[I like Bob Elkind’s answer in the post above, he’s a real Xilinx resource.]
The FPGA’s we use aren’t flash, they’re DRAM which means that they need reloaded after each removal of power, but just like the DRAM in your computer simply don’t care how often they are rewritten.
The control/display processor is flashed, here are some (old) apnotes from Microchip talking about EEPROM, the PIC and some of the flash rams in PS Audio’s devices are from Microchip:
Some memory in the DS is used more often, e.g. when you change the volume or other UI parameter but that’s still theoretically millions of uses and the locations change with each release…
The control/processor in my bench DS started out life as a PWD Mk I and has been an engineering unit from the beginning, believe me it gets some use, sometimes many reloads per hour, but certainly many reloads per day when developing software (heck the debugger actually writes different instructions to set breakpoints…)
My mistake. I was looking at SR. and JR. Not PC and Mac. How stupid of me! The DSD firmware has nothing to do with it’s ‘host’. My bad. I was really tired then. You have not changed the files since their original post date AFAIK, Or there would most definitely have had been a revision number. My apologies to you, Ted. Just for being an idiot.
As far as the file, well it is taken care of! My super high end machine that was controlling that in the bedroom(not the NUC, far cry from it) bit the dust this morning. They have already arranged an RMA for me. So I will make absolutely sure I do not install more than one instance of the driver again this time! I really am a coder but honestly Ted I hope it does not make you feel stupid to speak with people such as myself.
I make a lot of dumb mistakes. Luckily they never actually harm anything, or anyone. No, I did not kill that machine either. A bad Diode in the PSU cascaded and sent way too much voltage into everything. They did not mind me to test since it was already dead. +12V was putting out +46VDC! Oops.
I apologize for my creating confusion here though. I had no clue what I was speaking of when I penned that. Just ignorant misjudgment on my part. I sincerely hope that it did not cause anyone any inconvenience.
That being said, post Windom the DSD is now high and mighty! Oh, it was never any slouch but now it is nipping the toes of any priced DAC IMO. That indeed leaves a tall order for the TSS. The hardware is better though. Plus include Ted’s programing wizardry, I am just guessing this is going to be the best DAC I have ever heard! I simply cannot wait for it’s arrival in my rack!
Although I am not sure which of my systems it would really stand out in and it is not easily moveable. Given the moving at hand here. I shall start with the highest end reference system. Although I would not say that one is my most resolving system. I think I shall be quickly able to judge what direction I want to go however. For instance the DSD is in fact in the most resolving ‘small’ system. There, it walks all over the likes of DAVE and the QX5-TWENTY,Manhattan ETC. Even before the advent of Windom.
Apologies for the off topic rant, but everybody shall rejoice! Good times!
I’ve been giving Windom the ‘ol college try and have noticed a couple of oddities. With Snowmass, my normal DSJ volume level was around 70. With Windom, it’s now around 50 for an equal volume. And there’s also been clipping with Windom, last night I had to lower the HQPlayer volume by 11 dB just to get the clipping to stop. I’m not sure if the clipping is Windom related. All things that did not happen with Snowmass. Ideas?
There’s something else going on. There is no change to the output level for a test voltage given the same volume settings between Windom and Snowmass. The slightly confusing thing is that Windom sounds a little quieter at a given volume even tho the levels will look identical on a scope.
There’s no difference when Windom and Snowmass clip from a digital input (they won’t). So any clipping has to be upstream or downstream of the DS.
Perhaps you have the 20dB attenuator set differently between Snowmass and Windom.
BTW a volume difference of 20 is 10dB and you report another 11dB in your source so that’s just about 20dB which is the same as the 20dB attenuator.
I saw no volume changes between Snowmass and Windom using HQPlayer. I have HQPlayer setup with the “Fixed Volume” at -6bdB. At that setting I get a couple of “Limits” with tracks from one particular SACD (“Thriller”). Other than those tracks, I have no problems with “Limits”.
I have the attenuator off and the volume fixed at 100. I use my line stage to control volume.
I am able to play tracks louder with Windom without fatigue because it is smoother up top than Snowmass.
Yes, I don’t use the attenuator. Its the same as it was on Snowmass. With Snowmass, if I engaged the attenuator, I was not able to get enough volume to listen to many recordings. I use the DSJ as my preamp…
Me as well, at -6dB. I had to adjust the HQP fixed volume to -15dB and went as far as -11 to get the clipping to stop. It clipped on bass heavy tracks, as well as lighter jazz stuff…
FWIW -and maybe this should be posted in the SQ thread - I found that I needed to re-jigger the balance between DSD and my preamp to optimize SQ in terms of high freq. smoothness (though not necessarily overall perception of loudness) after loading Windom.
I ended up dialing the DSD back from 90 to 80 and cranking up the preanp.
But I’m running electrostats and the XO’s in these designed have a step-up transformer to apply high voltage to the stators. I swear in iron in these saturate and add a grittiness to the highs over time. For whatever reason, whether related to this hypothesis or not, the frequency sweep track on Ayre’s “Irrational But Efficacious” CD smooths things out. I mention this only because I’ve been lazy and have not run the sweep for awhile.
I’m not sure if anyone has the same problem while update DSJ to Windom. I’ve use the same method as usual for like hundred times, just couldn’t get it right. I went back to the forum see if any clue out there, then I came up the method that is downgrade to Huron from Snowmass and then update to Windom.
There is a file name out there in the PS Audio server which call “DSJR0121-9999”. It’s an force load file of Huron that I used. Directly unzip files to your Fat32 USB driver’s root folder, no folder, files only.
Plugging the USB driver while DSJ is power on for 30 seconds then tune DSJ off ,and wait for at least another 30 seconds . When you tune the power on should be happy to see the mark of PSA is flashing.
Repeat the same way from unzipping files but using Windom zip file. You’ll be happy to enjoy Windom soon.
Do you get the same results if HQP is bypassed? It might be a “processor cant keep up” issue? I have looked at HQP but don’t own it so just throwing ideas out there.
Yes, same result with or without HQP now. Also, the same with Red Cloud, Snowmass or Windom. My normal listening point has moved from the 70’s to the 50’s even though the attenuator has remained unmoved.
I have finally got a clean Windom load. I think I’d picked up a corrupted Snowmass306. I decided to fully reformat my SD cards and then load everything from the PSA website. I then created Yale, SM306 and Windom CD cards. All’s well now - I’ll post my impressions on the sound in the other forum topic.
1st time I’ve had any issues loading a software update?
I’ve followed the read me instructions to the letter (1st time I’ve unplugged the ethernet cable & I2S during an install but hay, doing what I’m told!).
I’ve deleted all files from my USB stick, reformatted it, reloaded it again & still nothing, stuck at snowmass. The USB stick is only used for PS Audio uploads?
Any tips? Can you upload via mConnect like the bridge updates?