Lumin X1 and Upgraded DC umbilical cord for power supply.


I know this question is so very specific but just wonderin’ if anyone has experimented with aftermarket umbilical cords to be used with their Lumin streamers.

I see that a company called Westminster Labs sell a cord for $$$. And Audio Sensibilities also sells a cord for much less and has my interest.

Has anyone had experience using one of these cords?

ozzy

 

128x128ozzy

Here is post from a gent from the What’s Best forum on the subject.

"If I were to rank the umbilical cords on a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 being awful and 10 being perfect (and by definition, unattainable), I would put the stock umbilical cord at a 2 or 3, the Audio Sensibility umbilical at an 8 and the Westminster Lab umbilical at a 9 or 9.5.

The AS umbilical is a HUGE upgrade over the stock umbilical, and as a value proposition, it gives you the best bang for the buck. The WL umbilical is a smaller upgrade over the AS, but it provides, at least in a high-resolution system, noticeably more resolution, deeper bass, more extended highs as well as a greater control over attacks and decays.

It’s the law of diminishing returns -- you get more versus the AS umbilical, but the incremental cost per unit of improvement is much higher than the incremental cost per unit of improvement afforded by the AS umbilical over the stock umbilical."

I just received the cable today. Boy, what a PITA it is to connect the cable to the Lumin proper! What a design! Took a little swearing...

ozzy

Boy, what a PITA it is to connect the cable to the Lumin proper! What a design! Took a little swearing...

ozzy

Isn't it a plug-in connector with pins? What makes it a difficult task ? Just curious. Going from a rating of 3 to 8 is quite the improvement.

Charles

charles1dad,

First the unit has to be turned upside down. Then there is a long rear top overhang that gives little to no room for my fat fingers. Then you have to line up the pins, push the connector in/down and thread the round ring that tightens the connector down.

Requires quite a bit of swearing, my dog is still hiding.

ozzy

@ozzy 

Okay, I understand. Hopefully the sound quality it provides will be more than worth the aggravation of placing the umbilical cable.

Charles 

Well, it's been a couple of days now and the lean sound that was first present seems to be gone. I was a little concerned.
If it is made truly with high grade silver, then I guess some break in is expected. I think Steve said 150 hours.

ozzy