There has been so much speculation and miss-information in this thread…I find it helps to remember the kit’s original moniker, “Bridge III”.
It will be a (aspirationally) high-end network bridge.
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Probably the best description yet!
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Hi, there’s been quite a few developments so I thought I’d update the knowns and unknowns of the AirLens…
Knowns
- What it will do:
- provide a standalone streamer in the Perfectwave range
- complement the DS MkII DAC
- What it will not do: rip CDs, have inbuilt storage, ability to plug in an external drive, support Dirac or multichannel audio
- Functionality: AirPlay 2, UPnP/DLNA, wifi connectivity, unfold MQA, controlled by third party apps/software (& not a remote)
- When: Optimistically, released in Summer / June 2022 >, more likely, Fall / September 2022 >
- Roon: Yes, an endpoint, just like Bridge II
- Power: It will have AC in so it will not benefit from a DC converter
- Inputs: Ethernet
- Outputs: I2S, Coaxial
- Size: Half size chassis
- Sound quality: will be the same as the PST because we’re using the same galvanically isolated output circuit. So, be prepared to hear streaming as never before.
Unknowns
- Maximum supported rates for PCM and DSD.
- Outputs: Appears unlikely it will support USB output, no information as yet on whether it will support AES/EBU, BNC or Optical.
- Price: As of January 2022, We are probably looking at $1,800 or so as best I can tell at this moment.
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Yes, I would second that nomination. 
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It’s a well known annoyance for those using an ultraRendu / Matrix combination. Under various “glitch” conditions some combination of things can occur:
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The uR loses its network connection to the switch and recovery requires a “special dance” of powering down the uR - sometimes even powering down the switch! - unplugging the Ethernet cable, plugging it back in at the right moment as the uR starts up…
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The uR and the Matrix “lose each other” even if by all accounts (the Matrix light is green, the Sonicorbiter web interface says everyone is there, you restart the DLNA renderer…) everything seems to be working. Recovery here is its own mystical combination of power cycling, unplugging and plugging in of the HDMI cable, so on and so forth.
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Both of the above, wherein recovery is best started by first making sure you’ve already gone to the bathroom, then making yourself a cup of coffee, the figuring out which of the above chess piece moves you’ll start with.
I’ve been doing network streaming since the days of the original Squeezebox. I’m also a retired electrical engineer who’s designed combinations of optical + Ethernet data systems. This by far is the most fragile network based signal chain I’ve dealt with. The upside is it’s cheap, and sounds pretty darn good for how cheap it is. Load of fun. 
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AirLens also known not to have its own app for linking to streaming services or for local music server library (elsewhere in another device on home network) access or indexing. Bring your own app et al.
Unanswered question asked of PS Audio: Have they future-protected in the hardware for such capability.
I used an optical Rendu and Matrix combination for about a year. Like you, I did experience some issues that would require a reboot. Might have happened 5-6 times in the year I owned the combination. I did eventually buy an UltraDigital and sold the Matrix:
http://www.sonore.us/ultraDigital.html
I have not had a single network issue since using a Sonore based system (currently using a Signature Rendu). FWIW, I hear zero difference between the matrix and UltraDigital.
I’m still looking forward to the release of this, and I’ve been reading this thread with great interest, but my desire to snap one up has been seriously tempered in the past month or two.
My recent experience with a high(er)-end transport (Jay’s) was a major epiphany, in that I really couldn’t tell (or justify) the subtle difference between that and my Roon streamer (a raspberry pi with a Pi2aes HAT) using either i2S or AES/EBU connections.
Both of these fed a Denafrips Pontus II into a Luxman L509X and Harbeth 30.2 XD’s. And they both sounded great. Really great.
But not different enough. I sold the transport after a month (played constantly so it was burned in), and I don’t regret it for a second. (Well, I lost a few bucks, but education isn’t always free.)
No idea if it’s my ears or gear or patience level, but I’m coming to terms with this revelation. It’s liberating, I must say. So I now am extremely skeptical about spending money for barely discernible differences.
However, like I said, I’m still looking forward to the AirLens launch and reading the reviews!
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Active participation with your system… 
Thanks, James !
Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait any longer and I went ahead and ordered a Innuos Zen MK3.
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Is that the version of Pi2AES that reverses the channels for PS (on i2s)? I heard they were working on a fixed version but don’t know if they did it yet.
ahdunno.
I don’t have any PSAudio gear.
I have two Pi2AES HATs and the second one I have going i2S into a Topping D70 DAC, and channels are fine.
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I think a product like this, which I own addresses some question about the viability of USB.
https://www.sonore.us/Signature-Rendu-SE.html
I spent a lot of time going back and forth with I2S and USB to my DS. With the Sig Rendu I could not tell the difference. So I happily removed the media converter, A KTE SU-2 from the chain. When the AL comes out, if it is as good as I hope and it’s one stop shopping with I2S out (and hopefully USB), I will definitely be trying it. The Sig Rendu will move to my office.
Hi, I edited the material to note the AirLens will be controlled by third party apps / software 
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OK - thanks for responding. I looked at their website and it looks like they haven’t come out with the revision yet. I would imagine supply chain issues play into it as well.
max resolution/rate for the Pi2AES is 192 PCM
That’s correct. The link was in reference to the channel swapping.
ah, gotcha.
Carry on. 
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Hi @Paul. I put Patricia Barber’s “Clique” album on this afternoon and saw the MQA unfolds to 352.8k through Roon, but is maxxing out at 176.4k via the Bridge II.
Now that we know MQA unfolding is in the plans for the AirLens, are you able to say if it will pass through 352.8k to the Directstream MkII DAC? Also, is it looking likely that it will support double rate DSD?
Happy Easter everyone!! 