Bruce, that’s a good way to describe it for me as well. Windom has less tension. I mostly like hearing the extra detail that Sunlight reveals, but…
It can sometimes be a double-edged sword when you increase the resolution of a component, because it can more easily reveal shortcomings in recordings and other components in the system. I felt the same way when listening to some of my favorite recordings with Sunlight, until a made a few tweaks. After adjusting speaker placement and upgrading the stock HDMI cable, I no longer feel like Sunlight is a double-edged sword. So far everything I’ve listened to sounds better now with the lastest firmware update.
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Give it lots of burn-in time.
My Sunlight update went from harsh and fatiguing to delightful and impressive but only after leaving the dac/transport running for at least a week.
Before that point, I thought I would finally just keep Windom. After that point, Windom sounds veiled.
Ted discussed this possibility somewhere above in this thread.
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I’m starting day five of listening to Sunlight, and like Ron I’ve been running my DMP into the DSD pretty much non-stop since the SD card arrived.
I am also in the midst of a month long exploration of my system with new input tube types in one component and varying voltage regulation tube types and brands in my Monoblocks. Sunlight arrived in time to help me finalize my choices.
And interestingly enough I made an HDMI cable change yesterday that delighted me and puzzled me and peeved me a bit.
I noticed an immediate difference with Sunlight from Windom–hardly for me the jump that Windom was from Snowmass, but immediately apparent sonic improvement. I too would define the high frequencies as more “clear” than bright. And the lower frequencies as “the mud hosed off” rather than leaned. My tube rolling has given me more subjective sounding “speed” and “resolution” and Sunlight has allowed me to really enjoy the change.
I pretty much settled into listening when I decided it was time to make one last “tweak”–I put back in the PS Audio AC-12 HDMI cable I had taken out to put a newly bought Pink Faun HDMI cable in. In the twilight days of Windom I had decided I liked the Pink Faun a bit better because it had presented a clearer treble even though I did miss a wash of warmth the AC-12 presented overall–I missed it but I was not sure it was accurate or needed. Now with Sunlight somewhat assimilated switching to the AC-12 I find the high frequency very good and that touch of leanness and “warmth” below partially restored. It sounds really really good and I’m forgetting about the Pink Faun cable. Of all the changes Sunlight has either brought or instigated in the system, the fact that I now prefer this different HDMI cable for the I2S input is the one that surprises me most. And it’s welcome. I really like the system with Sunlight.
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With additional burn in, Sunlight sounds right to me. Just like the classical music concerts I (used to) go to. Just like my piano.
Not a component level upgrade, but a nice incremental improvement.
Well done @tedsmith
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You talk good
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A week of listening confirms “our” initial perception that in our soft furniture damped listening lair, the soundstage appears to be awash in Sunlight, and I say “our” because this is the first OS upgrade my wife immediately commented on the noticeable improvement in overall SQ. At reference listening db the difference from Windom for us is that every corner of the stage appears illuminated, revealing the subtle audibles mike’d but rarely heard. Reading this thread thru multiple times it would seem that if a particular system is already rendering extreme resolution for that particular room, one might feel the rays of Sunlight’s increased resolution are pushing the system a bit forward. Obviously system dependent, at the very least for many of us Sunlight is a component level upgrade, and to that end, there is only joy, and happiness. Cheers
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I agree. More detailed sound shows more treble flaws.
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When I purchased my DSD Sr (Windom), I auditioned it against the Chord Hugo TT2. Both were compelling, but I ultimately chose the DSD because I felt it had a bit more “meat on the bones.” Still, the Chord had a clarity and purity that I felt that the DSD lacked a bit in comparison. I don’t have access to the TT2 any more, but it seems to me that Sunlight took the DSD in the direction of the Chord while retaining the DSD’s inherent strengths.
Anyone else thinking similar thoughts?
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I kind of wish I could pick the firmware based on the recording. Donald Fagen’s Nightly has always sounded too bright and shrill. Windom really helped to take the edge off. I still prefer asu light for the vast majority of recordings. Sunlight definitely settled in fir me, sounding/being perceived as less bright after several days. I also did numerous power off/on cycles as I experimented with different cables. I don’t know if that played any role compared to the initial cycle require to loud the new firmware and remove the SD card that contains it.
I’ve been letting Sunlight burn-in for almost 2 weeks now and it’s still improving. I initially had to toe my speakers out, but have since toed them back in because things have gotten smoother on the top end.
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It’s wizardy I tell you. WIZARDY!
the best explanation I have.
Thanks Ted and everyone at PSA for brilliance, engineering, dedication, imagination, and magic.
Bub
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See my previous post when I compared ~1 week ago in my house the DSD Sr. against the Hugo TT2 
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I’m going Nucleus+ (Uptone JS-2 LPS) > Synergistic Atmosphere USB > Matrix (Uptone JS-2 LPS) > AQ Mocha HDMI I2S > DSD Sr. Two EtherREGENS feeding the Nucleus+. Very happy…
Upload was issue free today. didn’t notice over brightness after switching to SunLight, first impression is a bit thicker mid bass and energy, more clear and sweat high and Mids (also excellent sound stage). I find it getting toward more natural sounding but with details and attacks, the sound character that I always appreciate. It is exciting, prompt me to pull out CDs and SACDs to listen to. Many thanks to PS audio team’s continuous improvement and passion!
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What did You do with the VandenHul?
Sitting in a closet. I’ll probably put it and a few others up for sale later this week. I like it, but I can’t shake the AC-12. It’s still the best choice overall for my system especially with Sunlight. I’ve really enjoyed others and let them cook into the system for quite a while, but when I then put the AC-12 back in for comparison. . . I just find I prefer that old friend of a cable.
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Question for DSD owners and Sunlight users:
One of the (I think) fairly common descriptors for the DSD with previous firmware/hardware revisions was that it had an analog sound in comparison to other top dacs. I think Darko and maybe some other reviewers said that (correct me if that’s not right).
The general consensus here seems to be that Sunlight adds what many are reporting is some brightness (or at least some forwardness, however you want to characteristic what it does) to the presentation as compared to Windom.
So finally the question: Would you still call the sound of DSD now with Sunlight “analog sounding,” or does it no longer fit that description with Sunlight?
(I’ve never heard a DSD (no dealers) so I only can go off what I read here or by other reviewers).
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The equivalent of “I think” should be hifi and “in my system”.
There are so many variables that it is very subjective to define a component with them.