I’m either getting too old, going deaf, maybe both 
, or maybe I’m not off the mark - but with plenty of burn in time now I’m not sure in a blind test if I could tell the difference between the Red going into the MkII via I2S, and the PST doing the same. And the PST is on my Dragon I2S cable! If continued listening proves me out, I’m going to call this a draw. The differences so far as I can tell are too small for me to care. 
I reserve this space for mind changing, if I do so later. 
So does that mean the Red is better than you anticipated it would be for entry price?
So far, yes.
Same here as it’s more than holding it’s own against the G1. Also switching from mConnect to JPlay for IOS has been a pleasant surprise.
Really? I’ll have to give JPlay a try. What do you like better?
Smoother operation with more artist info available similar to Roon and better sound to my ears. Worth a try for 14 days and see what you hear.
Sounds good! Thanks.
I spent the weekend listening to the red and comparing it to the Auralic Aries G2 and I’m somewhat surprised that the G2 doesn’t sound any better than the Red even though it cost about 5X the cost. My only gripe is that I lost having WiFi connectivity. I wasn’t able to figure out how to get HQPlayer embedded configured. I’m still very curious if having NAA compatability will put it over the top.
I spent several minutes over about a week wondering whether the Holo Spring Level 3 + Holo Red would have been better than the Lumin T3. There never seems to be a lot in these boxes, but I suppose someone has to design it. The T3 is awaiting delivery, in the meantime I have my dealer’s demo unit that is nicely run in (if that matters) and I’m blown away with how good it sounds. I compare by streaming things I have on record, last night this and it really sounded very good.
Steven, so is there any way to determine what part of the T3 - DAC, streamer - is contributing to what you’re hearing?
My natural preference is to combine the two, because that’s how I started with streaming in 2010. No digital interconnects, short signal path, low power, solid aluminium case for isolation. Lumin’s thing is any amount of upsampling to DSD512, or none at all. As the feed is fibre optic (converted to CAT6a for the last 1m) and I have clean power, I think it all adds up to an exceptionally low noise floor.
You pay double the price for a fibre input socket and a seriously good power supply (apparently), but I have no desire to go there.
Other Roon Ready options? Auralic 2.1 (75% more expensive) or Matrix Sabre 3 (25% cheaper). I could probably have got a Matrix for demo, but I’ve gone off the dealer (only 10 minutes away) because they’ve started selling $0.50 fuses for $10,000. Don’t know an Auralic loan source, my usual dealer has Lumin for loan.
DSD Mk2 + Holo Red is same price as Lumin P1, but I don’t have space for 2 boxes and both PSA and Holo are focused on DSD, which I don’t use. The Holo apparently contains separate DSD and PCM DACs.
Balanced analogue cabling probably helps, dusted off Mogami cables sitting in the loft since 2016.
The Holo Red contains no DACs.
Holo has two sections that separately convert digital to analogue. Not a DAC chip, something called R2R, but a DAC all the same.
Are we talking about the same thing - the Holo Red? It has no analog output, and near as I can tell does no digital to analog conversion of any sort.
R2R is an “old school” method of doing D/A conversion. Typically found nowadays in non-oversampling DACs.
I think @stevensegal is saying using Red as streamer and MKII as DAC + Pre = P1 from lumin as a whole.
Does the Lumin T3 support vol control? Maybe that is a cheaper solution overall if you are ok with its DAC.
P1 is a pre amp as well. Which counts for much of the cost increase. Depends on system needs. But the P1 is a heck of a KISS solution. Just add amp and speakers.
I needed streamer and DAC.
Holo Spring 3 + Red = same cost as Lumin T3.
Holo = ugly, Lumin = pretty.
Holo Roon Tested, Lumin Roon Ready. Big difference.
DSD Mk2 + Red = same cost as Lumin P1
Holo Red = DDC but not DAC…
The Lumin has what is apparently a magnificent lossless digital volume control called Leedh.
I understand Leedh is a 3rd party application and you will find it in other brands.
I can use Leedh in my system as I can disconnect the pre-amp in my Luxman (press of a button) and use it straight through to the power amp, bypassing the volume control. I’ve not tried it yet.
Yes that is correct. But you loose Vol control with Roon with it. not a big deal, but you should know.
If you do not need the pre amp stuff on the P1, go with T3. But if you want the sound (this is subjective and up to you) of the MKII, the Red is fantastic steamer and really hard to beat for the price.
In the Case of the Holo Spring + Red, the Red is the Roon transport and works 100% with Roon. So that combo is Roon Ready in my book. Again no vol control with that combo and roon.
I don’t want or have the space for separate streamer/DAC. If like previous models the DSD Mk2 had an internal streaming card included, it would have been high on my list. I would have liked to see a LC fibre input and shielding of the power supply.
