# Windom: Sound Impressions **URL:** \ **Category:** DACs\ **Created:** [October 13, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439 "2019-10-13T12:52:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42

**Author:** ![sixpack1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/sixpack1/32/6013_2.png) [@sixpack1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/sixpack1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 2:28pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/916 "2020-02-16T14:28:26Z")

I have never had any issue loading Windom or any other firmware update. It is possible some have issues when they use I2S HDMI connections with equipment that sends 5 volts over the cable though. I use a DMP and NPC and have not had to do any rituals for a proper outcome. In my system Windom is a step up from Snowmass for sure. ---

**Author:** ![Frode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Frode](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Frode)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/917 "2020-02-16T17:02:45Z")

I always remove the HDMI cable from the DS to avoid this very problem before upgrade. ---

**Author:** ![B.Gelinas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/34f0e0/32.png) [@B.Gelinas](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/B.Gelinas)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 10:06pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/918 "2020-02-16T22:06:54Z")

The only connections I have with my DS Sr. are: - one input USB cable coming from my music server;and - a pair of output XLR cables going to my integrated Amplifier. Until Windom, I never had any issues loading a new firmware. However, after loading Windom, the sound was all wrong and all of the sound concentrated between the speakers (no image) and the medium was exaggeratedly boosted. Very unpleasant sound. I eventually had to load Yale and back to Windom before I could appreciate the new firmware qualities. ---

**Author:** ![sixpack1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/sixpack1/32/6013_2.png) [@sixpack1](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/sixpack1)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/919 "2020-02-16T22:52:44Z")

Very strange for sure. ---

**Author:** ![lonson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/lonson/32/249792_2.png) [@lonson](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/lonson)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2020, 5:10pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/920 "2020-02-22T17:10:43Z")

I didn’t have trouble til Windom either. But I persisted and finally got a decent load, and then tweaked around it. . .and I’m very very happy with the results. ---

**Author:** ![redfielddan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@redfielddan](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/redfielddan)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/921 "2020-02-22T18:36:16Z")

Loaded it one time and was done. No problem at all ---

**Author:** ![rajugsw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rajugsw/32/16086_2.png) [@rajugsw](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/rajugsw)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 4:37am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/922 "2020-03-14T04:37:47Z")

After living with my DirectStream Sr. For 3 months now, here’s my thoughts : 1. Blows away all other DAC’s I’ve played with in the past cheap and not so cheap 2. DSD done right…Period. After living with my Sony DAC’s for almost a year, the DSD Sr. lifted a veil in all my DSD’s/SACD’s that I knew was always there going back to the Pioneer DV-578A that I cherished for many years. 3. The pumping and breathing effects that are inherent in my 96/24 Vinyl transfers are completely eliminated during the quiet passages. I don’t regret selling my Vinyl Collection a few years ago. 4. A Club member questioned my buying a DAC of this Caliber without it’s matching Transport (more on that later). Another member questioned why didn’t I buy Darren’s Phono Preamp, a decent Table/Cartridge for the same price. I DON’T DO VINYL ANYMORE ! Love the sound but not the care, feeding , surface noise, and inner groove distortion associated with cheaper 180g \< pressings. 5. Playing old original pressing Red Book CD’s from the mid to late 80’s sound nothing like the harsh and brittle sound I’m used to hearing. 6. CD’s from the Loudness War Years (The Eagles 2000 Boxed Set exemplifies this) actually are tamed down and the treble is restored (how’d ya do that Ted) ? 7. Integrating a Sony UBP-X1000ES for I2S playback using cheap Chinese adapter boards and ensuring there is no L & R Channel reversal. A comment was made that I was not adhering to true I2S standards and using the HDMI Adapter Board to strip away the Video elements and leaving the I2S is not as good. I call B.S. Separating the Clock & Data paths that were always there since the beginning of CD’s back in ‘82 is noticeably better sounding than S/PDIF, Optical, and USB even. 8. My 5.1 system has 5 Sealed Box 901’s and I use 3x MiniDSP’s to EQ them with a curve that’s somewhat Neutral from 100Hz to 10kHz, yet has the correct amount of boost on both ends (about 18dB). The XLR Analog Out’s feed the L & R MiniDSP’s XLR Input and then out to my 3 M700’s and two NCORE Hypex amps lent to me by a friend for the Surround 901’s. The 48/24 MiniDSP DAC’s one would think defeats the purpose of a World Class DAC like the DS Sr. But it doesn’t. Any audible changes/improvements in the DS Sr. is easily heard out the MiniDSP’s. I’ve heard other DS Sr. owners say the same using using whatever Signal Processor of choice AFTER the DS Sr. Sacrilege, maybe, but it sounds awesome ! One can accuse the Tube Lovers out there of doing the same thing. 9. Coax input works great on ALL PCM recording that I have. It also integrates nicely with my 5.1 PCM files. No delay issues but I am stuck with the Sony DAC’s for Center & Surrounds duty. 10. Copy Protection dumbs down 96/24 BluRay Audio only tracks into 48/16. So I use MakeMKV to rip the discs and then drag/drop those files into Foobar2000 using the latest DTS plugin to extract up to six 96/24 tracks and they sound amazing. Who needs Vinyl anyways ? ---

