[SunRa Fan]

The Stream always indicated the correct bitrate for me as well. My weird problem only occurred when the Stream was connected to a PS Audio DAC. My guess is the the indicated 44.1 bitrate on the PS Audio DAC was just a default indication when it was not able to render a proper one for an incoming pcm stream. But that's my guess. As far as Roon is concerned, I have to wonder what they're doing with all that money they're getting? I tried out their software in 2017 and it was pretty much the same back then, pretty but missing what for me were basic features. It was easier to find new additions to a library this time around, I'll give them that. I think, on balance, devices like the Stream and Roon itself are geared a bit more toward online streaming services. So my experiences with both, considering the aforementioned, would have to be considered limited(and also not for me). More than anything else, I'm actually pretty proud of my little Allo Digione streamer. A/B testing it against a such a refined device like the Stream wound up giving me lots of new confidence in it. In his review of the Digione, John Darko said that HiFi makers in the streamer market should be concerned about the Raspberry Pi solutions. I thought that amusing at the time I heard it but now that I've experienced it for myself, I think he was right.

 

[Krutsch]

...
As far as Roon is concerned, I have to wonder what they're doing with all that money they're getting? I tried out their software in 2017 and it was pretty much the same back then, pretty but missing what for me were basic features.
...

Really? Like what?

 

[SunRa Fan]

A random play worth using(the one on LMS allows the exclusion of specific genres). LMS has THE best "random" I've ever heard, it never repeats songs, and always manages to find good songs from long unplayed albums. For me, this is a feature that I use constantly. There's no shortcut to finding specific artists/albums, instead, the user is forced to use search. iPeng makes this as easy as any iOS scrolling list with a shortcut of first letters drag line to the right.

 

[Krutsch]

A random play worth using(the one on LMS allows the exclusion of specific genres). LMS has THE best "random" I've ever heard, it never repeats songs, and always manages to find good songs from long unplayed albums. For me, this is a feature that I use constantly. There's no shortcut to finding specific artists/albums, instead, the user is forced to use search. iPeng makes this as easy as any iOS scrolling list with a shortcut of first letters drag line to the right.

You need to take another look at Roon. You are incorrect on all bolded features - they are there in Roon.

 

[davehg]

Quick update I took delivery of a Lumin D2 (bought as a demo for about $1700 which seems to be the going rate based on Audiogon).

Setup was only a tad trickier as I had to update firmware to work with Roon 1.6. It was a one button update. I ran the Lumin using its balanced outputs and a set of Cardas cables, which admittedly sound different from the Acoustic Zen silver references I used with the Stream, perhaps a bit warmer and less revealing.

So far, the Lumin is a standout. Integration with Roon is excellent.it displays the detail on its LED screen same as the Stream. Main difference: the Higher performance DAC lets you upsample lower resolution Redbook up to DSD 64. I hear a clear difference - lots more detail and presence. The MQA and high res Qobuz files sound exquisite. I haven’t done a direct comparison with the Squeezebox and MF Trivista, but I can guess the Lumin shows much more detail and presence. It reminds me of my brief listening experience with the Chord Qutest.

The Lumin supposedly sounds much better with an upgraded Linear Power Supply and I am encouraged enough by the base unit to experiment.

For me the Lumin is well worth the premium over the Stream, and is much less if you source used. It makes the case for the Stream more challenging. Again, at a lower price point the Stream is a contender, but the Lumin does more, with a few more features, and with more resolution. I am also not feeling the need to add an upgraded DAC with the Lumin.

 

[davehg]

My review of the Lumin which notes the Bel Canto

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/lumin-d2.23607/reviews#review-21684

 

[Krutsch]

Quick update I took delivery of a Lumin D2 (bought as a demo for about $1700 which seems to be the going rate based on Audiogon).

Setup was only a tad trickier as I had to update firmware to work with Roon 1.6. It was a one button update. I ran the Lumin using its balanced outputs and a set of Cardas cables, which admittedly sound different from the Acoustic Zen silver references I used with the Stream, perhaps a bit warmer and less revealing.

So far, the Lumin is a standout. Integration with Roon is excellent.it displays the detail on its LED screen same as the Stream. Main difference: the Higher performance DAC lets you upsample lower resolution Redbook up to DSD 64. I hear a clear difference - lots more detail and presence.

Interesting observations. Thanks for sharing. One comment on your sound impressions: the Lumin uses a pair of Wolfson WM8742 in dual mono mode, whereas the Bel Canto e.One DACs (and Stream) use Burr-Brown PCM17XX series chips. I have a Rega DAC based on the Wolfson architecture and my impressions, comparing the Rega with the Bel Canto DAC, are similar to what you attribute to the choice of cable.

The Wolfson -equipped Rega has a warm, almost analog sound, which I really enjoy, but it lacks the midrange and treble purity of the Bel Canto. As always, YMMV.

 

[davehg]

Krutsch, I also have the earlier Wolfson DACs (8741) in my A&K 120 Mk I, and it too has a nice warm signature.

I have read in authoritative blogs that the DAC makes less difference in tonal quality than the specifics of the output stage. The midrange and the treble of the Lumin is wonderful, to the point where I don’t know or care if it is accurate. It would take listening to another DAC to see if one were more or less accurate.

