Lumin T3 Review

Lumin can be said to be the earliest and most mature brand in the development of high-end digital streaming. The A1 launched in 2012 shocked the market at the time with its high-level workmanship, specifications, and excellent app operation. , which immediately made this new brand from Hong Kong popular.

The reason why Lumin was able to launch such a highly complete product right after its establishment is actually no accident. Its parent company, Pixel Magic Systems Ltd., specializes in the development of imaging and multimedia products, and its technical requirements and complexity are much higher than those of sound. Lumin was born under this background.

With continuous development, Lumin now has agents in many countries around the world and has become a very popular brand in digital streaming products.

What we are reviewing this time is the newly released T3 digital streaming DAC/preamp. In addition to using Lumin’s latest generation processing system, Lumin has also transferred the technology and materials of the superior models X1 and P1 to T3. From T1 and T2 to the present, The T3 and T series are the most cost-effective models in the Lumin family. The main features of Lumin T3 include:

● Both hardware and software adopt Lumin’s latest processing system
● More powerful processing power and storage space, making it easier to upgrade in the future

● Faster processors provide more resampling options
● Adopts the same appearance treatment as the superior model P1

●Dual mono design, two ES9028Pro SABER DAC chips
● USB digital output

● LUMIN exclusive Leedh Processing sound control
●The analog output buffer uses flagship X1 technology
● Dual mono lines
● All-aluminum alloy body, derived from the processing and manufacturing technology of the flagship X1

● Supports Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, MQA, TIDAL, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, TuneIn and AirPlay compatible

The interior of Lumin T3 has been so neat and orderly since A1. It has a dual-mono fully balanced design and uses two ESS SABRE32 ES9028Pro decoding chips. It can decode up to native DSD 512 and PCM 32Bit/384kHz. Strictly selected high-quality components, Audiophile-grade capacitors, redesigned analog output buffer circuit, dynamic differential clock system, precise 32Bit LEEDH Processing digital sound control, and the power supply part is independently isolated and shielded.

When online digital streaming was on the rise, Lumin was one of the first new brands to invest in it fully. Several new brands entering this field at that time all had similar characteristics, including IT majors, audiophile backgrounds, and exposure to high-quality online music. At the same time, they also know that traditional audio manufacturers cannot quickly adapt to this situation, which requires professional investment in new technologies such as network communications, engineering software, user interfaces, digital management, and follow-up maintenance.

So far, there are network streaming players on the market. Brands are still very few compared to traditional equipment types. Among the thousands of brands of audio companies, you can probably count the names of network streaming player brands on two hands, and this has been developed for more than ten years.

As a result, it can be seen that network streaming itself has a certain threshold. In the past, no matter what the source was, you could do your own thing behind closed doors. However, when it comes to network communication, more regulations that comply with industry standards and the ever-changing need for professional knowledge are needed.

To update, if you want to support products from other companies such as Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, and even Roon, you need engineering languages ​​and capabilities that can communicate with them. What is even more difficult is that these seemingly ordinary support areas are still being updated endlessly. When new music services or functions emerge, they have to add them. Most traditional brands do not have this background and do not have a lot of resources to invest. Therefore, there are only a handful of brands that can survive well in this field.

Lumin has already gained market recognition since it first entered the industry. Every year, it continues to evolve its products based on market changes and user feedback. First of all, a design that meets the requirements of high-quality music playback is indispensable, but a pure software and hardware company is not enough to satisfy the picky.

Audiophiles are not lacking in traditional audio equipment technology. The power supply, signal path, signal processing, decoding, analog circuits, etc., that senior audiophiles can think of can all be seen in Lumin. For example, this time on T3, The use of higher-end hardware design and more powerful computing chips also allows for more comprehensive digital operations, stronger upscaling capabilities, and more advanced analog circuits.

The overall technology is decentralized from flagship models. The original manufacturer of Lumin once said that they usually like to apply the latest technology to high-end models first when developing new products and then transfer it to newly launched mid-range or affordable models. Therefore, buying a product positioned like T3 is a good idea. A very cost-effective choice.

In my opinion, the importance of hardware specifications of network streaming players only accounts for one-third at best because no matter how powerful the hardware is, without a good user interface, it will be just a flash in the pan.

An intuitive, fast, and easy-to-understand operation interface is inconsistent with follow-up services and updates, which are the key to survival, and this is where many traditional brands fail. It’s like giving you a supercomputer that can do anything, but if you can’t even turn it on, then everything is in vain. This also reflects that the price of Roon software continues to rise, and many enthusiasts still buy it.

Every manufacturer that launches a network streaming player must support the Roon service to win the favor of enthusiasts. Even the emergence of Roon has extended to many related products. In the end, the most important third is the actual sound performance. If you want to survive in a high-end online music player, these three are indispensable.

Lumin users don’t have to worry about controlling the software at all, and they don’t have to spend extra money to buy Roon or use third-party software to operate it because the free Lumin App provided by Lumin can do everything, and it’s very simple.

After opening the Lumin official website, you can see that The Lumin App is listed under the Product category. This shows that Lumin attaches great importance to this set of operating software. It is listed alongside all products that can sell money. It is by no means free. As a bonus, it’s up to you whether you want to use it or not. It takes a lot of effort and money to develop and maintain a complete operating software App.