**Author:** ![Paul](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/paul/32/6_2.png) [@Paul](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Paul)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 11:47am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/923 "2020-03-14T11:47:23Z")

Thanks for this great and insightful review. Love it! ---

**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/924 "2020-03-14T13:40:33Z")

> [@rajugsw](#): > > The pumping and breathing effects that are inherent in my 96/24 Vinyl transfers are completely eliminated . . . Why do you have these artifacts in your vinyl transfers? Did you add compression? ---

**Author:** ![rajugsw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rajugsw/32/16086_2.png) [@rajugsw](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/rajugsw)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 1:47pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/925 "2020-03-14T13:47:17Z")

Spreading the Love (and also defending it Sometimes). ---

**Author:** ![rajugsw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rajugsw/32/16086_2.png) [@rajugsw](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/rajugsw)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/926 "2020-03-14T13:52:12Z")

Yep…Got a little crazy with the Noise Reduction tools cause I hate hearing ticks, pops, and Surface Noise. Here’s my link Elk : > [@The Mushiness/Squishyness is Gone - DirectStream Sr. is Awesome!](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/the-mushiness-squishyness-is-gone-directstream-sr-is-awesome/15521): > > I’ve had the DirectStream Sr. in my rack for a few months now. This is not a review. I’m running the XLR Out’s into a MiniDSP 2x4 Balanced (for my Series 1 & 2 Bose EQ Curves). The output of that is still using it’s internal 24Bit/48kHz DAC until I get the I2S of the MIniDSP talking to the DS Sr’s I2S. This is why I’m only offering commentary (for now). So here goes (are you following me so far - cause this post will become convoluted real quick). Years ago I’d transferred all my Vinyl both A… ---

**Author:** ![jazznut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jazznut](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/jazznut)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/927 "2020-03-14T13:56:02Z")

possibly subsonic resonances in the vinyl chain? ---

**Author:** ![Elk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/elk/32/1240_2.png) [@Elk](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/Elk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 1:57pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/928 "2020-03-14T13:57:20Z")

Understood. Thanks! ---

**Author:** ![MarcinGD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@MarcinGD](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/MarcinGD)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 11:16am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/929 "2020-03-15T11:16:55Z")

Just today did update on my Junior. I really didn’t liked the sound of it so I went back to Snowmass. The only thing I liked in Windom was that it fixed my problem with volume lowering by itself to 50. I use Hydra Z with ZPM for usb to i2s conversion. ---

**Author:** ![rajugsw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rajugsw/32/16086_2.png) [@rajugsw](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/rajugsw)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 6:18am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/930 "2020-03-18T06:18:27Z")

It was a DUAL CS515 with a Grado Red Cartridge and upgraded cables. The TT died at my hands (long story). Ran on the original belt for 23 years ! ---

**Author:** ![biggarthomas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@biggarthomas](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/biggarthomas)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 12:27pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/931 "2020-03-18T12:27:53Z")

Updating was as easy as pie. ---

**Author:** ![1cdfoley](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/1cdfoley/32/101112_2.png) [@1cdfoley](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/1cdfoley)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/932 "2020-05-01T21:03:01Z")

@tedsmith, I dragged my feet for months, a year or so because I was so enamored with Snowmass. It was love at first listen, you hear me. Today, after an electricity loss during a storm, I took the opportunity to try Windom. I say opportunity because I don’t like to interrupt my listening. and it wasn’t easy, I had to bend over a stack of two components to pull a card and replace it. Well the result was worth it. After 1 hour, I cannot tell the difference. I think there is a slight airiness or projection with some centering emphasis in the sound stage. I think that might be my imagination. The Windom characteristics, summed up as listening pleasure, are the same as Snowmass. Admittedly, I need another 100 to 200 hours of listening and maybe Windom needs some burn-in. So, I will report again in two months. Regardless of my personal evaluation, I salute Ted for making a product that has made me happy like none other. Ted lets tip a G&T at separate listening rooms together. Thank you so very much for your creativity and efforts. Chas ---

**Author:** ![kcleveland123](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/kcleveland123/32/45645_2.png) [@kcleveland123](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/kcleveland123)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/933 "2020-05-01T22:58:24Z")

Wow @1cdfoley you are certainly late to the firmware party as it were. Windom absolutely rocks compared to that old dusty Snowmass steaming pile. Just kidding but incremental improvements are always welcome especially for free. Thanks @tedsmith. ---

**Author:** ![alaint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/0ea827/32.png) [@alaint](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/alaint)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 9:36am UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/935 "2020-05-04T09:36:00Z")

or go back to red cloud and take time to well listen at this moment… for me i keep [redcloud](https://www.psaudio.com/products/ds-series-dac-red-cloud-upgrade/)… ---

**Author:** ![badbeef](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/badbeef/32/142_2.png) [@badbeef](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/badbeef)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439/936 "2020-05-04T13:29:45Z")

Snowmass Forever!🤘🏻 [Previous page](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439.md?page=41) [Next page](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/windom-sound-impressions/13439.md?page=43)