Windom: Sound Impressions

Audio Components DACs
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@Dirk I’m going to go back to a couple of things in your earlier post:

Ahhh-hahaha…

This is obviously distressing - that someone who references an analog chain finds Windom/DSD sounds as you describe. It would suggest that the “cure” for this issue is weeks more 24/7 burn-in. And - if I read you correctly, I can’t do that with Snowmass loaded. SO difficult to know what may or may not be happening here. Quel PITA🤷🏻‍♂️

I’ll step out for a while (weeks?) and see what/if anything develops. Come to think on it, I could probably borrow somebody’s burned-in DSD to see if that alone is it…

EDIT: See top of thread

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In my all PS Audio system: DMP / DSD / BHK preamp / BHK 250, using Von Schweikert Audio VR 35 speakers, Windom sounds incredible in every regard. I was listening to Cosmopoly by Andreas Vollenweider and it’s the best it’s ever sounded on my system. With the lowering of the noise floor, I’m more clearly hearing subtle changes in volume, which I feel really allows the music to breathe and come to life. That, combined with the richness in tonality, and the expansion of the soundstage, has allowed me to connect with the music like never before. Going from Snowmass to Windom was a paradigm shift, and anything but subtle from my perspective.

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I’m listening today to both Windom on the DSD and vinyl. Full disclosure: I’m breaking in two other items in my system — a PP3, and the Cary SLP-05 ultimate upgrade. I’ve also changed my power setup, in that I’ve put devices with analog outputs on the new PP3, namely the SLP-05, the DSD and my Sutherland 20/20 (I decided to trust that electrical noise generated by the Sutherland and DSD power supplies will not leak into the SLP-05). Everthing else remains on a PP5. The balanced isolation transformers I used for digital/analog isolation i’m now using to condition power to my Parasound JC-1 monoblocks (used to go straight to the wall).

I mention all of the above because I don’t know which upgrade/adjustment is responsible for what, but since my vinyl sounds better than ever, I’m convinced that the PP3, SLP upgrade and monoblock power arrangement have had a major impact.

Anyway, I’m baffled by some characterizing Windom as bright. In fact, my first impression of Windom was that the top end sounded rolled off compared to Snowmass. Over time, however, I’ve come to realize that rolloff perception was just more midrange presence — a really good thing! The highs are still available in spades.

I remember about a year ago having a young person in my home who was a vinyl enthusiast, and at the time I was convinced that hiRes digital had finally equaled/surpassed vinyl in SQ. I played a selection on both the DSD (with Snowmass), and on my vinyl setup. The kid still preferred vinyl. Windom explains at least to me) why — slight lack of presence in digital reproduction.

Pardon the ramble. I took the day off today :slightly_smiling_face:

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Hi Mark, i knew it.
I am happy you put the extra effort in to make it work :wink:
Last year the reviews about Snowmass from Dirk, yourself and some others made me decide to buy the DS.

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hi badbeef you wrote “and my Digital has to have (if possible) the magic and feel of vinyl”.
Try to get an optimal Windom installation and your done :grinning: !
Im my system that’s exactly what happened after the last time i updated to Windom.

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Yeah - this is what’s freaking me out. My brother has had that experience, though he’s using a Jr. I’m going to fire up and update my Jr. today and see how that goes.

EDIT: See top of thread

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Hi B, Thank you for the advice.
I already had plans in that direction, good to know from you that such a music server is the way to go.

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Good idea, i think that’s going to convince you of the real powers of Windom.

@rikirk Try rebooting a few times and then ‘burn-in’ with music for at least 48 hours.

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Yes, that’s correct. 5 years and 7 weeks – or 45,000 hours. No hyperbole or placebo :wink: I have burned-in 3 DS dacs. DS1: 18 months later DS2: and three years after that I had to fit a new main board when DS1 developed a fault:

Opinions vary, but I am well aware of the burn-in phenomena, having gone through the ritual three times. First time wasn’t too bad just there were days better than others but even on the poorer sounding music days I still preferred the DS over my Linn Klimax DS, which cost twice the price of the DS.

After several weeks of playing music one day it just came into focus and from then on it was sunshine all the way. When I bought DS2 some 18 months later that’s when I really noticed burn-in because on bad days it was an effort for me to listen - when compared directly against the all singing and dancing older DS1.

