PS Audio AirLens

what is this in Pauls latest video

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The new long awaited Airsprout?

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AirStream, stage right; Sprout, stage left - it appears to me…

Hi Luca…
In your setup (ZENith > DS Dac) have you ever run Roon? I just received a ZENith and would love to put the Roon core on it and feed the DSD via USB. However I’m not sure if Roon will recognize the DSD as an endpoint in that setup.

I used for a while the ZENith MK 3 running Roon as core but with a Matrix X SPDIF 2 (USB) as endpoint, then connecting it (I2S) to the DSD. I can confirm, It works also without the Matrix directly via USB, even if I prefer keeping the Matrix to go I2S. It seems that the DS MK II will sport a better USB input, galvanically isolated, so more tests are needed in near future.

At the moment I added the PhoenixUSB between the ZENith and the Matrix, running Sense App. This is my actual choice awaiting the AirLens to decide my final route, comparing USB>I2S vs LAN>I2S.

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Thank you, Luca. Just the info I needed!

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If y’all have half an hour to spend, I’d like to share the following presentation on networking and switches: Presentation - Streaming Audio Networks - Noir & Blanc hifi show 2022 - Alpha Audio - YouTube, as its topic is related to how data arrive at the DAC. Perhaps most is known; in the worst case it’s educating.

From somewhere halfway during the presentation, there’s a mention on what the Grimm MU1 can bring to the table. Further on, a comparison is made between copper and fiber coupling. There’s also some measuring covered.

As the Airlens is PSA’s holy grail, I’m curious how it will compare in absolute terms against the presented competition. Hopefully the Airlens can overcome all pitfalls and proof a highly cost effective and appreciated alternative.

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I am going to ask a dumb question. AirLens has only one ethernet input so what is the best way to connect your server into it, by wi-fi?

I’ll have a go at replying to that one. :slight_smile: The ethernet input allows the AirLens to connect to a network which is more or less a ‘bus’ or common thoroughfare in that any other device connected to the ‘bus’ can potentially access the AirLens. If another device, like a server, wants to access and use the services provided by the AirLens, it simply addresses it in the appropriate way, commonly using the UPnP protocol which allows similarly DLNA equipped devices to connect to and use it. Is that what you mean or have I misinterpreted your question? :thinking:

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I will wait until the AirLens is out, and there will be a lot of inputs here, I am sure. Thanks!

By “best” do you mean sonically? The cleanest way to get data to the AL?

If so, wireless by it’s very nature is jitter free. But, you do need to have a well performing wireless network to pass higher bit rates like DSD256.

If the AL does as well as speculated then it shouldn’t matter. The output is what really counts.

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I just upgraded my internet speed to insanity, and ORBI mesh works great in my home. I tend to think if wireless connection works then that will be my choice. I should clarify earlier that I am seeking the “best SQ” way to connect. Of course, we do not know until AirLens show up, I guess.

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That’s what I thought you meant. Most likely you will be fine. You’ll know when you stream DSD256.

There maybe some challenges depending on what else is going on in your household. For instance, perhaps while you are listening to DSD256, someone else in the house starts streaming a 4K video over the wireless. That might cause your DSD stream to stutter.

With some network systems you can bandwidth limit devices or even different LAN’s. For instance, I have limited our Guest network to 10 Mbps up and down.

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Generous! I don’t give my guests that much. Why encourage them to stay :stuck_out_tongue:

Confusing statement. Wireless, compared to wired, has significantly higher jitter when looking at propagation of ethernet frames. It has to because of the way the radios, transceivers, work compared non-blocking switching. But I think I’m just misunderstanding your use of the word “jitter” in this context.

“Ethernet” doesn’t move audio (there is 1 standard, but its a pro thing so ignoring it for this discussion). Ethernet, does not move audio its the upper layer protocols that move audio.

One example:
Ethernet (PHY and frame structure) → IP → TCP → Roon Advanced Audio Transport

All those things are stacked on each other and put on the wire for audio to move across the network. So, AirLens needs an IP address which, generally means, plugging it into a router / switch or putting it on your wifi network.

Any modest wireless network can easily pass high resolution audio. DSD 256 isjust under 23 Mbps.

I agree, if there’s enough decent coverage by the antenna(s). At the fringe of the wifi signal throughput reliability drops off considerably.

I have had problems using WiFI with DSD since my streamer is 2.4GHz only - even right next to the BT SmartHub 2 router - wired fixed the issue
With my previous Orbi setup however wifi was solid on both bands

Thanks for sharing, @Job_Jalink ! I’ve just done some tweaks to my network with a nice jump in SQ :blush:

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Thanks for sharing.
IMO it’s half an hour well spent for everyone!
(I’m an IT guy and an audiophile, so for me it totally makes sense)

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As my ethernet network is all Netgear (two 10G unmanaged switches for me and two big ole managed gigabit switches for the bathrooms and the rest of the house / family), I was very happy to hear of the good results with regular Netgear switches. Was also interesting that a linear power supply would not make much of a difference for the switch. I had tried a Teddy Pardo LPS vs. the cheapo converter that comes with the smaller switch in my music room and it had not made a difference that I could tell. I was thinking of swapping the cheapo wee converter for a less-buzzy extra old LAN SMPS anyway. This encouraged me to give it a try. Thank you.

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