Lumin vs Auralic

Thanks for the input guys....I know the reviews I've read say the Lumin software is excellent;  I haven't read much about the Lightning DS.  Jond....I think the Auralic Vega G2 is Ethernet hard wire connected...but I'll check again.  Dwolek.....How does the sound quality of the Node 2i compare to the Auralic; which Auralic did you own?

The Lumin is wired Ethernet as well.  My plan was to go wired, so wireless isn't an issue.   Any thoughts on which brand would sound better....as well as which brand would have less warranty issues?  Specifically, I read that the Auralic has a buffering system in place; would this create more possible servicing issues in the long term?  How sturdy are these storage devices in these units?   

Dick, thanks for your comments.  

I agree with you.  Auralic's nomenclature is extremely confusing....G1 or G2 could mean the Aries or the Vega.  

Between the Lumin and the Auralic VEGA products, I'm currently leaning towards the Auralic.  What bothers me is that all the reviews on the Vega G2 seem to imply that the VEGA is first and foremost a DAC and that the "basic streaming function" is just a bonus.  In one of the Auralic forums, one of the developers of their products even called the streaming portion of the VEGA "free".  The reviews I've read all say that adding the Aries G2 really brings out all that the DAC in the VEGA G2 can deliver.  I, on the other hand, view the VEGA as a one-box streamer...that would compete with the likes of the one-box Lumin products, such as the new T2 (or D2, S1, A1, etc).  The Lumin reviews don't necessarily talk about the specific performance of the DAC vs the streamer portion of their all in one products.  I'm looking for one box solution that sounds good without necessarily having to add more pieces.

I'm also curious about how well either the Lumin or Auralic would sound like if they were connected directly to my power amplifier.   I'm hoping the unit I end up purchasing will allow me to sell my preamp if the sound is good enough.....

Dick, I'll let you know what I end up getting....Uberwaltz, I'll do some investigating on the Mytek BB; thanks for your suggestion.  Mre28m5, there are no dealers for Auralic anywhere near me....so auditioning anything from that company is not going to happen.  I'm basing everything thus far on reviews since my nearest dealer is a 4 hour plane flight away!  The Lumin T2 hasn't arrived at my local dealer yet, so once it arrives, I'll give it a listen.....