I’m an Esoteric fanboy and have no qualms in recommending them if you like a muscular, 3-dimensional sound but the only DAC/streamer in their range that hovers near your budget is the N-05 XD which includes a preamp. Otherwise the next model up is the N-01XD SE but it’s well above your stated budget. I’m sure you’d be overjoyed with the sound, however.
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Thanks….but that’s probably not an option for me then. The N-05 XD is already well above my budget. For that I’m already in the Lumin X1 range. And my dealer doesn’t sell Esoteric anyway.
Pretty much my budget will be what I can get for my NDX2/XPSDR, and I figure that’s about $6-7K U.S. The Lumin T3x is $6.6k, so within range. I don’t want to add to it, definitely not another $5K in any case.
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Is the T3 X a bit like a P1 without preamp?
AURALiC is dead, maybe LUMIN tomorrow.
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The critical part of a digital system is the DAC, that second to the speakers being a key component in setting the character and clarity of the system. Whilst getting others’ experiences of Lumin may help decide if you’d like the brand, the only way to know if you’d like the product as a replacement for your NDX is to audition it, comparing with NDX. Personally I’d stronly recommend going with a separate DAC and streaming front end, rather than combined unit. That would seem particularly desirable if streaming online, separating the cost and enabling the choice of DAC to be on sound, and streaming front end to take into account future support as that is where it is needed and where longevity is likely to be limited.
You could even just buy the streaming front end -some call it a bridge - and use with your NDX’s DAC if you like that, as that part is unlikely to have problems and would then not need any future firmware updates.
Not really, there are way less inputs and outputs on the TX3. As @MoonDrifter pointed out, they actually make a P1 mini, he uses one.
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But it may be on the streaming / dac level of sound of the P1?
Thanks for the advice, but it isn’t right for me. I won’t have my NDX2 to use as a DAC for anything. If I keep that this is all moot and everything stays as it is. There is no reason to get anything in addition if I keep the NDX2. I also don’t want separate streaming/DAC boxes. I’d like to keep it simple and limit cost to what I can get for my NDX2/XPSDR.
As for listening to the Lumix, yes, I do hope to audition it at home.
Digital is a non-critical part of my system. I just need it as a Roon endpoint to use for causal listening and to audition music I am interested in on vinyl.
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Off topic, it seems the mute function is to be used as sparsely as possible. The forum mentions more than the occasional failure of mute relays in XS3 and SN3, happened to my XS3 as well.
Don’t know if these are the same ones as in the 252 which is of course a pre-amp only.
That’s just plain ludicrous for a $12k preamp ($20k with required PSU), or for anything really. I think there is a thread about it though. I just brought it up here as an aside.
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I have an A1 with an S1 Power supply, Revelation Audio Labs DC Umbilical, and some other enhancements; I use it with my tube system and haven’t experimented with Naim. I’m incredibly pleased with it, but am also very pleased with my NDX 2 and don’t have a desire to displace the NDX 2 right now. Different strokes.
My dealer said they’ll request a demo T3x from the distributor when I’m ready to audition one at home. I’ll probably do that once I decide for sure on the fate the NDX2/XPSDR and list it.
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Ah, if that is the only purpose of streaming for you rather than using it as a source for proper listening then of course what I suggested is irrelevant, and best might be the simplest well supported streamer you can find (sorry, I don’t have the knowledge to suggest).
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Lumin have to be commended for releasing devices (T3X and P1 Mini) with specifications close to their top of the range devices (X1 and P1), however, as you will appreciate, they are close to those models, sound quality wise, but not quite as good, as you would expect for the specification (and thus price) difference.
I have both a P1 and a P1 Mini and have run them both through my Supernait 3 + HCDR in fixed output mode ( not using the Pre-Amp’s in the Lumin’s) and the P1 is definately just that little bit better sound quality wise.
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Yup, just want to keep it simple, and it doesn’t have to be a great solution.
I have have to spend a helluva lot more money to make it a serious listening proposition that would complete with what I can get out of vinyl. That’s not a goal though. I could spend the money for a X1 is I really wanted to, or even a U2 and a DAC, but that’s not a good use of discretionary funds for me.
I’d rather find a way to buy a Boulder system. 
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I noticed that Lumin has a new model that is probably no interest to JDP.
The U2X transport, it has an external power supply like the X1, and plays up to PCM 768 now.
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I noticed that. I think my dealer plans to sell off their demo U1 and get the U2 or U2x for their main demo room (which has a 2100 series Boulder system) with Dyn Confidence 50 and a pair of REL #31.
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I am guessing you need to add a DAC to it as well, does Boulder make stand alone DAC’s?
Yes, these U2 devices are transports only.
I thought Boulder had a standalone DAC in the 2100 series but I don’t see it now on their website. I texted my dealer to ask what DAC he’s using with it.
A Boulder DAC would not be something I want to buy. My wife and I were discussing whether we might want to replace the 252/300 with Boulder, until I explained the cost. A Boulder 1100 series system is more like a Naim 500 series. The Boulder 1110/1163 pre/pwr would be about $50k, and that’s before the two sets of balanced cables (Siltech Classic Legend for about $5K?) I would need (i.e. 1108 → 1110, 1110 → 1163). But if I was going to stretch to that I would want to go rather further and get the 1151 mono-block amps. Those are insane!
Edit: dealer says they are using a Boulder 2120 DAC for the Lumin U1.
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Yeah that is big bucks, not something easily attainable for most.
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