PS Audio has been known to offer a range of price points into the audiophile world. Today they announced a new product into the $2k price range with the introduction of their latest streamer (source only, no DAC) called the Airlens. Packed with plenty of digital goodies, the standout connection on the back panel for most is likely the I2S option, unusual in the mainstream, but regular feature on many PS Audio products.
More details available in the press release:
“Boulder, Colorado, September 12, 2023 – PS Audio is now shipping its AirLens music streamer, designed to deliver the ultimate in sound quality from streaming audio sources. The new AirLens (SRP: US $1,999.00) offers high-resolution streaming via Roon and services such as TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, JRiver, and Audirvana, as well as from an NAS storage device or any DLNA-compatible server.
“The secret of the AirLens’ exceptional sound quality is its galvanic isolation,” noted Paul McGowan, PS Audio CEO. “Removing the physical connection between input and output stages eliminates the unwanted noise that can be introduced by USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi. The AirLens also perfectly re-clocks the digital signal. The result is a remarkable improvement in resolution, timbral realism, and dynamics.”
The PS Audio AirLens connects to a network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and provides I2S and coaxial digital outputs to connect to a DAC. Typically, noise from any number of sources including a computer, long runs of Ethernet cable, EMI interference via Wi-Fi, and modems and routers all contribute to increased jitter and a loss of fidelity. PS Audio’s galvanic isolation removes this sonic degradation by eliminating the electrical connection between the input and output stages, using only air as the interface. This ensures 100 percent isolation and noise-free delivery of the digital audio signals. In addition, the signal is re-clocked at the output stage for jitter-free, pure digital audio.
Available in silver and black, the AirLens offers PCM decoding up to 352.8 kHz, and DSD to 256 (4x). Its compact size (10 by 7 by 1.5 inches) and sleek design make it easy to integrate into any audio system. Like every PS Audio product, the AirLens is manufactured using premium-quality parts and construction.
AirLens Features at a Glance:
Galvanically isolated from input to output to eliminate network and Wi-Fi noise and offer extraordinary signal purity and sound quality
Connects to a network via 10/100/1000 Ethernet or 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi
I2S and coaxial digital outputs
Offers PCM up to 352.8 kHz/32-bit and native DSD up to 256 (4x, up to DSD 128 via coax output)
DoP (DSD over PCM) operation
Roon-ready
DLNA-ready
Compatible with TIDAL Connect (via Roon), Spotify Connect, mconnect, Qobuz (via Roon and mconnect), Dropbox (via Roon), MQA, DLNA 1.5 and UPnP A/V 1.0 Digital Media Renderer
Available in silver or black
10″ x 7″ x 1.5″, 4.8 lbs.”
More info: PS Audio Airlens