Pauls quote…“Alpha units are scheduled for late October at this point.”
Shows what I know then…I always thought Alpha meant ‘first’…as in a first release date to the consumer in late October…
Alpha is the tests carried out internally at PS Audio HQ. We get the Beta…
Thanks for clearing that up Dirk…The new spinner is a long way out then! I hope I don’t throw my dmp out the window before then …
Pmotz is correct. The alpha series of any product is internal and based on how many revs it took to get there, plus how well it does, determines much about the next step which is a beta version. If the alpha hardware needs rework or new decisions (other than
software which can be changed up to the last minute) then we do a second alpha. We’ve had as many as three alphas before we were happy. It all depends.
Beta versions should represent exact production with no expected changes and are sent to beta testers as a final step in the process. If you get a beta unit it means you’re receiving final production. It’s our last chance to get feedback.
“Here’s exactly what we intend to sell. We’ve blessed ever part of it as best we can. Did we miss anything?”
No matter how many engineers and experts in the company look at a product we’re prone to miss things a customer viewing it for the first time sees. That’s what beta helps with.
I suppose I have caused a lot of confusion with my words. I am sorry.
A prototype in our vernacular is a first stab at seeing how an idea manifests itself in physical form. We learn a great deal from prototypes. That work can result in another prototype if we’re unsure, or a production Alpha if we are sure about
the hardware components.
An alpha unit should represent the final hardware version. If it has a PC board, alpha units don’t move to beta units if there are any changes to make to the traces or holes, or anything on PCBs. In other words, alphas are hardware complete. That
said, there are many soft components that are expected to change like parts values and software which can change right up to the last moment before we launch a beta.
Betas are unchangeable. They represent the final, final production version as far as we are concerned. The only thing that can change a beta release is a beta tester’s feedback catching something we missed. That’s the purpose of a beta test—a
final check to make sure we didn’t miss something and then we launch production.
Nah, that’s pretty easy. 
Paul
Any updates regarding new transport Development?
Yup. Just had another big meeting yesterday. Hoping for a January launch. Still getting clarity on the drive with fingers crossed we can secure the SACD version we want…but the manufacturer has been slow to respond.
Slow response portends more slow responses!
Many says that CD & SACD are dead but that’s the only thing I still buy so I’m a bit surprised that so many says that.
What do you buy when you don’t buy CDs & SACDs anylonger? You’re not allowed to use bad words like MP3 or say FLAC
Do all artists release their music on DSD today?
I’ve not heard anything about it but they perhaps do that today and I’ve just been slow so I’ve missed it.
CD or flac format is al I buy, not easy though with some “indy” artists only putting out vinyl
FLAC is good but I think it’s for “technical persons” since my mother will never understand what she should do with that file and I guess that even my brother would get some problems with it.
He’ll understand MP3 but I guess that Flac is just to much for him and music should bee for everyone and not just the ones who use/knows computers.
Agreed, I have done my best to separate computer stuff (I work in IT, for 3 more months anyway) and HiFi, with a self contained little streamer/RasPi thing, for the non-computer savvy though it would be a huge music-distracting hassle 
…and, judging by some of the forum posts on here, a huge slippery slope of expense and tweaks - expensive USB cables and add on boxes and the like!
Congratulations is in order! Assuming you are hanging it up for good…
Redundancy, about 8 years to early for the house to be paid and retirement to beckon, which is a shame as I struggle to find the time for work these days 
Hi Paul, my Directstream DAC is waiting for the new transport… Any updates?
Paul tells me current schedule is:
“alpha in late February, Beta in later April, production in June.”
Like a specialized HiFi RaspberryPi or something off the shelf?
A standard Pi 3B, with a HiFi Berry Digi plus pro HAT (TOSLINK pass through with separate clocks) in a small steel case (also from HiFi Berry, has all the right cutouts for the HAT) Total cost around 100 quid. Including the little car reversing screen from eBay so I can see what it’s doing - I was too cheap to get the Pi touchscreen ) Running Picoreplayer squeezebox emulator. Works well so far 
Car reversing screen??
I suppose I will have to buckle and just get a hat then. I was hoping to use USB but the bus is just too saturated to avoid dropouts.
Thanks for the info.