Well yes, things change.
There was this post and several others making clear in more detail how hard it was for PSaudio to get Converse fix bugs in Bridge II (which is why it never ran without bugs in my experience).
I understand that making an own SW didn’t work out, so different than in case of products of some other manufacturers, Converse has to be used here…but It would be interesting to read if there’s reason for hope that all this gets better with the Airlens than with the Bridge.
Well you would hope that since this a new more modern module that they would have learned from past problems. Since it will be used in mainly the same manner as Sonore devices the issues if any should be with software and the are other options if Mconnect is still buggy. The new JPlay for IOS seems promising in that regard as an option.
Yes…while everything is/was modern at its time, I would especially hope that their cooperation for fixing issues improved.
It’s pretty obvious that there must have been major, major problems with AirLens development.
This cannot be simply parts availability.
Why do I say that? Look at the timeline and look at the market.
First the timeline: this has been going five years. Then 8 months ago, in June 2022 (or thereabouts) PSA released a video where Paul said the AirLens was already released and doing very well in the market. That happened.
Now clearly that was completely untrue and a mistake, but unless the company routinely makes fantasy videos (which I doubt), that video never gets made unless extremely close to release. That was 8 months ago.
Here we are today and it’s indefinitely shelved, no release in sight. Heck even the replacement box has no confirmed release in sight.
Now look at market. New streamers out every day that all use the same or similar parts. Cambridge Audio just released new one last week. Holo Red, NAD, the list goes on. Those companies didn’t have five years to find the parts like PSA has.
So it’s more than just parts availability, obviously. If someone says it isn’t please explain that video - not why it was mistakenly released, but why it was made in the first place if release wasn’t imminent
I don’t remember an Airlens release mentioned in a video, just that Paul said, he could internally listen to it (which would still match the overall story, as delayed as it is for the mentioned reasons).
Your other remarks regarding competitors releasing streamers in the meantime are valid, I guess it’s due to a lower priority at PSA against the many other topics they have (lately the Mk II).
The video is gone now (or at least I couldn’t find it in 30 seconds), but it was in post 977 of this thread. Others remember it as well. Was discussion about jumping gun at time but then still thought release was imminent
I watched a video a couple weeks ago with Paul saying that it was released, adding that maybe it wasn’t yet on the web site for sale just yet. Paul held up the unit and described its details.
Some companies like to preview products before they are available. It’s not that common. Paul likes to do it probably more than anyone and apparently has to be held back from time to time.
I’m not sure what there is to gain from previewing a future product, but what there is to lose is quite obvious. It just makes you look a bit stupid if you can’t deliver. My son is a product designer and part of a product specification is the parts list. So if you include on that list moondust, and you then find it in short supply, you only have yourself to blame. You can’t blame NASA.
Personally if I’m in the market for something I will only consider available products with user feedback. I often buy ex-demo simply because you get it a few days later rather than in 4 months time. I bought a tonearm last week, made in Lithuania but the dealer had a new one in stock, whereas I was considering one from New Zealand. There was a potential fitting issue with the NZ one and I was assured it could be sorted out if needed. Why would I want to buy something knowing I may have issues and frustration getting it to work?
Totally agree on preview. This wasn’t that. This was,”It’s already released and out there in the market, and it’s doing very well.”
This was a definitive statement on something that never happened.
This wasn’t like the fr10 spy shots or whatever. Those are teases and what you’re talking about. It also wasn’t, best guess now looks like next month.
This was, “Mission Accomplished”
I’m not chastising the statement, just using it for context with the timeline and simply making point that has to be much deeper issues than part availability because parts are there for everyone else. That’s all
Is this the video you mention, I haven’t followed this thread so I may be well off the track.
yes
There was one that said it’s released and doing very well in the market l, but it’s probably been taken down for that reason.
Maybe it was an internal “working backward” video à la Amazon product development process. Means the new product can be expected in 2-4 years.
Like I said, I haven’t followed the thread. If it had been released surely there would be a beta testing thread. Yes. No. ?
Some products go through public Beta; others, private.
As to the status of the product we can only speculate. No one currently posting knows.
There is no evidence to suggest the following are NOT true:
My $0.02…
It’s to keep people interested and patient for one’s own upcoming products. It worked with me and needed all the information given so far, but it strains the patience meanwhile I admit 
The practice builds interest among consumers and reviewers alike and is an exceeding common practice with all sorts of products - even houses with a listing of “Coming Soon.”
Unfortunately, this particular product did not arrive soon 
Without inside info it can’t be disproven, of course, but none of these other streamers that are being released each week were even a product concept 5 years ago. You don’t get to brink of release and then realize you can’t ramp to production in a market where competition releaseing product unless you have an inept parts procurement team, which I’m sure they don’t (they’ve released dozens or hundreds of products in their history)
People buy houses off plan because of supply and demand and they may well be getting a good deal. Housebuilders do it because they usually require payment of a deposit, so it helps their cash flow. What house builders don’t do is promote a product before they have the required permits and capacity to build it.
Moreover, it seems to be a lot easier to build a house to a timescale than to build a device that converts USB to I2S.
