Cool - especially since you were all up in my grill from day 1. Good to know.
I wasnāt up in your grillā¦I was telling you what I heard in my setup.
I was referring to - AFIACT - the first days you posted here years ago. If Iām mistaken, I apologize.
Noā¦I have called you out on several occasions. I thought you were talking about the Windom release stuff.
Didnāt you just move - if I recall you saying something about that? What is your new room like size wise / windows etcā¦
ASTONISHING! I donāt hear any of the āharshnessā being referenced above. I hear FAR, FAR greater CLARITY, no real change in a hashy or tipped up tonal balance that might be described as harshness. There is a simply astounding clarity in this release. INCREDIBLE low level detail (which wasnāt bad before). I love love love this release. Astoundingly good. Iāve only tried the USB input but I have no reason to believe the bridge wonāt also show the same improvements. At normal listening levels far less fatigue than before. HOME RUN! NAS > Microrendu > Directstream > Aesthetix Janus > Aesthetix Atlas (or alternatively, Pass 150.8) > Magnepan 20.7s w Synergistic Research cabling throughout.
4 Likes
Yes I did, a couple of months ago. this room is much bigger, taller and way more randomly proportioned than where I was. Doesnāt have anything to do with Windom as much as with any of several other things, if thatās what youāre asking.
Just wondered if it was a variable. My room is fairly large and I wonder how much is room interaction.
@tedsmith didnāt you say no gain differences between the releases? I too find myself pushing up the dial. Not a bad thing at all. The louder I go does not seem to increase any perceived brightness levels. But interesting.
@pwhinson above - I too have 20.7s w a cary slp98p I find this release works swimmingly for me as well. How does the Pass do with your 20s?
Yep, a 1kHz (or any audio frequency) test tone will look the same on the scopeā¦
But the noise/jitter is enough lower to get rid of some noise in the cracks and it doesnāt seem as loud. Indeed since thereās less energy turning it up a little isnāt a problem for our ears. (Donāt go nuts.)
Got nothinā but variables lately. Checked out of this thread as far as posting impressions the other day due to that and other possibilities.
EDIT: See top of thread
I am listening to my ripped āBeggars Banquetā SHM SACD and it sounds just so damn goodā¦
Re the Pass 150.8: This amp was purchased for use with my beloved Thiel 2.4ās before I decided to go all out on a new speaker purchase. It was the PERFECT match for the Thiels filling them out nicely in the midbass and farther up into the midrange. However on the 20.7ās I find the Pass provides too much midbass for me. I could try to ameliorate that by repositioning the Magnepans but Iām finding I prefer the Atlas. Aesthetix was never as successful with their power amps as they were with their preamps and although I bought mine new they can be had in signature or eclipse forms used at bargain prices. Its a great match for the 20.7ās for a detail freak like me who listens to pretty much nothing but classical music. I AM tempted to try tubes on the 20.7 on the power amp side for grins and giggles. If I had an audiophile bud who had a high powered ARC power amp or VTL amp Iād be all in on trying those but no such friends exist in my orbit. I may have to buy a used VTL 200 Signature or ARC Ref 150 to experiment but Iāll have to find an extra $5K laying around before I can do it.
If you do that w the tubes. Report back. 
Surprised about the Pass results. Didnāt dan saltzman switch to an atlas in his review of the 20s In absolute sound?
Not sure but Valin used an Atlas in his review back when the 20.7 was released (about 2013?).
I am surprised you find Windom thin sounding, although I agree with you on the brighter highs.
It is fuller than Snowmass but the mids could be sweeter sounding.
Is the bass better with Windom in your system? Banginā drummers like Art Blakey come across startlingly so.
I have the solution: build a PSA DAC that will store every release and allow owners to select versions on the fly.
Just ponder the immense engineering challenges and cost!
1 Like
One quick addendum here: after listening to full scale orchestral music I am hearing a thickening of textures in the midbass and lower midrange which is puzzling and disappointing since large scale orchestral music is a main part of what I listen to most often. I donāt know if it represents simply an increase in midbass energy but its very noticeable. I just briefly switched back to Snowmass and there is definitely lower perceived midbass energy (and less low bass energy too) in Snowmass. Iām now a little disappointed. My earlier reflections still stand especially with regard to chamber music (and even some jazz) ā remarkable clarity in the upper registers. Iāll stop writing off the cuff and just listen for a few days and provide a more comprehensive update later. I was talking earlier about how the Pass amps provided too much midbass in my room which was ameliorated by the use of an Aesthetix Atlas but with the change to Windom there is definitely more bass and in absolute terms the midbass āseemsā ramped up slightly to my ears in relationship to the now crystal clear midband and highs. More in a few days ā Iāll shut up for now and try to come to some real conclusions.
The only thing I canāt get over is this concept of a poor load and not knowing itās a poor load.
There are a fair few FPGA devices out there- some run operating systems like Windows, and each one of them can and will know if the sw has been loaded correctly.
Itās for PS Audio to address this craziness.
Regarding the sound impression - for me Windom is cleaner, less noisier, a wider sound stage. The lyrics are more articulate - maybe the bass is not as dramatic as snowmass.
I am a convert - I did not know the fuss about Windom. I tried going back to snowmass and I couldnāt last 2 songs, I missed the crispness and calmness of Windom.
4 posts were merged into an existing topic: Windom: Installation/Technical Problems
No, though perhaps appearing to sound a little lower I wouldnāt call the bass better. I may have bad files.