Snowmass V1sounds better than Snowmass V2

for me v1 is more precise and pleasant than v2, with a big difference. The scene is more spacious and airy but also have the same “back” character, we are sit a 2/3 of the room, not near the scene, it can be good at high levels… Redcloud is a bit less spacious but have more musical energy, good energy, swing and life. Musicians/singers are near the listener, ideal for voices. I keep redcloud for a time…

With foobar, the delay is the result of buffering, but I don’t know what the cause is with the DS. As I recall, it was there from the beginning with Snowmass but improved considerably with version two (3.05). I can see the delay because with a file the Oppo takes its time switching screens from the file list to the track playing, and that’s usually about seven or eight seconds in. The music typically starts right before that screen switch.

I am using MConnect and there is a definite Fade-In, not just a delay.

Are you using Tidal?

T

I believe Ted added a fade-in when the resolution changes because some people were hearing pops. I haven’t looked but I think V2 may have added the ability to control the fade-in to some extent.

Yes, that’s right on both counts as I recall. I’m not using any streaming, just lately files off a USB stick.

If anyone knows how to adjust in snow and stop the fade in please help.

Thank you for the info.

T

The fade-in is a purposefully included feature. It is not adjustable. However, I think it is only supposed to be in effect on the first track played and then when formats change from one track to the next. FYI.

awl man…

Missing the first second of every first track… no fun

Maybe something else can be figured out.

maybe if i quickly start and pause…let it adjust, then press play again.

I will try that tonight…

T

I have not tried to figure it out, but I seem to recall that some have adjusted their settings on music software (Roon maybe?) to add a delay that counter acts the feature. Do some key word searches of the forum – maybe you can find a solution that way. Good luck.

Im using mconnect and havent found any adjustments…Ill keep looking

Thanks

T

If you have any component downstream (or upstream ?) from your DS that remains in standby mode until it receives a signal, you should put that component in active mode.

Switching my subwoofer in this manner fixed the fade-in problem for me. My sub is the first recipient of the audio signal from my DS Sr. before the signal goes to my main speaker amps.

Until I discovered this fix, the fade-in was driving me crazy with having to false-start each disc before beginning play so as not to hear the fade-in and I’ve not heard it once in the almost 4 weeks since I’ve been taking my sub out of standby prior to the start of every listening session.

Thanks I will try that.

T

I must say, after I couldn’t blind test a difference myself, the only thing that left me curious was, that neither one of the PSA crew nor Ted posted a personal listening result although it’s more than easy to test and do)

So far to me this rather indicates there could be a difference than not…

Ted or Paul had mentioned that there were no differences in the FPGA code between version 1 and 2. The changes had to do with Bridge update functionality.

You are correct: the FPGA code is identical. I didn’t post a listening experience between them because I don’t know or care which version of the rest is in my DAC, I’ve got plenty of work to do :slight_smile:

Yes, but they didn’t mention personal listening tests. What they mentioned was just the theory.

Is it possible that the people who prefer SMv1 to SMv2 (myself among them) have a Bridge II installed (I do), and that people who don’t have a Bridge II do not hear a difference between SMv1 and v2?

Ted, could that explain the varying reports?

Thanks.

1 Like

I do not have a bridge and prefer V1

1 Like

In my mind there’s no real mystery to be explained: the spectrum of noise produced any of the “computers” in the DAC changes with each software change. For each release we try to find the combination of possible pieces of software that do the least damage to the audio. In general the FPGA has the most direct effect, we don’t change the USB (XMOS chip) code much, the control/display processor is reasonably noisy and the display can be too and the bridge is also a large noise source.

PS Audio and I are always looking for ways to quiet the noise from each source, but, at times, fixing a bug, etc. will make some more noise. For each major release I try to swamp any negative effects from any of the sources by tweaking the FPGA code.

When it’s not practical to do another FPGA release the changes in noise from the other sources can be more noticeable to the users. With Snowmass there were bridge/PIC bugs that needed fixing and we didn’t have the time (months) to do another FPGA release which could hide those changes …

BTW this is nothing new, it’s been true with every release from the beginning where we allowed more than one version to escape PS Audio. Torreys was the most extreme example.

4 Likes

I don’t have a Bridge II installed ( I recently sold mine) and think V1 sounds better. Also, it should be noted that Snowmass V1 vs V2 also has PIC code that is different between them and that code is separate from the Bridge code. This could explain the differences heard.

1 Like