@jtrimm - when I said “wait for 100 more hours” I meant the total break-in time of your DS, which was at 400+.
jtrimm said
I'm not hearing delicate information, I'm hearing something that sounds less like my DS pre-upgrade and more like my PWD. After hundreds of hours of seemingly endless break in, my DS finally transformed from strident/harsh to an explosion of detail with a liquid midrange and strong bass. The change was not subtle, and most welcome after weeks and weeks of playing music on repeat with seemingly little improvement. After upgrading the firmware the sound quality completely regressed. Sound is way too tilted to high frequency, and smoothness in midrange is gone. Imaging isn't improved, the soundstage actually sounds more congested and flat. Less lifelike. That's why I want to load the old firmware and have a listen. The ears don't lie, and what I'm hearing post-firmware upgrade is disappointing.
There is zero reason why a firmware change needs any burn-in. I've restarted my DS several times pre-upgrade with no deleterious effects to the sound, so I don't buy that restarting the DS as part of the upgrade had any long-term impact on the sound.Anyway, if I can reload the old firmware, a quick listen can tell if firmware is root cause or my DS has coincidently regressed in it’s burn-in.
I said exactly the same thing about 6115 earlier in this thread. Hard, bright, loud. Not appealing at all.
However, FWIW, I stuck with 6115, and after 30minutes it starts to settle down. Leave it on 6115 for a few hours and it beats 5407. It seems this DAC has some unusual traits, one of them being the need to allow time for a firmware update to show its true colours. I now agree that 6115 is better (in most areas), but I can’t explain the “settling in” required.
gordon said IMHO, based on previous pain and suffering, the mixed or separate sets should be considered "Alpha" until they become a "complete" ready for general consumption Version number and then move to "Beta" tests for functionality and SQ to test on a wider user base than the Alpha team.If no problems in Beta then it can be posted at will.We are actually not far from that now, but a tighter control of the release of incomplete ver sets would save a number of support calls. I had calls this weekend with members upgrading the 6115 posted on the web site. It did not go through Beta in it’s final packaged release form. Perhaps the melding of the different components creates variables?
What differences are we talking about between what you guys tried in beta and what we released? They should have been identical. Did I just miss this dialog?
jtrimm said Where can I download the original DS firmware? I know it's been asked previously in this thread, but I cannot for the life of me see it in the Downloads page on the site.I did the upgrade on Saturday night and everything sounded beautiful then Sunday morning some short listening at low level was beautiful to. But at Sunday night it was different, like my old PWDII reincarnated into my DS with some recordings. Some harsh at the hi end that was not there before. I need to listen it more. The only difference from Saturday to Sunday night, the DS was fully off before upgrade and it was in standby until Sunday.High frequencies on the new firmware sounds overly bright and harsh compared to what shipped with my DirectStream. I have about 400+ hours continuous run-in on my DirectStream. My unit has been running 24 hours since I upgraded the firmware, with little/no improvement in the sound. I’d like to re-load the original firmware for comparison.
The 6115 seems to pull much more information in the med and hi FR. It’s like switching from 5X to 15X in a microscope.
tony22 saidI was thinking the same Tony as far as I know must of you have tube systems and my system is full solid state.maybe we don't have enough system variation in the beta test group.
I have exactly this situation. I am in NY.
What I mean is, with a card it doesn’t stop blinking. Without a card I just get a black screen after a flash. I probably loaded the new files over the old card, so I don’t have the original files. Same result after reformatting.
I am now leaving it unplugged. Any other advice, Gordon? I’m in NY and available this AM.
The posted 5407 was never the complete 5407 release. If it hadn't disappeared people would have been more confused. Paul will be back tomorrow and perhaps he can upload the complete initial code release to the download site.Thanks Ted. Yes, Ted's correct. I am back and will endeavor to get the original and complete 5407 put back up so you can switch between the two versions. Although in my mind and ears, there's no going back.
Paul
What I meant and said above is that IMHO the set that goes to Beta should all be in one “version package” and be identical to what is to be posted on the site as an official release. [ in fact should be the same exact file that is updated to the site.
