@Paul—I can see it now: “PS Audio Custom Shop”.
Get your PSA components hot-rodded by The Factory, like so many mfr’s are already doing, like Cary, Aesthetix, etc…
I’m already packing my DSD up for the trip back to Boulder.
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Ok 
My impressions after 180 hours of “burn-in”.
- Macro and micro dynamics have increased.
- All sounds have become more intelligible and tangible. Against their background, the space and silence in which they sound is much better noticeable)
- Image localization and focusing have improved significantly.
- The frequency range in the lower register has expanded, its amplitude has increased, and at the same time it has become more informative.
- The timbre accuracy has increased, this is especially noticeable on acoustic instruments, they have more shades and nuances.
- But the most impressive thing is the VOICE!
- And most importantly, the tonal balance has not changed compared to the standard transformer.
As a result, the modernized DS enters the Premier League without any alternative))
P.S. I listen to DS at 65-75% volume. At 100 I like the sound less and don’t like it at all if I use the “FIXED” option.
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Unsoldering big pins from pads with no thermal reliefs requires reasonable thru hole tools and experience. You may well get lucky, but if you have to ask you don’t want to do it.
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I’d pay for the service. I have the experience to DIY a lot of this from the solder rework to writing code – but I often lack the time.
Did the bass get tighter, too?
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By the end of the first week, I stopped liking low frequencies. They were overly assertive and ponderous. But now they are natural and do not fall out of the context of the phonogram.
P.S. I have a subwoofer integrated into my system.
This sounds as if bass first got too voluminous and the rather back to normal rather than better…maybe it needs more burn in…or a bigger transformer changes tonality…would be interesting if Ted has a theory.
No, he did not return to the old version, he returned to normal in relation to all other parts of the tonal balance of the phonogram. With the new transformers, it has acquired greater fundamentality, scale and energy. This is not comparable to what it was))
Just like from Huron to Snowmass and Snowmass to Windom the changes in the bass may require minor adjustment of speaker position, sub position, toe in, etc. The bigger transformer will mess with the phase of the (very) low frequencies less. After break-in the bass should be a little deeper, a little more articulated, perhaps have a little more ease, but, perhaps, be a little less intrusive - correct bass doesn’t stick out, it is a part of an integrated whole.
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Exactly, especially your last sentence…I see it the same, particularly also with speakers. Fortunately the sonic results of your technical design match this “integrated whole” ideal. To pair great Hi-Fi characteristics with this is the art imo.
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Ted, seriously. Urine to Snowmass back in that day was an avalanche for me.
Imagine Huron is the Record.
Apologies - I went to college in Ann Arbor, MI and we jokingly pronounced the Huron river (the River which Runs Through It) “U-ron” or “Urine”. The local pronunciation was also sorta legitimately “Your’un”. Grew up 15 miles from there.
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Ha!! I was like, they named one Urine?
Totally. Required a lot of us to move our speakers around, as if that was normal based on a DAC upgrade, and question our Reality generally. We got over it.
PS Audio could released a SE DS analogue board with the two upgraded transformers.
For those not handy with the solder iron, the board swap could be a nice route. Like an upgrade KIT.
@Paul @tedsmith do you think it would make sense and be manageable?
Another advantage, is for those with recent DS, no warranty would be voided.
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Not sure if you’d want to pay a whole analog replacement board … and take care not to be too demanding, as we otherwise won’t get notice about such options anymore 
But good idea generally.
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Could you please elaborate/expand a bit more on the improvements made to the voice?
I listen a lot to Sacred chorals, opera, and would really like to know how much better the voice has become with your new transformers.
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Why don’t you like listening at level 100 ?
Did you prefer the sound at 65-75 levels before ?
Great work. How did you deal with the two extra windings on the XS4400? (or am I missing something here?)
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FWIW, I shielded the output transformers on the DS similar to the way they have done it on the XS4400 and while clarity seemed to improve (reduced RF noise, perhaps?), dynamics were reduced. I ended up removing the shields.
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The PC board is wired to put two windings in parallel on both the input and the output. The pins on the older transformers were “magically” wired to be compatible with this.
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