It is indeed a sad day, two brands I use/used both dropped their streaming software projects (Quad and Devialet), it’s a difficult and substantial undertaking.
So The AirLens is what now, exactly? A digital transport? And the Octave server? I suspect people will want to know what the player software options are.
FWIW, I don’t think the AirLens/streamer concept has changed at all (other than the fact that it won’t be compatible with a PSA custom music library software).
I believe the closest analogue to what PSA is building is the, now discontinued, dCS Network Bridge.
[Which I am still trying to find on the gently-used market for a fair price.]
Good luck!
The difference is that most dCS units are Roon Ready. If AirLens is Roon Ready, and it may only be Roon Tested, you will need a Roon Core. Will the Octave server now host Roon Core?
The dCS Bridge just became too expensive to make and its functionality is built in to other devices.
Why not save up for a dCS Bartok?
pretty sure from what i understand the AirLens is a roon-ready (or roon-friendly or roon-tested or roon-hunkydory or whatever) STREAMER.
Not a transport, not a server, not a core.
That is an interesting thought (theory?).
I have one of my own. I think these things were cutting into dCS primary separates sales so they nixed them. Just not a good thing to have in THEIR product line.
Given how expensive their kit is, in general, I find it hard to believe it “was just too expensive to make”. Does not ring true/logical to me. But, maybe so…
Regards.
Well, that’s interesting. All along I thought it was an inherent problem with Roon that couldn’t be fixed but now the problem can be fixed with a component after the Roon source. I’m not a Roon user so no dog in that fight but I will need a streamer if I get the DS Mk II. So the streamer is of interest.
Take it in stages:
So for AirLens to do anything, it has to be Roon Ready or host some other software platform.
Octave server? Surely that must now host Roon Core.
$12K, +/-, used is a bit rich for my current Hi-Fi budget. Great kit though.
Thanks.
Me too!
Please advise as to whatever drugs you’re on.
Although this doesn’t come totally unexpected for me, it came surprising and I’m sorry to hear it after all the effort.
So the Airlens only supports Roon and nothing else?
What’s really hard to believe after the story you previously told, is that now Airlens can fix the engine problem of Roon, which was the cause for your Octave SW project. This is really very hard to believe. I’m quite sure e.g. Jriver would sound better if it would be supported as it does in all other situations.
The shelving of Octave Server is bittersweet news. I was looking forward to a Roon competitor (yes, I know there are other options). On the other hand this frees up the $8K I budgeted for it. I was merely guessing at the price, I just assumed it would competitive with other mid-range servers.
This puts a P20 much closer and into my 12 month purchasing horizon.
At least there won’t be a shortage of opinions on how you should deploy a Roon setup.
There are quite a few options. Of the top of my head:
Lumin U1
Playbackdesigns stream if
Emm labs ns1
All of them roon ready/upnp compatible, Lumin with its own software
Crowded market niche. You really have to differentiate based on SQ
What is really needed (IMO) is a higher quality hardware company to partner with BlueOS. It’s the best free interface software but not available on top notch hardware, which is a shame. No offense to Bluesound or NAD kit (I own a Powernode and have owned NAD in the past)
I know. Looks like there’re tons of options out there, including Roon’s own Nucleus. That’s another rabbit hole I need to dig in.
Somewhat crowded field, for sure.
The dCS Network Bridge was universally praised for its functionality and sound quality, as far a s I could tell, when it was still being made, and at a decidedly non-dCS price point.
Hence my interest.
Hi Paul, sorry to hear the broader Octave software won’t be going ahead after all the efforts.
However, it does seem like you have some great news on the audio for the streamer, plus @jamesh has given the visuals a great rap. Would you like to talk about the types of gains we can expect in the AirLens, moving on from the Bridge II??
Did a Roon sub for three years starting six years ago, then got an Auralic, in part not to have to subscribe. I hate subscription software models.
Two months ago DL’ed the recent Roon SW and put it on a Mini, and remembered what was great about Roon. So in December, I bought a Nucleus, assuming it would sound better. It doesn’t, sadly - just different. Neither of them sound as good as the Auralic, which is not particularly surprising.
Also sadly, after two months of very light duty, the cheap blade SSD running the Core in the Nucleus died. Lot of that going around. Their CS were very responsive, and allegedly replaced it with a different model of SSD. They were so responsive, that I just got another Nucleus a few days after I got mine back.
I pondered for a minute whether they might notice. But I’m sure this other one is someone else’s unit, so I let them know.
Really love the SW, and wish it could do what it does without affecting the sound.
EDIT: “I just got another Nucleus” - they sent me a second unit, I didn’t buy another.
I personally think that the endpoints are what make the biggest difference for Roon SQ. I have heard drastic differences from starting with a Pi all the way to a Signature Rendu SE.
