The DCM Time Window speaker, my first rude awakening

[nogunnofear]

I bought my time windows in 1980 and have sent them back to Ann arbor Michigan once for new speakers and crossovers. I still use them today. I bought them at a high-end store after sitting in a room full of high-end speakers blindfolded and checking them out. The dcms were the only ones that I could not pinpoint their location in the room due to their incredible dispersion. They're tall narrow speakers but they take up a lot of space because they have to be about 3 ft from the sidewall and two feet from the rear wall. They reproduce accurate bass beautifully, they just don't add to it. I feel like they actually play what was laid down in the recording studio and that is what I love. I've heard many speakers since and money being no object I still would not change them. I do not tire of listening to them. A lot of speakers that other people love just do not move me. I respect their choices and I love mine.

[tonydeAraujo]

I purchased my DCM Time Windows in 1981.
(The Surroundscape model).
I also had to make an appointment with a sound engineer in Milburn, NJ, near the train station.
Now, every time I drive by, I think of that moment
(the store no longer exists).
Once there, they made me fill out a form with all sorts of questions.
At the time, my main interest was classical music, followed by jazz.
For classical, the engineer recommended the Time Windows speakers.
I was impressed with the clarity and a feeling of being in a real concert hall.
I still own these speakers but haven't used them for almost 20 years.
They serve as convenient tables to hold my water or cup of coffee in my studio
while I practice guitar.
One of the reasons I no longer use them is that
I've got accustomed to headphones (AKG K-240 MkII),
plus I don't have an amplifier to power up the speakers.
I found your video during a search, as I'm planning to get an amp and try the speakers again.
Preferably, an amp that can work with my laptop,
perhaps via USB or Bluetooth,
and can connect to the Time Windows.
Thanks for this moment and for reviving my memories of a time when
listening to music and purchasing audio equipment
was such an important event in life.

[kennyt]

I bought a pair of DCM Time Windows back in the early '80s. What impressed me was what happened when I got home. I set them up in my living room and put on some of my favorite music. They sounded good, but what impressed me was that I could walk from room to room in my house and the sound was was the same at the far end of the house. No loss of high or mid, no overwhelming bass. The sound was still balanced wherever I went. I still have and use them to this day. I personally am very glad that I bought them. BTW, My house is an older style house that is NOT an open floor plan, separate rooms, hallway, etc. and they sound good everywhere no matter where you go away from them.

[davidmalaney]

Just saw this. I bought my Series 1 Time Windows at the Gramophone on Woodward in about 1982. I did a lot of A/B comparisons in the listening room there. What I liked about the Time Windows was the sound field and the ease of the way the music came out. No drama. Smooth. Clean. Transparent. Great sound field. As though the transfer function of what was coming out of the amp was what was arriving at my ears. Nothing added or subtracted. You're just hearing the music. Any expectations one way or the other are simply wanting the speaker to 'be' something. Also, they were made in Ann Arbor, which was cool. And they looked great, and fit easily into most any room. Being an engineer, I was impressed by the literature that DCM published about the Time Windows. The analysis they showed was rather simple, but effective in my mind. They showed the response of the speaker at a mic location, to a square wave input. Now, reproducing a square wave with a speaker is tough. The time response was captured on a scope and then used in the literature. The cool thing was that they actually did the same test on another speaker of the time, that they rated as better (and more expensive) than the Time Windows. And the response to the square wave input was indeed a bit better. Honesty in advertising - what a concept. So, I bought them. Biased? Probably! And, I am looking at them in my living room as I write this. Hooked up to my vintage Mac equipment. March 2022

[rotmnk]

still have mine that i bought in 1981 and they still rock the house

[veggivet]

DCM's tagline at the time was 'listen through them, not to them'. I found this to be my experience. They were best of breed at the time, and I still use them. They stand up to my B&Ws pretty darn well considering their age.

[carlosm]

Hi Steve, I’ve owned a pair of DCM Time Windows for 30 years now and love them. I worked for an audio store at the time and with proper power these sounded like very open stage. I was sold when the hairs of the back of my neck tingled and stood on end. What I did notice once home I had to sit straight up to get the same physical results so my ears were at the proper height as the DCM tweeters. But as I said, I loved them. I’m not an audiophile but loved using them to watch movies, Back then I had set up a Dolby Surround system using a breakout box. It was an experimental time. Growing up my dad had set up a quadraphonic system. Times were fun!

