LUMIN has expanded its network-audio lineup with the LUMIN N1, a dedicated audiophile network switch built to keep digital noise out of a hi-fi system. Positioned as a flagship step up from the brand’s well-regarded L2, the LUMIN N1 is a 10-port switch that pairs high connectivity with what LUMIN calls a zero-noise philosophy. Rather than the generic switching supply found in most networking gear, the LUMIN N1 runs on an internal linear power supply, offers four SFP fibre ports for full electrical isolation, and adds a 10MHz clock input so it can lock to an external master clock alongside the rest of a streaming system.
The LUMIN N1 Moves Noise Out of the Signal Path
Every networking switch generates a certain amount of electrical noise, and that noise can travel down an Ethernet cable straight into a streamer or DAC. LUMIN addresses this at the source: the LUMIN N1 replaces the typical external switching wall-wart with a shielded, internal toroidal linear power supply and a low-noise linear regulator. The power section sits in its own shielded compartment, physically separated from the switching electronics, specifically to reduce interference with delicate audio circuits elsewhere in the chassis. It’s the same approach LUMIN first introduced with the L2, now scaled up and refined for a switch with double the port count and considerably more processing headroom. The result, LUMIN argues, is a noise floor low enough to matter even in systems built around a dedicated Ferrum BROEN network streaming transport or similarly noise-conscious front end.
Four SFP Ports for True Galvanic Isolation
Beyond clean power, the LUMIN N1 tackles noise at the connection layer too. Alongside six isolated Gigabit RJ45 Ethernet ports for conventional copper connections, it adds four industry-standard Gigabit SFP cages for fibre-optic links. Because light carries no electrical charge, an SFP connection breaks any ground-loop path between a home network and the rest of a hi-fi system, delivering what LUMIN describes as total galvanic isolation even in complex, multi-device setups. Two SFP LC modules and an optical network cable ship in the box, so a listener can convert a single problematic copper run into a fibre connection right out of the gate.
A 10MHz Clock Input Ties the System Together
A 50-ohm BNC input on the rear panel lets the LUMIN N1 accept an external 10MHz reference clock, syncing its own timing circuits with the rest of a system instead of running on its internal oscillator alone. LUMIN’s own U2X transport can supply that reference, or a listener can bring in a third-party master clock. For anyone building a LUMIN-based network around a U2X transport, X-series streamer or D-series DAC, the N1 becomes the connective hub that keeps every device on the same low-jitter timing grid, rather than just another switch sitting quietly in a rack.
Pricing and availability
The LUMIN N1 is available now, finished in black or raw anodised aluminium, priced at €2,280 including VAT in Europe and $1,980 plus tax in the United States. In Japan, LUMIN launched the N1 at ¥348,000 tax included. The switch measures 360 x 236.5 x 60.5mm and weighs 2.5kg, and ships complete with a country-specific IEC power cable, two SFP LC modules, an optical network cable, an RJ45 Ethernet cable and a quickstart guide.
Key specifications
- Dedicated 10-port audiophile network switch: LUMIN N1
- 6x isolated Gigabit RJ45 Ethernet ports (1000BASE-T)
- 4x industry-standard Gigabit SFP fibre ports
- 10MHz clock input, 50 ohms BNC, for external master clock sync
- Internal toroidal linear power supply with low-noise linear regulator
- Shielded power supply compartment to reduce interference
- Finish: black or raw anodised aluminium
- Dimensions: 360 x 236.5 x 60.5mm; weight: 2.5kg
- Price: €2,280 (EU, incl. VAT) / $1,980 + tax (US) / ¥348,000 (Japan, tax incl.)
