Some say that noise generated by computers, routers, NAS, local networks is a problem for a DAC. Other says it is not a problem.
Now AirLens from PS Audio has entered the market:
“Streaming audio via Roon or other services like Qobuz, Tidal, and Spotify offers millions of titles at the touch of a finger. Unfortunately, connecting your sensitive DAC to the noise generated by computers, routers, NAS, local networks, and modems via either WiFi or Ethernet cable is not a great-sounding solution to bringing high-performance audio into your listening environment.”
“The PS Audio AirLens has both an input stage and a galvanically isolated reclocking output stage. The two are connected only “through the air.” By using separate power supplies, there are no physical ground or signal connections, ensuring 100% isolation and noise-free delivery of perfect digital audio signals”
It would be interesting to have your thoughts about that? Noise?
Torben
EDIT: PS: Just for the record: I have no need to buy this product.
The poential issues cited are pretty well known and the product enters a market already well served by special switches or USB conditioning devices. This does seem a novel solution though. Beyond that further and better particulars are needed. For example does the conversion from wire to what looks like some kind of internal wireless interface itself cause noise? Does the reclocking affect synchronisation?
Connectivity may not be optimal from a dCS viewpoint offering USB or ethernet in and single coax (presumably s/pdif protocol) or I2S on HDMI out.
I look forward to a review with measurements.
One thing strikes me is the name; Air Lens.There is of course one of the world’s biggest companies with a range of products prefixed with the word Air . Are PS Audio anticipating a " cease and desist" letter?
I can’t find an internal photo or schematic and am not sure I’d recognise the “through the air” mechanism if I could, but I’d assumed that there was some sort of optical thing going on here, maybe an optical transmitter and receiver, so the signal genuinely does get transmitted through the air… Even if so, I’m not sure this provides any greater isolation than an optical cable which, a discussed elsewhere, also can’t conduct noise from input to output side. To do this while adding in a wifi module seems to be a little self-contradictory.
" I’d assumed that there was some sort of optical thing going on here, maybe an optical transmitter and receiver, so the signal genuinely does get transmitted through the air…"
That may be the problem which I why I raised it earlier. Some years ago the American company of Harmonic Technology produced a product that also converted a wire based signal to optical. Please read the Sterophile measurements linked. Possibly PS Audio have overcome the issues with the transducers but it raises the question.
Also why further and better particulars are needed.
In my personal view, the only reason this product exists is because PS Audio couldn’t do a good job with the Bridge/Compute module built into their earlier DirectStream DACs.
After going through 2 generations of the Bridge card (with ConversDigital Compute boards), they decided to externalise this function, and the new DS MkII DAC doesn’t have one builtin. In fact, if I recall correctly, within PS Audio this product was called the “Bridge III”.
In terms of the galvanically isolated “air” connectivity between the input and output stage, I would have thought they’d be using high-speed digital opto-coupler ICs, but seems like it’s something else - in one of his YouTube Vids, Paul M referred to “RF” components (yikes! ) In any case, we’ll know soon enough when someone takes a picture of the insides of this thing.
But with only S/PDIF and PS Audio’s proprietary I2S (over HDMI cable) interfaces, I think this product will have a very limited market (to mainly PS Audio DACs).
. Are PS Audio anticipating a " cease and desist" letter?
) In any case, we’ll know soon enough when someone takes a picture of the insides of this thing.