It must be able to run without problems 365 days a year, and it must be able to maintain normal operation when iOS or Android is updated, which is a test for the entire team. And Lumin has done a very good job in this regard. Since users have spent money to buy equipment, they should use it every day without any worries. The fastest way to confirm is to find a dealer to try it out directly. Modern People who have experience using the app should be able to know the level of The Lumin App in just 10 minutes.

Referring to “Nameless” by Dominique Files-Aimé, I think Lumin T3 provides a very good sound performance. Generally speaking, it is a dynamic, lively, clear, bright, energetic, and very stable sound, which is pleasing to most types of music playback. The advantageous position allows the listener to fully get the contrast of micro-dynamics and details at low volume.

Considering that this equipment has both network digital streaming and digital decoding capabilities, this performance is very attractive, and it can be used in different frequency bands. I would describe the performance as well-proportioned. We tried interactive listening with large bookshelf speakers and standard floor-standing speakers, and both were able to obtain balanced music content.

Lumin T3 appeared to have contrast but would not overly highlight any frequency band. Compared with entry-level models from many brands, T3 provides actual performance for higher sound quality and sound density. This should be one of the upgrade options for many entry-level model users. If you are a demanding audio player who has used CD or vinyl sources in the past and already needs high-quality sound, which may not be satisfied by an entry-level streaming machine, then the performance and price of T3 are also very suitable to start with, and you can use it with your app.

What we are reviewing this time is the LUMIN T3 digital streaming DAC, which can be used and listened to just by connecting it to an amplifier. It is convenient for users who want to enjoy music easily and simply but, at the same time, have certain requirements for sound quality.

Moreover, LUMIN has its own app for use, and the interface is easy to understand and use. Whether it is in terms of sound performance or user experience, it can be said that LUMIN T3 has considerable advantages. During the evaluation period, I used LUMIN T3 to listen to it. Overall, I felt that the music presented by LUMIN T3 was full of dynamic details, the sound was well-balanced in each frequency band, and the performance seemed to be carefully carved. It sounded like a satisfying, sound-quality performance.

First, play Matteo Bocelli’s song “I’m Here” for reference. When the song starts, the word “so beautiful” will instantly and intuitively appear in my mind. The piano sound flows coherently and is very light and soft but does not feel ethereal. On the contrary, you can still feel its full and translucent texture, which is silky and delicate, and at the same time, you can hear the obvious differences between the notes. With the help of drums and strings, you will feel that the sound is spreading into the space.

It is wider, and the entire listening room can easily feel filled with large-scale music performances, but the detailed timbre allows people to carefully appreciate various instruments, and it will not appear that the sound is just scattered in the space.

The background drums sound thick and steady and appear relatively silent compared with other sounds. However, the excellent dynamic details allow people to see and feel the drums clearly and effortlessly in a rich sound. After listening to it, you will feel that LUMIN T3 also has good control over the sound. Although the drum sound is thick but soft, it directly fills the entire space, but it does not feel that the sound is chaotic and scattered. Instead, it is quite controlled and detailed.

It provides a heartbeat-like sound that instantly resonates with the listener. At the moment of listening, it seems that the whole person is directly integrated into the music. It is a unique and touching experience.

Then play James Blunt’s “1973”. When listening to this track, you will find that the LUMIN T3’s rounded or angular contrast at the edges of the sound is more obvious for songs with more power and intensity. The impact of the sound in the track is quite enjoyable. The song starts with the sound of the piano.

Just when you are still enjoying the clear sound of the piano, the sudden hit makes your eyes light up. The sound of the drumstick falling As soon as it came out, a clear sound broke through the air, as if the drumsticks were hitting in front of my eyes, and the sound began to pour out into the space in all directions, and the feeling that followed was like being directly enveloped by the sound.

The sound has a sufficient aftertaste as if the sound can directly caress the body, and the strong drum sound contrasts with the human voice and other musical sounds, but they are still well connected and integrated. You can also easily enjoy all kinds of music through LUMIN T3, whether it is a simple or complex arrangement. For example, in this song, even though the arrangement is slightly complicated, you can still easily hear that the various tones are presented in a balanced way. No sound will be ignored.

Finally, I played Boyce Avenue’s cover of “Wonderful Tonight” for reference. Compared with the previous song, the arrangement of this song is relatively simple, but the richness of the sound has not diminished at all, and it is still satisfying. A rich listening experience. The distance between the sound and the listener is quite close as if there is no barrier at all between the sound and the listener, and the original appearance of the music sound can be appreciated more directly.

In the human voice part, you can hear that the sound is quite clean and pure. The raw edge, soft singing voice, and excellent timbre allow the emotions in the song to be interpreted simply and directly, and the gentle and touching emotions seem to spread quietly in the space.

The sound details are also sufficient, and the background is clean and transparent. When the track progresses, the human voice changes from warm to soft, from soft to dissipated, or the instrument changes from gentle to slow, from slow to stagnant, and you can hear the breath at the end of the sound. , you can see the vibration of the strings becoming slower and slower, and the performance is so clear that people unconsciously hold their breath and concentrate.

When listening to this song, the performance of the strings through LUMIN T3 is particularly eye-catching. It is an intoxicating sound, sometimes slow and steady, sometimes crisp and translucent, sometimes meandering, sometimes whispering; the strings sound in different ways. They all have the same beautiful sound, making it easy for people to feel the simple yet rich sound in the song.