I first read a review of the Network Audio Server in TAS back in late 2021. In late 2022 I contacted the distributor to find a dealer and there were none in my area ( the dealer network is being setup ). Here is a link. It is made by fidata in Japan and is expensive compared to most NAS. It is built like a tank, works great with DSD files and took me a while to get use to it.
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My last AXPONA was in 2019 and the room was similarly set up–it was one of the more welcoming rooms at the show, to be honest. The listening area is situated roughly across the far inside corner, with screens behind the listening area. Around the periphery of the room are similar white “pods” featuring the various components–Power Plants, amps and preamps, a DS II with another AirLens on top, and four seats for visitors and weary staff. It all fit together nicely. I don’t know the exact dimensions of the room, but inside it looks like a tall cube. That they were able to get as good a sound as they did was incredible in itself. I don’t know if there were any room treatments (like bass traps) tucked in the rear behind the backdrops.
Given all the issues with this type of room, plus the constant coming and going of listeners and the two doors to the room open the entire show (Schaumburg A is a corner room, so, doorways on the front and side), stacking the components as they did probably didn’t make a huge difference. Indeed, nobody attending seemed to mind–the line on the first morning was stretched out into the hallway to hear the aspen FR30 and FR20 pairs.
At home, my rack is set up in a particular way and I only temporarily have a couple of components stacked since I don’t know quite what to do with them at the moment. (Much as I’ve tried to downsize, I once again have too many components for the shelves and, horrors, no room for an AirLens either!)
I didn’t see a price in the link, and didn’t try to find one but I’m surprised at the storage. Four 500Gb SSDs in a RAID 0 configuration for 2Tb total. They call this an “enormous 2 TB cluster of storage”. Uh, no it’s not. I’m a low-end user of locally stored files and I have almost 3Tb. The folks here downloading DSD256 will fill that quickly. There are much larger SSD available, why not offer them?
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I wonder how the AirLens sounds compared to connecting a Roon Nucleus directly to a DAC which is what I do for streaming. Currently I have my Nucleus connected via an AudioQuest USB cable to a MoJo Audio Mystique X SE DAC and it sounds wonderful. I’ve auditioned the latest Lumin U2 Mini and unless things were to change with 100+ hours of burn in for the Lumin, streaming Qobuz using the Nucleus as both streamer and Roon Core sounded much better thus I returned the Lumia. I do plan to audition the AirLens to see how it compares to streaming from the Nucleus.
Hi Tony. I like your diagram yet isn’t the AirLens considered a streamer transport? Just wondering what you are using as your streamer that’s connected to the MK2 via USB? Curious if you need both or are you going to compare the two? Thanks!
I am not sure why you need a separate streamer. The AirLens can stream Tidal and Spotify; see here. My setup will be this (with an iPad, not shown, to control everything):
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I have no interest in Roon. If the AL does a great job of converting Ethernet to I2S and reduces Ethernet noise, that is what I want from it. The Lumin is a play toy too see if I want to do streaming. I say it is 50 / 50 that I will get in to it. If it turns out I do not like it, selling the Lumin will not be very hard.
I understand that. Thanks for clarification.
iodata also make a cheaper ($350 ish) music server called Soundgenic in 2TB & 4TB variants. It’s big brother, the Fidata is a much more advanced unit as it’s price would suggest ($7995).
Last I heard is we’re shooting for beta July. I’m hearing that beta is going to look a little different this time around so it likely won’t be the traditional format we do.
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Thank you, James.
Cheers.
How will they be taking volunteers?
You need to get on the Beta Testers list. Contact Taylor Newberry taylor@psaudio.com.
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Did you consider to rename your ‘alias’ to ‘Airlens Beta’ yet, or will it be shortly? 
July 2023 or 2024?
(Sorry, I couldn’t resist. 
)
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Hi Tony, many thanks for posting the information on approaching Taylor to be on the AirLens beta testing list.
Much appreciated! 
Will be great to see the AirLens - hopefully in beta but if not, then down the track. Looking forward to the feature in this month’s PS Audio Newsletter on the AirLens. Hopefully it will unwrap the last bits and pieces of information.
I’m really hoping that the airlens to dac via i2s equals the amazing sound I get with PWT to dac via i2s, but I’m prepared to have my hopes shattered yet again. No streaming setup I have tried has ever equaled that setup, but not for lack of trying. Sometimes I feel like Charlie Brown, with Lucy always pulling the football away. Maybe this time…
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I think I could say with some confidence it’ll be close, but no cigar. Hope that helps with expectations. It’s as close as I have heard but the PWT still is better.
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Assumed YouTube similar power supply…is it correct to say, that the reason can only be, that galvanic isolation doesn’t block everything?
So far I understood, that noise getting through can be the only difference unless other major components like PSU in the Airlens are built to a lower budget.
We’ve been talking about it this morning and if beta goes the way I’d like it to, we will personally be reaching out to folks. These will be folks we’ve worked with before and have a relationship with. We trust their work and know they will put it through the paces. They’ll also have the necessary patience as well.
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