Hi Lonson – any chance you have a DMP and running 3.10? Your “bass weight” and “frequency balance” comments mirror my thoughts when I switched to 3.10. I don’t have Snowmass (still waiting for DS Jr. availability), however, I was just curious if you have a DMP and tried another version. I’m back on 3.07, which gives me a more natural presentation (i.e. texture, balance, PRaT, etc.). Just a thought…
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As odd as that sounds, I believe you’re right, I’ve been noticing the same thing, along with some ups and downs along the way. Now I wonder if one was to reinstall a previous firmware like Redcloud, would that also take 200 hrs of break-in? If so, going back and forth to compare the two would be useless.
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I’ve noted in this thead I believe that I do have a DMP and have upgraded to 3.10 and SnowMass at the same time, so I was unsure what was causing what.
I haven’t tried going back to a previous firmware. I like the operational aspects of 3.10 and so I’ll continue further to tune for 3.10 and SnowMass to see if I can be comfortable ith that combo.
There’s a good/interesting example - I had to work like mad to make Huron listenable in my system/room, and Redcloud instantly fixed that with no effort on my part. Snowmass has improved on that in multiple ways, again with no effort on my part.
I installed SM first then a few days later installed 3.10 on the DMP, and immediately did not like it as much as 3.09, so reinstalled 3.09. Now with more hrs on the SM firmware, I reinstalled 3.10, and find nothing offensive about it. If anything, I believe 3.10 made the soundstage more expansive.
Gary,
Never have been brave enough to load the previous OS to find out if the “break-in” recurs because I find the whole break-in routine tiring.
Having upgraded my speakers and amps this year, I’ve had enough for a while.
Would be interesting to know why some units take time to reach full potential after a new OS load and some don’t.
I suspect that the “software” break-in is more or less permanent, or at least it won’t take nearly as much time if you to another release and come back.
Yes the whole ABing thing can be exhausting. I have no desire to compare SM to Redcloud, as it’s obvious the latest firmware is Superior. Just curious and perplexed about the phenomena of firmware needing break in.
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Thank you, Ted. Will try the back-and-forth load next time. I’m always very pleased when it is over.
Snowmass is awesome. I know the proof-of-concept was established with the first OS, but Snowmass highlights your overall design, hardware included, was a beautiful idea.
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Thanks Gary. Yes, I"m going to just leave 3.10 in and let it all gel.
Yes - this was the first time I’ve tried reverting to a prior DMP FW to see if there was a sonic difference. In my case, it was clearly audible, and I prefer the current DMP FW’s sound with the Jr. compile I’m listening to now.
I don’t usually play cuts on the DMP for functional reasons, but after listening to a test track with multiple compiles with Darren, we then switch to other sources and types of music, and the DMP sounds awesome as usual. Sadly it also functioned as usual. One of the better knee-slappers:
EDIT: I will, however, freely admit that it may be something in my personal static-electrical field, as I got in my car, and got this : )
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Yes, firmware break-in seems counter-intuitive but something’s going on.
My hardware (the system) seems a lot more simple than some maybe most of you. Just the DS DAC and the original Bridge fed either by Foobar2000 or JRiver MC 24. No USB or I2S input. No Tidal, no Roon, nothing fancy. An Oppo 105D via coax and that’s it if it isn’t the Bridge fed wirelessly by my PC .
That may be also why I don’t seem to have any issues with spontaneous resurrection or fade in or out (even though I have multi-sample playlists) initial impression was better than Redcloud but not the best thing since sliced bread.
The Snowmass OS continues to grow on me and sounds better and better at least so far. One word that continues to encapsulate it is “majestic.”
Just my 2¢ of course.
For all of you with subwoofers I can really recommend to go through the phase alignment procedure again. Play a frequency test track of your crossover frequency on speakers and subs simultaneously and measure level with a mic to get the highest value. It will give you a more accurate and linear bass and the first impressions of a possibly too strong low bass frequency will be gone. I ended up with a modified setting.
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The beauty of it is, your two cents is fully worth the very same two cents as everyone else’s ; )
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as a wise man once said: It has all been said but not everyone has said it.
I believe my response was just censored out of existence even though it wasn’t obscene or distasteful.
I was just expressing my opinion. Nothing more nor nothing less. Just my 2¢ is an expression, nothing more.
Johnny Hartman’s “The Voice That Is” is a stunning recording even with the tape drop outs on a few of the tracks.
You believe a post of yours was deleted?
Edit: I just went through the last five days’ of posts in this thread and find no indication any of your posts were edited or deleted.
" Are you still experiencing a loss of gravitas with Snowmass in the bottom end? "
Scotland 8pm: Perfect weather here in St Andrews for listening to my system, it’s been “dark all day” - bleak and dismal. Not so the music making.
Any misgivings I had a couple of days ago about a perceived lack of bass weight with Snowplough; well, it now seems like a figment of my imagination…
I have played 3.10 and Snowmass as a pairing ‘as of now’ for 356 hours non-stop. Through ‘my setup’ it/they definitely went through a burn-in - of that I have no doubt. I think it’s because Snowmass is so utterly revealing and compelling it really highlighted the changes as it/system/me got to know each other.
I really will have to turn down the volume, because of the lack of lumps or bumps in the frequencies, I just keep playing it louder and louder – Mrs Dirk will be having a meltdown two levels down from my listening room. I am having FUN !
NB: I have never experienced another burn-in going backwards to a previous release, but it takes about an hour or so to sing… Just now I have been switching between DS1 Snow and DS2 Red. …Away to load Snowmass to DS2…
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Great to hear!