Lumin T3x

LUMIN T3X Network Music Player

Flagship Features at a Mid-Range Price — The New Benchmark

The T3 was already one of the most celebrated streamers in its price range. LUMIN took it, added the toroidal linear power supply from the U2 and the optical fibre networking from their flagship players, kept the price the same, and called it the T3X.

The result is what Tom Martin, CEO of The Absolute Sound, called after his full review: the benchmark streamer-DAC for anyone looking near or even well above this price range. The lowest cost way to get 95% or more of what digital can do.

That's not a casual endorsement. That's a direct recommendation from the editor of the most respected audiophile publication in the world, to anyone building a serious system, to start here.

What Changed from the T3

The T3X represents three meaningful upgrades over the T3 — each borrowed from higher-tier LUMIN products, integrated into the familiar T-series chassis at no price increase.

Built-in toroidal linear power supply. The T3 used a standard internal power supply. The T3X steps up to an internal ultra-low-noise toroidal linear power supply — the same approach used in the U2 network transport. The toroidal transformer is extra-large for its chassis class, the regulator is ultra-low-noise with high dynamic range, and the power supply compartment is shielded to minimize interference with the sensitive analogue circuitry. Linear power supplies are quieter than switched-mode designs, more stable under dynamic load, and consistently produce better measured and audible performance in audio applications. Bringing one into the T3X at no price increase is a genuine value advancement.

Optical fibre networking — SFP port. The T3X adds the SFP fibre port that has been a signature of LUMIN's flagship designs. Optical fibre provides complete galvanic isolation between the network and the player — electrical noise from the network infrastructure cannot travel over a glass fibre connection. The result is a lower noise floor and cleaner background from which the music emerges. The SFP port operates simultaneously with the RJ45 Ethernet port, allowing simultaneous connection of router and NAS or music server.

Dual USB ports. An additional USB port provides extra flexibility for connected storage and digital audio output.

Everything else that made the T3 exceptional remains: the dual ESS SABRE32 ES9028Pro DAC chips in dual-mono configuration, the LUMIN X1-derived analogue buffer with audio-grade output capacitors and ultra-low-noise/high dynamic range design, the femto clock system, the CNC aluminium chassis, and the full suite of streaming services and LUMIN's programme of continuous development.

The DAC and Analogue Stage

The T3X uses dual ESS SABRE32 ES9028Pro chips in dual-mono operation — one chip per channel. The ES9028Pro is a high-performance chip capable of extraordinary resolution when implemented carefully. As Tom Martin noted in his TAS review, implementation matters enormously with ESS DAC chips, and LUMIN's implementation is decidedly better than the much lower priced ESS DAC designs he's heard.

The analogue buffer borrows technology from the LUMIN X1, including audio-grade output capacitors and an ultra-low-noise, high dynamic range design. The output stage is fully balanced, with XLR outputs at 6 Vrms and RCA at 3 Vrms. The discreet clock system provides precision timing throughout — supporting DSD512 via USB and PCM up to 384 kHz.

Upsampling is available to DSD256 or PCM 384 kHz for all source files — useful for listeners who prefer to upsample to a single high rate for their DAC, or who want to take advantage of the T3X's resampling capabilities for lower-resolution source material.

What It Sounds Like

The T3X's sound character is consistent across every review: smooth and undigitalized, with more energy and expressiveness than the T3 before it — a balance between warmth and openness that makes listening effortless rather than fatiguing.

Audiotechnique called it the undisputed mid-range king of sound quality, noting its smooth, un-digitalized character that compels you to keep pulling records from your library. High Fidelity described it as sitting at a concert rather than in front of speakers — expressive and dynamic while retaining the warmth and saturation that define LUMIN's house sound. Soundstage! Australia simply called it an absolute bargain.

Hi-Fi Class captured what makes the T3X particularly special: superb PRAT — tempo, rhythm, and timing — coupled with the kind of emotional engagement that makes your head nod and your foot tap. That quality is harder to engineer than flat frequency response or low noise figures, and it's what separates the T3X from players that are technically competent but musically unremarkable.

The LUMIN Ecosystem

The T3X supports every major streaming service — TIDAL, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, Qobuz Connect, Amazon Music Unlimited, Spotify Connect, Roon Ready, Audirvāna, JPLAY, KKBox, QQMusic, Plex, MQA, AirPlay, and TuneIn Radio. The LUMIN app provides full control from iOS and Android, with high-resolution artwork, playlist management, and seamless source switching. It has been described as the most convenient interface in existence.

Leedh Processing — LUMIN's lossless volume control algorithm — is included at no additional charge, eliminating the rounding errors that degrade conventional digital attenuation. For systems where the T3X serves as the only source, Leedh Processing makes it an effective preamplifier substitute without sonic penalty.

LUMIN's programme of continuous development means firmware updates continue to add features and improve performance — every LUMIN player sold continues to benefit from ongoing engineering effort at no cost to the owner.

Press Recognition

• The Absolute Sound — Full video review, December 2025 "The result is a more analog-like, more continuous sense of musical tones — a sense of refinement that you may not know you need, but once you hear it, you want it. I think it's the benchmark streamer DAC for anyone looking near or even well above this price range." — Tom Martin, CEO Watch the video review
• Audiotechnique (Hong Kong) — Full review, November 2025 "From the moment I first heard the LUMIN T3X, I was captivated. Its smooth, un-digitalized sound is not only addictive but also compels you to unconsciously search your music library for songs to play one after another. The undisputed mid-range king of sound quality." — Joey Ho Read the review
• Soundstage! Australia — Full review, March 2025 "Every piece I've played has evoked the desire for more. Any genre, any vintage, any track, it all sounds great. There is no doubt in my mind — LUMIN's T3X is an absolute bargain." — Barry Jones Read the review
• Hi-Fi Class — 5-star review & Recommended Award, December 2025 "A superb device that combines exceptional musicality with higher precision, transparency, and energy than its predecessors, yet it costs practically the same." — Marek Dyba Read the review
• High Fidelity — Full review, January 2025 "A sound that balances between openness and warmth — and it does it really well. As if we were sitting at a concert rather than in front of speakers." — Wojciech Pacuła Read the review

Specifications

• DAC: Dual ESS SABRE32 ES9028Pro — dual-mono operation
• DSD support: Native DSD512 (22.6 MHz, 1-bit)
• PCM support: Up to 384 kHz, 16–32-bit stereo
• Upsampling: DSD256 or PCM 384 kHz for all files
• Clocking: Discreet femto clock system
• Analogue outputs: XLR balanced (6 Vrms, pin 2 hot); RCA unbalanced (3 Vrms)
• Digital output: USB — Native DSD512; BNC S/PDIF — PCM to 192 kHz, DSD DoP
• Network: RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet + SFP optical (simultaneous use)
• Power supply: Internal toroidal linear, shielded compartment, low-noise regulator
• Volume control: Leedh Processing lossless digital volume
• USB ports: Dual (storage + digital audio output)
• Streaming: Roon Ready, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Spotify Connect, Audirvāna, JPLAY, AirPlay, and more
• Finish: Black anodised or raw anodised aluminium
• Dimensions: 350 mm W × 350 mm D × 60.5 mm H, 6 kg

Comparing the T3X to the X2, or wondering if the T3X is right for your system? We're happy to help you think it through.