IOW the “package” should not just be a compilation of the separates that were tested. [ that is for Alpha] In this way the Beta team is also testing the integrity of the actual “package” and not just the parts it is made up of.
Small and perhaps insignificant difference but as least it helps to remove one possible variable. In the past I have discovered PWD firmwarares, with the same Version number and internal files, that performed differently with both installation success and SQ. Removing variables one by one seems to be the only way to reduce the amount of troubleshooting. Ounce of prevention… comes to mind.
Tried reloading after leaving unplugged, with a newly formatted card. Just keeps blinking. I can’t tell you how frustrating this is.
Solomon said Tried reloading after leaving unplugged, with a newly formatted card. Just keeps blinking. I can't tell you how frustrating this is.What is the version of Bootloader? It is on the Version screen. Is yours DS a kit?
I don’t have a screen. When i boot without a card, I get a blank black screen. When I boot with a card, it keeps blinking. Yes, it is a kit.
It sound like the bootloader did not get upgraded. Email Alexp@psaudio.com and ask for file to upgrade your kit.
Dennis
Good news! Dennis sent me a set of different files which worked! Thanks Dennis!
stereophilus saidI said exactly the same thing about 6115 earlier in this thread. Hard, bright, loud. Not appealing at all.
However, FWIW, I stuck with 6115, and after 30minutes it starts to settle down. Leave it on 6115 for a few hours and it beats 5407. It seems this DAC has some unusual traits, one of them being the need to allow time for a firmware update to show its true colours. I now agree that 6115 is better (in most areas), but I can’t explain the “settling in” required.
Paul McGowan saidThe posted 5407 was never the complete 5407 release. If it hadn't disappeared people would have been more confused. Paul will be back tomorrow and perhaps he can upload the complete initial code release to the download site.Thanks Ted. Yes, Ted’s correct. I am back and will endeavor to get the original and complete 5407 put back up so you can switch between the two versions. Although in my mind and ears, there’s no going back.
I reloaded 6115 to give it another try (seeing that I don’t have the complete 5407 re-installed anyways). I will give it more time to settle-in this time, before I make any judgements. To be fair I only listened to 6115 for several hours over two days before switching back last week.
Hi Dennis,
I outlined my problems updating in post #72. Apparently Schacter and some others, according to Gordon, are having the identical problem. Since my post #72 I have probably tried the update a dozen more times with no luck. I’ve tried multiple 2GB SD cards, all reformatted, and have redownloaded and unpacked 6115 several times using two different PC’s with Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit. Besides powercycling the unit with the back panel switch, on a couple of occasions I have unplugged the unit for a period of time. When power is restored the unit immediately starts initializing and boots into 5407. On the info page of the display I have:
Bootloader 1.13
Firmware 1.1.1
Bridge 0.2.1
FPGA 0.54
USB 00.06
Rev 0001
I’m hoping this can be resolved without me having to return the unit for repair.
Denis
Can you sand me your e-mail addreass to dennis@psaudio.com
Dennis
DEA said
I reloaded 6115 to give it another try (seeing that I don't have the complete 5407 re-installed anyways). I will give it more time to settle-in this time, before I make any judgements. To be fair I only listened to 6115 for several hours over two days before switching back last week.Without giving it too much time to settle in, only five hours so far, I must say this time around, the 6115 firmware sounds much different from what I remember hearing last week.
I noticed when I loaded it this time it only took like 5-10 seconds to load the new 6115 back up, where as last week it took much longer. Maybe something went wrong when it loaded last week, I’m not sure. But I listened to the same CD’s again today with no qualms.
Good to hear, DEA.
tony22 said Good to hear, DEA.Yes! Literally and figuratively, lol.
I can’t really explain why it sounds different this week? Last week I was hearing the same things stereophilus and emailists were reporting earlier in this thread, but today I’m not hearing it… strange.
DEA, I’m curious: where do you normally position the treble balance adjustment on the Tannoys? Did you change it for the DS?