Network Audio Players/Servers

A DIP switch under the chassis allows the DSD, PCM and volume modes to be configured for Roon so that it will not exceed the capabilities of the DAC

Bigger Bite
And it all sounded very ‘musical’. Supertramp’s clavinet melodies enjoyed bite and texture, as did the Latino brass and acoustic guitar on Amaia Montero’s ‘Ni Puedo Ni Quiero’ [eponymous; Sony Music], a fairly basic, poppy piece that still surprised with the gentle weight of the bass guitar and the light, breathy touch of Montero’s vocals.

The overall feeling is that the AirLens isn’t getting in the way of any of the musical information, something apparent with classical guitarist Ricardo Gallen’s solo playing of Agustín Barrios’s ‘La Catederal: Preludio’ [Eduaro Records EUDDR1801; DSD64]. This is a performance of both microdetails and acoustic ambience, the sharp attack of the instrument’s nylon strings sweetly reverberating in Avila’s San Francisco cathedral. It had intimacy and – again – a real sense of clarity and focus.

Message Approved
Apart from those DIP switches, there’s nothing here to set up or adjust: the diminutive AirLens just gets on with the job of letting the connected DAC get on with its job. It succeeds in uncovering the flavour of the music without adding any of its own, so that The Police’s ‘King Of Pain’ [The Classics, A&M; 88.2kHz/24-bit] retained its interesting contrasts – sinewy, warm bass guitar behind a resonant piano during the intro, with a thicker, synth-laden mélange as the song hits its stride.

This ‘Greatest Hits’ compilation closes with a ‘New Classic Rock Mix’ of the band’s hit ‘Message In A Bottle’. In truth it’s not much of an overhaul, leaving you able to just enjoy the track’s familiar rat-a-tat percussion and repeated guitar riff. The AirLens doesn’t miss a beat, delivering a precise, defined and involving performance – you could say that by releasing this long-awaited streamer, PS Audio has answered its customers’ SOS..

Hi-fi News Verdict
The AirLens’ specification – a streaming transport without an app and no USB connectivity – will raise some eyebrows, and leaves it challenged by numerous rivals. For those already shopping in the PS Audio aisles, however, it will be something of a slam dunk. The company’s new DACs get the network audio solution they’ve clearly missed, and the AirLens beguiles with the clarity and resolution it brings.

Sound Quality: 87%