Snowmass DirectStream Sr. upgrade - Available in the Downloads Section

…sorry to ask again, but can we expect Snowmass for DS Jr today or tomorrow ?

(just to avoid out of control repeated F5 on the download page…)

1 Like

Thanks in advance @tedsmith , @Paul and PS Audio Team for all the work and dedication to the audio community.

I’ve been following the thread The next DirectStream update?, on a daily basis, since last week, and this actual thread every hour or so (sometimes even more… :blush:)

I’m a DSjr owner, and I’m looking forward to get my ears on Snowmass.

Reading all the weekend reports, from the Snowmass Beta version for DS, just increases the anxiety. :smiley:

I’m just a little worried about the last comments on the fade-in issue. I was one of the lucky ones with no clicks or pops in any given format, even with Bridge (although I just use USB in my current rig).

Another issue (the only actual complain about DSjr) is the very well documented and known issue about noise floor. For all the DS SM beta testers, in the same conditions, does the noise floor decreases with SN compared to RD or is still the same?

I’m now with @yucca … can we expect Snowmass for DSjr in the next couple of days?

Many thanks.

1 Like

No need to fear. Although I was confused about it at the beginning, I have now the solution for Roon and Bridge II. You have to set the Resync time in the settings higher. In the beginning I was too careful and the chosen times were too short. Now it is 1 sec. That works perfectly. And since the fade-in is only done with songs of different sampling rates, Gapless Play is not affected.

Thanks @StereJo for your inputs.

I’m using a dedicated computer with Foobar (receiving on the fly converted FLAC to WAV with ASSET UPnP on QNAP) connected to DSj through USB.

I’ll have to test it, and double check the PS Audio Bit perfect test. Maybe isn’t a big deal.

If I recall correctly, Ted also uses (used) Foobar as the main player. @tedsmith , should I change any config on Foobar to cancel de SM fade-in effect?

Many thanks.

Paul, in your post today you say:
” ………… as well as a Bridge update.”

Just successfully updated the DAC to Snowmass but Bridge info says “3.6.2” and no update available.
Did this happen without me being aware? Is this the latest Bridge II firmware?

(Still running in Snowmass under mute conditions but first listen sounds good.)

I have loaded the official release of Snowmass to my other DS(2) and like the beta version in DS1 it all went faultlessly… Comparing both DS boxes (side by side) when I loaded Snowmass firmware 5 hours ago - there was a noticeable difference, with the beta firmware in DS1 sounding more musical.

NOW: Before paranoia and panic sets in: DS1, at that time, played for over 55 hours… Listening now after 5 hours playing time Snowmass final is sounding excellent and still improving. My DS1 with the beta firmware has over 60 hours and it is “jaw – dropping”… Improving over time!

For me this is one of the biggest upgrades I’ve made to my system……period! - the other upgrades were special too – but they cost tens of thousands to achieve it !! Certainly the biggest upgrade to the DS.

5 Likes

I am with you also sir – what about the DSjr Snowmass release date???

A couple of observations listening after immediate reboot. (PCM 96k only). It’s early morning here so I didn’t play loudly. Patricia Barber Companion seemed to show some sibilance on her voice that wasn’t on Redcloud, so I suspect it’s uncovering more. The voice had a larger ethereal quality. I noticed more texture as well in other instruments and that they came a little further forward at times.

I then played the Bowie changes one remaster 96k I had just listened to yesterday On Redcloud and mentally noted the music is so great, but there’s a good bit of hardness. Listening just now after the update I noticed no hardness at all! My TAD’S being mostly beryllium can be prone to that based on the recording and source, so I’m really liking what I’m hearing so far on Snowmass. More akin to what I hear on my much more expensive analog rig (lack of hardness)

While too early to evaluate, The Thing I feel I notice is the ease of the music and how it washes over you, letting you forget about evaluating the sound. If this turns out to be the case, the naturalness could be the biggest benefit.

Having had the DS since the earliest OS it would be fun (but probably impossible since I’m using the BII) to hear just how far this dac has come since it was released.

Way Off topic - I was at the NY audio show his weekend and one speaker designer was using a close to 20 year old tascam CD player as a source. What a huge contrast from that era to what Ted and PS have accomplished with the very same bits.

1 Like

Could not agree more…

In the Conductor app, you need to select a delay of 1 second on the Advanced Settings page to avoid the fade-in when sampling rates change.

We are live as of early this morning.

1 Like

No, they are identical.

1 Like

Same files.

1 Like

:Decware fans of like mind! :+1:

1 Like

By the way dirk - I always like to hear your comparisons since I am betting we may not have anyone else here w 2 DSDs. I need to rely on my memory. What an incredible release this is…

1 Like

My previous digital front end was a tubed Ayon CD player, and although the DMP and DSD are superior sounding in almost every way, the Ayon player had a certain quality to it that tubes bring to the table, that even with Redcloud, the PS gear didn’t quite deliver on. Snowmass has changed all that. I no longer feel like the DSD leaves anything on the table. I’m not saying that SM delivers that same tube like quality my previous cd player had, it doesn’t. It actually sounds better, because it brings a level of sweetness and easy to the sound, while also sounding more neutral and accurate. Which I believe more faithfully serves the music.

3 Likes

Thanks, timm. Yes - it makes A/B comparisons dead easy. I usually run the new O/S in one box comparing it against the previous O/S in the other box - that way I can assess the changes/improvements in real time - which eliminates downtime loading back and forth, transformer degauss, etc.

As soon as I heard Snowmass I could have switched off DS2 as there was no need for A/B …in my system Snowmass is paradigm shift. Switching back and forth between Snowmass and Redcloud* (*which sounded wonderful) I instantly heard what I would describe as a harshness through the high-frequencies - then all the other traits were as obvious as night and day!
I am over the moon with Snowmass in my main system…

1 Like

thx - I’ll give it a try. Thought I did try that and it just delayed the start by 1 sec and then it faded in. It was late so I may be mistaken. I’ll try again tonight.

It’ll likely be end of this week or beginning of next. We need to spend time testing it fully.

2 Likes

Yes, sorry, my bad. Bridge update will be available later this afternoon.

5 Likes