I just pulled the trigger on an Airlens to replace the Bridge II in my DSD MK I. My system consists of the DSD, BHK preamp, BHK 250 amp & Magnepan 3.7x (new upgraded model of the standard 3.7i. I’m streaming with Roon.
After about 100 hours of burn in of the Airlens & new AQ Carbon HDMI, I began comparing the Airlens to the Bridge II & what a nice improvement with the Airlens. The overall sound was more rich/organic, with better seperation between instruments & I could hear into the recording better. I hadn’t noticed prior to listening to the Airlens, but the Bridge II was subtly harsh & less engaging. The timing feels better & more relaxed also, with the Airlens. I’m very happy with the purchase, especially with $500 off. I researched other streamer alternatives, but theres not much on the market at that price point that’s a dedicated streamer without a built in DAC.
I agree that the AirLens is an excellent sounding product. Some users here have reported that removing the Bridge from the DS Mk1 resulted in better sound, perhaps because the Bridge was producing EMI/RFI that negatively impacted the DAC. Now that you’ve had a chance to compare the two, removing the Bridge would be an interesting experiment.
Thanks for your suggestion. I just removed the Bridge II yesterday for the very reason you mentioned. Unfortunately, I can’t find the original cover for the Bridge slot, so I had to order one from PS Audio. It should be here this week. After purchasing a DSD, BHK 250, BHK preamp and the Airens from them, I’m a little pissed that they charged me $11 (with shipping) for that little cover plate.
As the owner of several PSA pieces, I understand your feeling completely. Those who want to be charitable might say that PSA is watching their pennies very closely since no one knows what’s going to happen with the economy.
Either way, there are many current and former Bridge owners here who would be interested in learning what you hear once the plate is installed. Please let us know!
I assume the cover plate helps keep EMI/RFI in the environment from getting into the DAC, which could affect performance. Since the opening was covered while using the Bridge, it should also be covered while using the AirLens in order to make an apples to apples comparison. Long-term it also keeps dust out.
Yikes. I am embarrassed that we charged you for that cover plate. Please accept my apologies. We’re not watching so many pennies that we need to do this. Again, sorry.