to keep your audio signal separate from other USB traffic, such as connected network storage or accessories, and there's a new processor inside the U2X that Lumin says delivers a "significant" boost in performance. This includes improved upsampling and better handling of very Hi-Res Audio files.
In addition to that USB audio output, there's one optical, twin coaxial and AES-EBU connections, plus Ethernet and optical fibre network ports, and two ordinary USBs.
The Lumin U2X will be available from August with a price of £8,995 / $9,990 / €10,950 / AU$18,200.
