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.
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I always remove the HDMI cable from the DS to avoid this very problem before upgrade.
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.
Very strange for sure.
I didnāt have trouble til Windom either. But I persisted and finally got a decent load, and then tweaked around it. . .and Iām very very happy with the results.
Loaded it one time and was done. No problem at all
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After living with my DirectStream Sr. For 3 months now, hereās my thoughts :
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Blows away all other DACās Iāve played with in the past cheap and not so cheap
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DSD done rightā¦Period. After living with my Sony DACās for almost a year, the DSD Sr. lifted a veil in all my DSDās/SACDās that I knew was always there going back to the Pioneer DV-578A that I cherished for many years.
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The pumping and breathing effects that are inherent in my 96/24 Vinyl transfers are completely eliminated during the quiet passages. I donāt regret selling my Vinyl Collection a few years ago.
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A Club member questioned my buying a DAC of this Caliber without itās matching Transport (more on that later). Another member questioned why didnāt I buy Darrenās Phono Preamp, a decent Table/Cartridge for the same price. I DONāT DO VINYL ANYMORE ! Love the sound but not the care, feeding , surface noise, and inner groove distortion associated with cheaper 180g < pressings.
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Playing old original pressing Red Book CDās from the mid to late 80ās sound nothing like the harsh and brittle sound Iām used to hearing.
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CDās from the Loudness War Years (The Eagles 2000 Boxed Set exemplifies this) actually are tamed down and the treble is restored (howād ya do that Ted) ?
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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 CDās back in ā82 is noticeably better sounding than S/PDIF, Optical, and USB even.
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My 5.1 system has 5 Sealed Box 901ās and I use 3x MiniDSPās to EQ them with a curve thatās somewhat Neutral from 100Hz to 10kHz, yet has the correct amount of boost on both ends (about 18dB). The XLR Analog Outās feed the L & R MiniDSPās XLR Input and then out to my 3 M700ās and two NCORE Hypex amps lent to me by a friend for the Surround 901ās. The 48/24 MiniDSP DACās one would think defeats the purpose of a World Class DAC like the DS Sr. But it doesnāt. Any audible changes/improvements in the DS Sr. is easily heard out the MiniDSPās. Iāve 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.
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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 DACās for Center & Surrounds duty.
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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 ?
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Thanks for this great and insightful review. Love it!
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Why do you have these artifacts in your vinyl transfers? Did you add compression?
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Spreading the Love (and also defending it Sometimes).
Yepā¦Got a little crazy with the Noise Reduction tools cause I hate hearing ticks, pops, and Surface Noise.
Hereās my link Elk :
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possibly subsonic resonances in the vinyl chain?
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Understood. Thanks!
Just today did update on my Junior. I really didnāt 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.
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 !
Updating was as easy as pie.
@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 donāt like to interrupt my listening. and it wasnāt 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
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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.
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or go back to red cloud and take time to well listen at this momentā¦ for me i keep redcloudā¦
Snowmass Forever!