I agree with @jazznut, only buy audio equipment based on what is known about available products, so if you are interested AirLens, wait for it and then make decisions.
the Innuos Phoenix USB is only really designed for cleaning up computer sourced usb. If you want to use usb output for a ripped library, the choice should be Zen or Zenith, as they have a separate internal linear power supply for the usb output socket. You would not buy one of them and AirLens, as they are seriously good streamers.
It’s the problem if your selling in a product group, where the customers usually neither understand the offer nor what they want or need. Selling streaming HW is a perfect job for dealers imo. Selling and especially explaining it online is a nightmare.
Hi @Paul. This is super interesting! Bringing in AirPlay support to the AirLens should allow it to be more than a music streamer, but also a receiver for movie audio etc from say an AppleTV?
This should be amazing!
With this, I wouldn’t need to connect the TV to the DS anymore via optical (which is great for movies and feeling there for sport). Instead, I’d look to connect up the AirLens and Directstream MkII via optical to get the benefits of full galvanic isolation between the units. Here’s hoping the Lifatec can run at 192k!
I’ve been working on a strategy to channel all audio (at least to which I currently listen) into a single I2S input on the DSDAC. I’m currently pretty much there. I’m currently using my standard, general purpose, admittedly powerful, Windows PC running HQPlayer to stream PCM and DSD files from a NAS to a Matrix and thence to the DSDAC’s I2S input. I use VLC to stream DVD and Blu-ray disc image files from the same NAS, intercepting the audio channels also directing them to the Matrix. I also use VLC to receive DVB (radio and television) and direct the audio to the Matrix. Streaming is a piece to the puzzle I’ve yet to integrate. I’d really like to remove the Windows PC from the mix.
What I’d love to see is a 3-box offering from PSA - Octave server/AirLens/DSDAC MkII - that would accommodate my strategy, including streaming, as I’m pretty sure I’ll be dragged into the streaming world at some point.
I’m not 100% positive that this will work…if you want to take a small step to remove your PC from directly connecting to the Matrix , I’d consider looking at something like an UltraRendu to interface via USB to your Matrix. I think that HQPlayer will talk to the UltraRendu via one of the apps available for it… RAA might be one possibility.
Yeah, maybe not. I’m just musing a bit with a wish list of sorts that would suit me. Replacing the Windows PC isn’t that big a deal in my current rental abode. Music, video and working on my PC all happens from my sweet-spot listening chair. It’ll be a totally different prospect in my new place. I’m planning to have only the speakers (B&W 800 Diamonds) in the living area with the rest of the gear in a separate ‘services’ room behind the front wall. So what I’d like to see is an Octave server with at least ethernet connectivity that can drag music files from a shared folder on a NAS, an AirLens with USB or similar (and ethernet) to talk with Octave and then the MkII (plus downstream preamp and amps).
One good thing about the HQPlayer/Matrix combo is that the Matrix is an ASIO-capable device so is not restricted to the double-rate limit of DoP over a USB connection. I’d like to see AirLens ASIO-capable.
Ah right! I did recall something of the sort and did a quick search through the comments to find where I’d read it but couldn’t find it. Oh well, I did write that it was only a wish.
You won’t need an Airlens if you buy the later server, as there the Airlens is included as far as I understood. Everything else makes no sense, I never heard of an audio server that can’t stream.
As good as this PSA idea is for those who want to use streaming as a disc player, I strongly assume, the Octave SW doesn’t provide all functionality necessary for remote access of other front end (like phones) to the collection and also not all features helpful to organize the collection in the background without a PC (at least at the beginning). Some actions we’re use to (e.g. manually or half automatically maintaining tags etc.) are hardly possible with tablets in a meaningful way. But let’s see how far Octave goes.
Definitely you won’t need a PC to PLAY music, which is a fine thing. My first thought when I heard this was, that the computing power needed inside the streamer to realize the whole SW server functionality inside, generates much more noise than in a usual streamer, where in a PC setup, you could put all this processing in the PC to another on-audio power circuit. But I understood PSA takes more serious measures of noise isolation therefore.
I am not so a fan of having so many separates. What really bugs me… in equipment if not in file backups… though, is redundancy. The neighbour had a combo with Antipodes CX, EX and a Bricasti DAC. So there was an expensive DAC in the EX that was not being used. And circuitry that could run server software in the EX that was not being used. They called this being in renderer mode. Which is maybe what they call reclocker now. Not sure.
At this point, would appreciate hearing from PS Audio on what the latest product plan is. I am assuming that the AirLens can do at least most of what my three-year old “temporary” Bluesound Node2 can do, plus DSD and galvanic isolation. That is, can pull both PCM and DSD from a NAS, can pull streaming feeds from the internet, using a smartphone app, and can send it with galvanic isolation to my PS Audio DAC in I2S over an HDMI cable. I am pretty sure that is what Paul was offering in his posts / responses to me in prior years. To also be like a Node2, one could attach a USB storage to the AirLens to play from that too. But I did not ask him for that myself. But clearly others are.
I am also keen to see what the smartphone app interface looks like / can do. Again, I benchmark Bluesound. I do not like Roon myself and got rid of it with the Antipodes DX. But clearly others will ask. Innous looks pretty good too. Maybe others can comment.
Oh well, I did write that it was only a wish. 