I actually thought DS2 was faulty because it was so bland, just going through the motions, just a hi-fi sound! When I switched between them the difference was really obvious – one day my wife even commented it was bugging her because it sounded too harsh and brittle. Eventually I’d had enough so I connected DS2 to an Arcam CD player and left it on repeat in my garage system and let it play for 4 weeks… It took about 1000 hours all in .

Same scenario when I fitted the new main board with the DS sounding nothing like the well run-in DS2. Once again I just let it run in my garage system for weeks. It’s not placebo because I can switch between them in real time and your ears would have to be painted on not to hear the chasm between them ( thought I would use chasm today instead of gulf, [I don’t want to be accused of hyperbole] when I get the TSS I will up it to “of continent in size” I will choose the continent depending on the scale of the jump in Ted’s latest TSS code…. 7 to choose from….possibly could be the TSS OS nomenclature!!)

Anyway, just stick a “good load” of Windom files in the DS connected to a cheap CD player and let it go for 6 weeks… Play your jr and the real hi-res and forget about the DS until the beginning of December.

My friend Bob has a DS and he doesn’t like Windom! I am going around tomorrow afternoon to hear his displeasure… He informs me it is too hi-fi, it is sounding thin and toppy! When he plays Astral Weeks the top end is breaking up like a badly damaged LP / stylus ? I will take my folder of SD cards with me and a bible …

I do like Windom. I hear it as being much more revealing. Maybe in some situations it reveals too much.

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Wasn’t the DSD first released in 2014?

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April 14 . I don’t get the gist?

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I understood you to say, DSD takes 5 years to burn in. Maybe I misunderstood.

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It was a JOKE.

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Noted. No need to yell! LOL

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At least you have had experience with multiple DSDs at different points in their lives, which is exceedingly rare, and it would seem you have similar sonic aims as I do. So cheers on that one, mate!

Suggests that possibly certain parts require quite a lot of burn-in to conform? Putting on my AiC Hat, I could say that this is a reflection of their “robustness” ; )

Putting on my Customer Hat, if that is in fact the case, I’d wish for identification of said parts, and request Engineering burn that schtuff* in prior to installation in the chassis/board. If said parts are in 'Gina - make them do it.

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Kinda bummed with the inconsistency of the Parts shown in the above photo. (I hasten to add that this is not a political statement. It is intended as light humor…thank you.)

True or not, statements like this creep me out:

So…HOW, exactly did you quantify that? You brought it in from the garage in 100-hour increments and compared to DS1?

Obviously, kinda-sorta playing Devil’s Advocate here, and I am likely as guilty as the next guy of making statements along those lines on occasion.

As a Person of Ears Painted On, I have to object strenuously to that characterization. Though I do dig “chasm” over “gulf”, for obvious reasons.

There’s the Rub, bruh. How do I know, unless I magically Get Happy with the sound?

Screwed as far as using the Jr. in the main system, as Snowmass with the DSD ain’t broke.

Robert’s yer Father’s Brother. Just sayin’.

Have not had anything REMOTELY like that. Pretty sure I’ve communicated that This here Mountaintop Hotel Chain has its pluses and minuses, but is not one I would suggest no one ever stay at.

This is one of the many issues I have with all of us going on about…essentially…“How can you Possibly Say That??? This release is: Incredible/Sucks!!!” Unless we all get together in each others’ homes, Paint on Each Other’s Ears and so on…:cowboy_hat_face::man_shrugging:t2:

  • Forum software now disallows what it determines to be Obscenity, hence the made-up word.

EDIT: See top of thread

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KYLE!!! WTF!!!

(morewordstoallowpost)

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Indeed. Lol.
My first DSD was DOA. Replaced immediately by PSA. Only hiccup since was the Bridge2 mess. DSD sounds better without the B2 installed.
Windom still playing at my house. Still unsure if I will keep it. May go back to SM 3.0

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BTW: My fave Streaming Burn-In album, not least because it is 5-ish hours long, and has wonderful top and bottom - and if you want to listen to it at any point, it is Good.

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I thought that was a joke until I looked it up. There really is an album Music For Installations :slight_smile:

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Sorry if my tendency to joke makes it hard to know when I’m not kidding. Just a great Eno record.