DCM time windows --> Has anyone seen this before?

[kyo]

Hi!

Kind regards from germany! I am trying to get a pair of DCM time windows speakers. Those a pretty rare in my area but I found a set in a reasonable distance from my area.
The actual seller seems to be a reasonable guy and (regarding the background where he has gotten the speakers from) however, they do look pretty weird. Actually I do not care so much about the looks because I just want something that looks 70ies and -is- from the seventies. The set in question is certainly a set DCM time windows but its covered in a rather... let's say unique fabric and the seem to lack the rather iconic top and botton of the typical DCM time windows.


The question I have in mind is the following:
Is there -any- chance that these DCMs are original DCM (design) or is it more likely that this is some kind of custom job?

Kind regards and thanks for your time!
kyo

 

[Wolverine]

They look closer to the Time Bass module than any of the TW's I have seen or owned. Especially since I think I just see a single 8" woofer and a port at the bottom.
The Time Bass was designed to be used with another speaker called a Time Piece. The Time Bass provided the lower end and the Time Piece the top end of the musical spectrum. I think some of the later MTX versions also used a rectangular design of the TW so it could be that this is one of those models.

In any case there are better DCM experts here that can give you better information. In the meantime you can go to the DCM website and you can find information on the pre-MTX era Time Windows.
http://dcmspeakers.com

 

[Son-of-Vere]

Hmmm, I see two woofers and two ports........
I'd say this looks custom. The bad news is, That top is critical for the performance of the speaker. unless you're willing to reproduce them, I'd give 'em a pass.

 

[kyo]

Hmmm, I see two woofers and two ports........
I'd say this looks custom. The bad news is, That top is critical for the performance of the speaker. unless you're willing to reproduce them, I'd give 'em a pass.

Well, that's kind of what I expected myself... and yes, that would be a showkiller for me too. However I think I'll talk to that guy in order to figure out whats really going on with these speakers. They are located within a half hour by car and still might worth checking them out, even if it's just for getting myself a bit more experienced these speakers.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Blue Shadow]

Those are DCM Time Windows from the 80s that have been modified by removing or cutting the tops and bottoms to match the speaker cabinet in size. Then they were burlapped.

I say they are from the 80s because I bought a pair of 27000 serial number TWs about Jan 1, 1981 (actually a couple days earlier). These appear to be 42000 S/N.

These could be made right with the addition of a walnut veneered top and bottom placte in the unique Time Window shapes with sloped sides and inside edges painted dark brown. Of course, this might make the speakers just a bit taller than real TWs if these have the original end caps just cut.

Given this information these are not original Time Windows but the most popular version of the early Time Window, the ones from serial number around 2000 to almost 50000. Earlier ones, called the same thing had octagonal woofers for a few hunderd pair and the tweeter was swapped later in production making the speaker with the long run, two small improvements. I also think there might have been changes in the ports at the bottom.

The speaker shown has two woofers up top and tweeters (Philips, Mylar dome) below them and at the bottom a couple of transmission line ports. These are great speakers for the money and will image surprisingly well with the speakers placed almost anywhere.

@Wolverine The DCM Time Bass (a proper name) is the subwoofer system designed to be used with the Time Window. It is very rare since it was huge, a couple Reuleaux triangle end tables maybe 30" tall and 30" across, don't quote me on the size but you can on the name of the device.

The Time Piece used the Full Time to provide the bass response for that small speaker.

 

[kyo]

So here is the update:

I decided to go to the place to listen to the speakers and to check their condition and state. As soon as I've seen them, I realized that -if those speakers had been modified in their past- they have not been modified by an amateur. I am quite sure that they must have been worked over by a carpenter and even received some pretty decent "tailoring" later on.

So that was a positive surprise and I started listening to them... and was quite amazed. they sounded much better then anything I expected. I probably would not say that they are best speakers I've ever heard but they have had a really convincing, transparent, crispy and detailed sound. Pretty darn good. I listened to some Opera I've had with me and the guy who sold then had a copy of "Best of Audiophile Voices". Quite a convincing setup too. Just after listening to them I did not worry too much about their originality because they just sounded so damn well and took them with me (they where quite affordable too)

At home I took my old NAD 7600 back from the (warm and clean) attic and connected it to the speakers and... well: Apparently it did not like it's 20+ years retirement and is in dire need of some love and restoration now (pretty much all contacts and switches need to be worked on). However I managed it to convince it to work nicely enough for the time being and I was very happy to see/hear that the DCMs are quite happy to work with the NAD. It's been a long time since I listened to music in such a way and I am really enjoying it

Kind regards!

 

[restorer-john]

Often, the middle period of Timewindows is conveneiently forgotten. They had the non hex sided woofers, but were still using the Philips tweeter. Then came the Vifa tweeter in the 1as.

 

[Wolverine]

Sounds like you have some version of the Time Windows model. Congratulations and enjoy them!!

 

[SaturationPt]

I have a pair of the 1As. Bought them with a receiver that I wanted, planned to sell the speakers immediately. After listening to them, I was pleasantly surprised as to how nice they sound. I had a pair of TF-600s some time back, was pleasantly surprised by those also, apparently DCM (about an hour from my home) had some pretty good designs.

 

[MadJap]

Congrats on your DCM acquisition! I too have a pair of TW1a (and a pair of CX-27 and TF700).

Once you listen to a pair of DCMs with decent amplification, it's hard to let them go.

 

[kyo]

Congrats on your DCM acquisition! I too have a pair of TW1a (and a pair of CX-27 and TF700).

Once you listen to a pair of DCMs with decent amplification, it's hard to let them go.

Definitely the truth. I changed the room setup a couple of times right now. Yet with my current room setup I am tempted to say that there might be a bit too much emphasis on bass. But it also might be the case that I just changed my listening habits since the last time I dealt with HiFi equipment with a pair of KEF speakers:


Anyway, that's a -highly- subjective thing yet and I am still working on the setup. Furthermore I am mostly listening to Jazz Recordings at the moment and those have quite different characteristics then those I am/was used to listen too. I just ordered a couple of opera CDs (decent recordings I know and remember) because I do have some actual life experience how live opera sounds. As soon as I got them in my CD player I'll have a better (still subjective) reference for the setup in my room

However I am deeply impressed about their sound performance in general. My focus was just getting some "decent" vintage speakers and actually I was not expecting to get something with such a performance. Regarding their age, makes them even more impressive too me.

Kind regards.