[Techridr]

I want to add, to my last statement that the DCM Time Windows, im my opinion were, in fact, the best speakers I could find in that price category. I also already said they sounded better at home than in the store. One person commented that they used "cheap" Philips tweeters. They were "modified" Philips AD 0140 tweeters which were actually very good tweeters. I got into speaker building in the '80s and they were my go-to tweeters. I certainly hope that when you arrived at the store to audition them, they didn't purposely have them out of phase as sometimes happened when they wanted to sell a more profitable item. Also, because of the crazy wide dispersion because of the front wedge, they actually sounded better a bit closer to each other than you might have regular towers or bookshelf speakers. Yes, they were "time-aligned" but also they were incredible transparent. There were certain recordings where, if blindfolded, you could not point to the speakers. This is why I think the word Windows was in the name. They were very transparent. the smallish woofer drivers didn't go down terribly low, but they had a great tight bass and handled mids so well, you didn't need the noisy electronics of another crossover as well as a mid-driver. I miss them!

[vibes]

LOL Lets get some cobwebs off
Steve, snowy day here in Rockland County NY. Been going through some old reviews after breaking out some old speakers jsut for the heck of it (69 yr old retired for 10 years from computer business, quasi audiophile, past NY Audiophile Society).
Well bought a pair of OHM walsh 2's about 7 years ago for a whole $200, lol. I laughed so hard I had to write John over at OHM. They still sounded fantastic. thought i might need work, but nope. My son (30) re finished the veneer, dusted them off, got the cob webs out. HOLY sheet. sounded wonderful. In fact I just ordered a new pair of grills from Ohm in Brooklyn (Im a born Brooklynite, Sheepshead Bay). Now back to the subject of this msg. I then looked WAY back in the closet and there they were, the dreaded DCM Time Windows. Broke out your review (I remember in the back of my old brain you had a video). Well, I dusted them off, expected nothing and I'll tell you, with decent electronics (and OLD Aragon 4004mk2, JTR subwoofer, also tried a Prima Luna Dialougue Premium HP power amp (no preamp). Using am Orchid Audio Pecan Pi youve tried the DAC, its a blast wonderful and bests many way moer expensive DACs, I DIYed the DAC. Well the DCM TW, sounded GREAT!! I expected a lot less. Had bought those also ebay $200. So far 2 for 2. well jsut had to fire this off before going out to blow the snow! lastly, back to my Merlin Speakers TSM-MXEs (too bad about Bobby Paclovich, I miss his presence). Nice guy, too bad the audio business eats some up.
OK over and out, if you read this I lit a spark. I get a real kick out of listening to the OLD stuff. Perhaps a video idea???

[mackmccauley]

I came so close to buying DCM's. Bought Magnepan MG-IIc and never regretted it. 35 years later and still enjoy Maggies.

[AmmoDude]

I just refurbished a pair of Time Window 7s for an acquaintance; rebuilt the crossovers with new caps and resistors, covered the cabinets with reinforced felt (the original design used something like car headliner and the foam was completely dry rotted), and covered with new grill cloth head to toe. Interesting design, ported, 2 chambers inside, 2 woofers/2 mid ranges/2 tweeters stacked in front at 45 degrees to each side, 1 tweeter in the rear firing directed at the back wall. The mid range/tweeter is arranged as a coaxial speaker (car speaker) with the tweeter mounted directly in front of the mid range and the mid range is dampened with felt, covering the front of the mid range. Quite an elaborate crossover, 3 boards: 2 for tweeters and mid ranges and 1 for the woofers. Good full sound from the system, I really like the bass, it resonates low and has great punch for drums and bass guitar. The rear tweeter IMO is worthless, not a lot of volume coming from it. From hearing Steven Eberbach, the designer of the speaker, speak about the TW7s, he is a fan of Bose technology and experimented in his early formative days with car speakers, hence the coaxial mid range/tweeter arrangement, the headliner material covering the cabinet under the grill cloth, and the tweeters are 2" x 2" square flange typically found in automotive systems. His background comes to life with this system, his expertise if evident in how he gets all of this to work together and sound good. They are immune to placement and you can walk around the room and not find any holes in the sound. I'm a JBL man (4312s are my main squeeze) and I will stick with them, 'till death do us part!

