I believe that is the Wi-Fi antenna.
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Thanks. My imagination got the better of me thinking a proprietary connection cable would be bundled with the AirLens. Another speculation put to rest 
@stevensegal the Orbi firmware can be flawed and the web UI is circa 1999. In terms of cost, I snagged the current set when a new hardware rev released so it was atypically inexpensive. Overpriced in general.
The PST has a similar-looking rectangle on its back panel (and the PST is Wi-Fi enabled). But what about the mysterious “PS link” on the back of the DAC?
Not a so much important thought but I always been skeptical about the horizontal shape of the AirLens, for a cosmetic reason and others:
- it’s a waste of room on the rack if not topped/stacked on another unit
- when a (proper) power cord is hooked it might’ve stability issue if too short in depth and hight due to the lighter weight (not to mention if also seated above IsoAcoustic Orea or similar pods)
Several LPS are made in a different shape for a reason, I was hoping more for a Phoenix-like or Nu Wave-like shape:
My comment is totally out of time, I know and sorry for that if it seems not useful, I’m sure I’ll forgive the shape once I hear the SQ improvement, just curious to know if Paul or James already experienced with some prototype units the stability with a Dragon PC hooked.
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You need an audiophile door stop!
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@luca
I agree with you:
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Yup, I already have them at my disposal, not so happy to use them though!
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Email from Jussi:
“Hi Steve,
AirLens seems to be a PS Audio thing. And indeed as far as I know it doesn’t support HQPlayer NAA protocol.
And yes, there’s usually nothing particularly complex about integrating HQPlayer NAA support. There are some of the devices listed here, under heading “Devices with built-in NAA”:
If a manufacturer wants to integrate support for NAA, they should contact me for details.
Best regards,
- Jussi”
That’s as far as I can go 
Duh, where is the “PS link”?
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IMHO/ I am under the impression that HQPlayer is most beneficial for systems that are less than top of the line (if you know what I mean).
I believe if we could get HQPlayer, AirLens and MKII together HQPlayer would play a lesser role if any, but nobody knows until one can try it out.
Just my thoughts,
Steve
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I tried the lower version of the shiny door stops (set of three) on PST and M1200 for one day and promptly returned them to Amazon. They should just be used as intended; my system became lifeless with them on top.
When I first got the Euphony Summus2 streamer, it came with a one-month free HQPlayer. No matter what up sampling setting I used, it did not sound real to me, and that was with DS. MK2 would be better off without it in most systems, I believe.
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That is an incorrect impression although I can understand how one may form such an impression. What HQPlayer does, within the filtering / modulator section, is the same thing really high-end DACs do anyway to get their “top of the line” sound. The difference is you’re not limited to the resources within the DAC (you can run filters with just about as many taps as you want) and you can change the filter at will.
Want better transients with less ringing (like for Jazz)? Pick a filter that does that. Want a filter that spreads the ringing out across more samples (good for airy classical)? Pick a filter that does that. Want to reduce the high frequency noise from mp3 or MQA encoded sources? There is a filter for that.
Most will pair this functionality to a low cost DAC not because the low cost DAC is inferior in its D to A conversion it just has terrible sounding filters. But since you’re now using HQP for the filtering that part of the DAC is no longer used. In fact, it is recommended to run HQP with a NOS DAC as you don’t want the DAC to touch anything HQP is already doing. NOS DACs, while they measure well, won’t sound good to most people because they lack the custom filters of a “high end” DAC. It’s kind of a crazy rabbit hole.
I don’t think HQP should be used with a DS DAC. I’d be willing to test if I had one to hear how it manipulates the sound of the DS but you’ve got Ted. Trust in Ted to provide you excellent filters / modulators. If you want the ability to swap in / out configurations then the DS is the wrong DAC. It’s like saying you prefer PCM over DSD then buying the DS. It’s a clash of philosophy.
I find almost all of the “short” filters, the ones that are supposed to benefit fast transients, to sound “digital”. Until I put on something closer to an EDM type genre then the edges of non-real instruments really benefit from such filters in my system. But for my day-to-day listening I use filters that are incredibly smooth with optimal time-frequency response. I believe this is some of the same goals of the DS.
I sound like an ad for HQPlayer and I don’t intend to. If you take anything away from this post take away this… The DAC chip itself doesn’t really matter. Get a clean input / output stage (measurable) and pair it with filters / modulators that benefit the source material (not measurable / totally subjective) and you’ll be in heaven. To relate this back to PS… Think of it loosely as what people describe when a new DS firmware comes out. Except, with HQP, you’ve got 100’s of different firmware to choose from to change the sound and you do it with the click of the mouse in real time.
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Maybe that was wishful thinking on my part!
All I know is that even with the MKII in our system it sounds better with HQPlayer in the mix. I was hoping the iFi ZenStream @ $399 was holding things back.
I am sure the AirLens will be an improvement over the Zen Stream.
I hope that Paul contacts Jussi because our system sounds more analog (sweeter/not as bright) using HQPlayer.
Thanks for your help!
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It’s at the upper left as you look at the back panel, next to the trigger openings. (Note: I am going by the picture of the rear panel on the PSA website; I don’t have a Mk II yet. Did this feature perhaps not make it into the final version?)
Hi, I believe the PS Audio link on the DS2 is designed to allow a remote control connection with the AirLens.
Paul provided some information on this a while back when it appeared on an early shell of the DS2 as “Octave Link”…
I see them my MK2. I can find nothing about them in the Owners Manual. They are the same size as the trigger I/O. Perhaps this is worth bringing up in the thread on the production MK2.
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Likely discussed but I’m wondering if the AirLens is one of the most anticipated / discussed product launches in PSA’s history (in this forum) or have there been others more highly anticipated?
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Not sure, but I believe I’ve read every post regarding the Octave streamer now AirLens for over 3+ years, and bought an iFi Zen Stream to hold me over.
Soon, soon, soon!