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Review: DCM TimeWindow 1 Speaker

Category: Speakers

This review covers the orignal DCM Time Windows. Not the subsequent versions.

I remember the first time I heard these. Their unique shape and sound where unlike anything I had heard before. Here was a speaker that really delivered the promise. It was driven by a PS Audio Amp and PS Audio LCC PreAmp. At the time I had the Large Advents,and while those speakers were very good indeed, the Time Windows were clearly superior. The music just seemed to come alive in a way that's hard to describe. There was just a seamless transparency to them. Not overly bright or accentuated on the bass. The balance was right on. It didn't really matter what the program material was, the Time Windows clearly and with authority brought the music to life. If they had any real weakness is for some peoples taste the bass may have been on the light side. But for my taste it was as it should be. The orginals used Philips drivers using a transmission line and the cabinet construction contributed to the overall sound. In the late 70s these were not cheap at about $800.00 but were indeed worth the price of admission. I was finally able to acquire a pair of these and have them to this day. Few things one purchases in life have enduring value and the Time Windows truly are in that category. Of all the reviews I have read on these speakers not one reviewer has clearly defined the sonics of this fabulous speaker. Use all of the adjectives you want and one will still come up short in the description. Best way to describe them, if you love music and have better than average components connected to them, the Time Windows will deliver the music with a verve that will astound you.

Now these speakers are some 20 years or more in age and continue to deliver the music. And that's what this hobby is all about. DCM no longer produces the Time Windows,having opted for the HT route. This is a true shame as these speakers deserve continued production. Timeless design is just that.

Specifications:

  • Dimensions:36"H x 14 3/4"W x 11 3/4"D
  • Weight:32 Pounds
  • Power Requirements:10 Watts Minimum per channel 89 dB/watt at one meter;200 Watts Maximum
  • Impedance:5 Ohms minimum/6-8 Ohms nominal
  • Frequency Range:25Hz to 18 kHz
  • Dispersion:180 degrees horizontal/60 degrees vertical.

    Specifications do not tell the whole story,listening does. The Time Windows due to their configuration can be literally tuned to any room. That is due to their shape. This was a brilliantly executed design that has remained faithful all these years.

    Associated gear
    Click to view my Virtual System

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    • ferrari
    mikelballinger
    5 posts
     
    Ah, the Time Windows. I still own and use my original pair of Time Windows purchased back in the late '70's. It's very interesting that nobody who has responded to this thread has even attempted to characterized the sonic attributes of these great old speakers. Frequency response be damned, the Time Windows defy specs. Their presentation is just plain musical. They are vastly more than the sum of their parts. I had the prvilige of selling the Time Windows in an audio store for a few of years and can attest that no one ever expected that kind of sound to come out of a medium size tower with only two 6 1/2 woofers and two Phillips dome tweeters. How did they do it? Magic I guess...
    hardyman-961f
    1 posts
     
    I bought mine in 1981. Still have them and have just now replaced the grill "foam" with fabric. My eye opener was when I auditioned them before buying. The system was made up of a PS Audio amp and Preamp tied to a Denon turntable sporting a Grace F9E Ruby cartridge. Violins and female sopranoes shine on this setup. I didn't hear anything about it I didn't like. Loving live music as I do, it was the nearest thing to bringing that home I could find. There were times when I thought that adding a sub would be the thing to do but, invariably, when the speakers were moved to a room more in keeping with their size or moved within the room to find just the right spot, that problem went away.They sounded so transparent to me, as in there was nothing between me and the musicians. Is this subjective enough?

    I still enjoy them. They still rock.
    kdl_pe
    1 posts
     
    I bought my TW1s in 1982 and they were in "main" service until September 2003. Our cats did in the foam socks, so I'm going to try grille cloth on them. The replacement "mains" are Totem Forests. The TW1s were powered by a Hafler 220 throughout their years of use. The Hafler is on the bench right now, most of the way through a "hyper" mod involving Musical Concepts driver boards and a dual-mono power supply (96,000µF, IXYS FRED rectifier bridges, dual-secondary toroidal power transformer). It will be interesting to see how they sound with the hyper-Hafler. They were always very well balanced, neutral, "musical" speakers, though not as pinpoint precise as the better ones available today at equivalent (adjusted for inflation) cost. Has anyone explored modernizing the drivers?
    wyhch
    1 posts
     
    I am very happy for there are still so many people love the DCM speakers. I got a pair of Timewindow 3 recently. They are in very good condition. However, I found most people talked about TW 1a or TW 7, but not TW 3. How do you think its sound? Can it beat the normal $1,000 speakers in the current market?

    I do not have much experience, and my amplifier is a small
    Adcom 535(60W*2). According to my hearing, the bass is far from 24hz, which is publicized by DCM. Although the
    89db-sensitivity is not low, I think a more powerful amplifier will make them better. Do you have any suggestions about the amplifier?

    Thanks and enjoy your DCM speakers.
    halhollis-2bbf
    1 posts
     
    I owned a pair of 1A models from 1981 until a home burgulary in 1991. I would love to get my hands on another set so I keep checking ebay where several pairs have been sold.

    Regarding the sound:

    After I was married in 1988, my wife made a comment about 'my' speakers. Her comment was: "the singers sound real".

    Is there any more that needs to be said?
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