[brucesatow]

I have a pair of DCM Time Window 1A and a pair of Spica TC-50s. The Time Windows, a friend gave me because he was going deaf. The Spica's I bought because just like you, it was a pair of speakers that got me hooked into the hobby. In Berkeley, CA, there was a store called the Sounding Board which I bought them from, but where I heard them demoed was a nearby store called DB Audio who showcased them in a room. They had them hooked up to an integrated amp called a Musical Fidelity 1A, which did not look like your typical 80's style stereo equipment and I believe it only produced, if I remember correctly, like 25 watts of power but in pure class A. There was a turntable connected to it, but I don't remember the brand. The speakers were probably 15 feet apart and the chair I sat in was smack in the middle. The lady demoed a jazz record. I don't remember who the artist was. However It was the first time I heard actual depth to stereo music - a true epiphany. I heard the musician walk around on the stage, where the instruments were located, clearly defined as if I was there live listening to it. After that, my audio addiction began. I have never been able to recreate that experience. I have come close, but never with that same feeling of discovery. I guess it's like taking LSD for the first time and having a great trip. It can't be repeated. 🤣

[craigkdillon]

DCM Time Windows -- best speakers I have owned.
Combined with the Rega Planar 3 turntable -- it was the best.
What was unique --- The DCM Time Windows are the ONLY speakers I have found that keep the stereophonic imaging even when you move from between the speakers. That is, move to the left of the left speaker and be at a 45 degree angle to the speakers -- the imaging remains. The jazz combo remains between the speakers, not collapsing into the left one, as is normal. So, the jazz combo seems like it is there in the room. AMAZING.
BTW -- You HAVE TO HAVE the REGA turntable - or some other with solid plinth and platter to eliminate resonant feedback.

[GregoryCollins]

The DCM Time Windows opened up the world of imaging to me. It was the first time I had ever heard a soundstage that went several blocks deep. I heard thunder that felt like it was outside behind the building. The voice of Judy Collins never soundes do natural.

This is the speaker that got me hooked on Audio.

[stewartashton]

I sold many a pair of the DCM Time Windows back in the 70's. Always an easy sale. Usually paired them up with Great American Sound amps and preamps.

[stigbang-mortensen]

My set of Time Window has created the most wonderful and well-defined stereo perspective since 1985. I believe they were updated once or twice.

[fhaquuu]

Love my TFs. Paired with my Marants PM6006, and 2226B. Very good stereo imaging, high end is crisp and airy. Sound great. Really open up big rooms that let them breath. These sound great pointing 45 degrees to the centre of the room. Off axis imaging stays good.. pair well with low wattage, and vintage amps.

[Techridr]

I'm not sure what that critic said about the Time Windows, but I had a pair and this is my take. Back in those days, I had all kinds of high-end equipment. My Stylus was a Dynavector Karat Ruby. My amp was a Halfler, I also had a Dolby Dynamic Range Enhancer, a Nakamichi 680zx which I remember to this day, back in 1980 retailed for $1675.00. Yeah, for a cassette deck. Anyway, I was an 18-year-old audiophile freak. Ok, back to the DCM speakers. At the time I wanted speakers, nobody said DCM time windows were the best. They were the best sounding speakers in the price category. They also sounded way better at my home than at the store. They sounded best placed about 2-3 feet from the rear wall and I ran the eq as flat as I could make it, only compensating a tiny bit for the room. My only complaint was the bottom end didn't go quite as deep, so I added a subwoofer taking over below about 30 Hz with a mellow crossover. But even without the sub, the best part was the bass was very tight. The speakers were the most transparent speakers I ever heard. Meaning, when placed properly, if you were blindfolded, you could not point to the speaker placement. With the right recording obviously. Like any good equipment, everything needed to be set up properly. I used those speakers for a good 20 years. When I replaced them, I needed to save space and went with Tannoy studio monitors. But I will say, I think the Time Windows held a top spot in my heart for many years and impressed many many a fine musician, s ear.

[nhennessy]

I heard them a couple of times in the '70s in an audio store in Cincinnati where I was living at the time, and thought they were great. Lived up to Aczel's description IMHO. Can't believe you didn't find they stomped a pair of Bose 501s (of all things). Maybe they were poorly set up or wired out of polarity or something. When I auditioned them, they were driven by large, bullet-proof Crown amps, and that may have had something to do with it as well. I think Aczel was using Levinson or Bryston amps at the time he auditioned them.


And obviously b/c of their dispersion pattern, they absolutely had to be placed in a bigger room, away from the side walls b/c too close to the walls would destroy the imaging.


Personally I think they were one of the best speakers of the 1970s, and I owned LS3/5as driven by a Hafler DH 200 over that period. So I know a little something about what a quality set up from that era sounded like.

[yorbalindason]

Those hands - youtuber Scotty Kilmer’s cousin.