1. Home
  2. digital
  3. 198176-1910

Briacasti M1s2 vs Lumin X2 vs Grimm MU2 ?

 

Greetings! After almost a decade away from the hobby, I woke  to realize that the digital landscape had changed dramatically.   The Levinson 390S just wasn’t going to cut it anymore…
 
I picked up a Bricasti M1se2 DAC with the built in network streamer, and it’s been eye opening to say the least. I really was trying and wish to still avoid having more than one more box solution (not a separate server/renderer or having a roon separate box. I’d rather not Roon at all! Luddite perhaps.)
 
TO that end I have been able to use JPlay (which sees the Bric on my network) to feed Qobuz to the Bric - and the sound is amazing so far. sometimes the interface running JPlay on the ipad is janky, and like all of us, i wonder about upgrades....
 
Also relevant, I don’t have audio files to play, and probably would not start downloading actual music files, more into just streaming.

SO. I really like a single box solutions and am looking hard at the Lumin X2 and the Grimm Audio MU2. 

I understand both these units have the ability to act as a preamp, but I’d rather avoid that topic for now, instead focusing on Streamer-DAC performance. How they SOUND
 
I realize the Lumin has its own software and is pan-ready for all the usual services (Qobuz/Tidal connect, Roon, even Amazon Music now), and that the Grimm has an integrated Roon core inside, so would be super easy to run Roon but also offers UPnP. I’ve read (and perhaps it’s not valid) that Roon based experience is awfully intuitive but sacrifices some quality?..The Grimm can also come with various TB of storage too 
 
Those are nice important features, for sure, and the experience of playing music, the UI, would be better than my current arrangement, but they don’t say anything about the SOUND
 
Anyone listen to either/or? The Bricasti is pretty, pretty, pretty good, so I’m trying not to spend more for some sideways action.
 
THANKS!
artg
artg OP
383 posts
 

I’m going to try to listen to these and go from there - the obvious solution.  

I will add that part of the motivation is to increase the ease of operation, the UI.  I Feel like I’ve been getting by  using JPlay to stream Qobuz to the Bric.  For comparison, the Lumin X2 has more ease of connectivity, with Tidal connect, QoBuz connect in addition to a bunch more (Amazon music, Spotify, even airplay) and a bunch more including jplay.

Grimm was heavily tied to Roon (even has an internal roon core), but have recently started to offer other connection options, as I understand it Tidal connect, but not QoBuz connect and I hear that JPlay has some bugs still.

There’s a greater than 50% chance I KEEP my preamp option so it’s not all about that feature.

Thanks all who weighed in! More to come.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,985 posts
 

“Let me tell you something pendejo…”  The Jesus

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,985 posts
 

By the way I can use Audirvana, Jplay, Roon, Qobuz Connect, Tidal Connect, Mcontrol with my Meitner MA3i. Sounds great. Has killer preamp section and doesn’t require an outboard streamer. 

artg OP
383 posts
 

ive heard GREAT things about the Meitner. Also, I respect the the quote!! so good. I am latino (Arturo), so ’pendejo’ rings perfectly in this context!

 

Im leaning X2 for the optical conversion. Going to listen

Post removed 
More to discover