In my DAC auditions I found the Auralics to be dry and clean, the Moon to be dry and a bit too cool, along with the Benchmark. The Chords grabbed my ear and sounded dynamic and musical but I couldn’t tell if this would wear well over a longer period. I would like to hear the higher priced PS Audio DAC with FPGA architecture to see how it fared vs the Chord. similarly I would like hear just for the hell of it something super high end like a Lampizator or DCS.

My MF TriVista has sounded so nice over its life that even though I can easily hear the Lumin better it, I am not likely to sell it but rather keep it for my office system. I have a Sony HAPZ1ES that makes little sense now that Roon Nucleus and Lumin are in the system, and I should probably sell it.

I note you have the HD650. Mine love my WA22. Since I’ve been using the WA22 rolled with NOS tubes with the Focal Clear, I haven’t felt a desire to roll the HD650s in a while. Love their midrange and I need to try them with the Lumin. My favorite was to run them on the WA5s, which are boxed up during a remodel. Can’t wait to try the Lumin with the WA5 and see how that combo fares.

 

[Krutsch]

...
I note you have the HD650. Mine love my WA22. Since I’ve been using the WA22 rolled with NOS tubes with the Focal Clear, I haven’t felt a desire to roll the HD650s in a while. Love their midrange and I need to try them with the Lumin. My favorite was to run them on the WA5s, which are boxed up during a remodel. Can’t wait to try the Lumin with the WA5 and see how that combo fares.

I really need to level-up my Woo amp. I have a big collection of expensive tubes for the WA3/WA2, so I will likely go to a WA2. But I would love to hear one of the new high-end amps, like the WA33.

Back to the Bel Canto... I am struggling to figure out my streaming upgrade path. I really *do* like the Bel Canto signature, so I am tempted to get an e.One Stream to have MQA rendering with my Roon setup. I tried a Bluesound Node 2i for that, but I was disappointed with the DAC (analog out), so I took it to work for background listening.

The Lumin D2 looks interesting, so thanks for sharing your listening impressions.

 

[davehg]

I recently heard the WA33 and it was fantastic as it should be for the price.

Do try the Lumin which does MQA native or better, handles upsampled MQA to DSD! While I enjoyed the E.One I really love the sound signature of the Lumin. I’ve been seeing them on Agon for around $1700-1800 which makes them not barely a tick more. The balanced output, DSD, and much better build quality made he difference easy for me.

 

[Todd]

Hi All,

I have the loaner Stream unit for sale for $1250 delivered. Call me to order it. 406-285-3910

 

[Bonnielover]

I just purchased a Roon Nucleus that I am awaiting delivery, and I need an endpoint, ideally one that supports both Qubuzz and Tidal, is MQA compliant, and Roon compatible. I just learned that Roon has a Logitech Media Server emulator, meaning that my Logitech system may not be completely obsolete, but I have to believe that DACs have improved over the past ten years and that my trusty Trivista DAC can be improved.

I'd be comparing the e.One on several axis - how it performs as an all-in-one streamer/DAC, as a Roon endpoint, and its native DAC capability vs an external DAC.

I've looked at other endpoints, but they all seem compromised in some way or incredibly expensive. The Allo signature which is getting raves seems like what I already have with the Squeezebox. The others one box solutions seem much more expensive - Auralic, Aurender, Linn....

If the e.One sounds great as a network streamer and has the flexibility to accommodate a wide range of DAC choices (and if its DAC is as good as my current setup), it could be a winner.

Hi Dave,
I'm was looking into the Roon Nucleus to feed a Bel Canto Dac1.5, but understand the Dac1.5 USB will not take more than 96kHz, which seems to be the primary output from the Nucleus. But meanwhile, I had understood the Nucleus itself would be the endpoint, so I didn't understand your comment about looking for an endpoint for the Nucleus. So I'm considering the Stream instead of the Nucleus, since, I think, the primary advantage of the Nucleus is to handle large libraries, and may be overkill for my 30GB-1,500 songs. Even with the Stream, as noted in this forum or another, their may be limitations on output to get full resolution DSD and MQA-unfolded music. Just some considerations from someone that's still trying to learn about all this stuff before making a purchase(s).
Good info you posted; and nice site.
Thanks.
Paul

 

[davehg]

I ended up setting the Nucleus to upsample everything to DSD. The e.One Stream cannot process DSD so it wasn’t the DAC for me, and its digital output was limited and could not pass more than 24/196 to a DAC, so that ruled it out as a streamer for me.

I like the Bel Canto signature and for someone looking at just Tidal or Qobuz compatibility, the e.One is fine. For pushing the envelope of Roon, I’d keep looking.

 

[Bonnielover]

I ended up setting the Nucleus to upsample everything to DSD. The e.One Stream cannot process DSD so it wasn’t the DAC for me, and its digital output was limited and could not pass more than 24/196 to a DAC, so that ruled it out as a streamer for me.

I like the Bel Canto signature and for someone looking at just Tidal or Qobuz compatibility, the e.One is fine. For pushing the envelope of Roon, I’d keep looking.

Thanks John. So what are you outputing the Nucleus to? What do you think of using the Lumin D2 as the ultimate endpoint and not feeding to a DAC?

 

[davehg]

Prefer to keep this thread focused on the E.One. See this thread for the D2: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/lumin-d2.23607/reviews