DCM Time Windows

[oldtimer]

I love my time windows but they are badly in need of new grill cloth. Any suggestions.

 

[oldtimer]

I also have a pair of dcm time windows which sound great but need new grill cloth. Any suggestions?

 

[hammerhead]

I went to the DCM site and looked at the Time Window manuals and none of these looks like mine. I am sure that when I bought them in the 70s they were called Time Windows, but I see no placard for a model # or serial #. Where is that located? Unlike the manuals here, my speakers are curved in the back and only have flat sides in the front.

Also, one of the speakers has come loose from its mounting. It looks like it was held there with some sort of thermoplastic material that penetrated a hole in the speaker and adhered to the fiberboard material below. Not being an audiophile I have to wonder if there is a good reason to not just glue this or screw this in place? If so, where can I get this material to make a repair?

The Originals were called Time Windows of which I own a pair that the original owner sent back to the factory and had upgraded to the newer second reincarnation the 1A, the difference was in the Drivers, the 6.5 woofer/ mids and the tweeters were changed and an anti defraction acoustical lens was used to cover the tweet's (looks like a piece if heavy window screen, my DCM Time Frames had the same thing on the tweeters. What speaker company's that sell models for under 2000 $ offer lifetime model upgrades now days?? Too bad DCM sold out and quit the business. The only speakers Ive used for stereo the last 27 yrs. Having a hell of a hard time finding foam grill cloth for mine.

 

[haraldo]

Whatever you do... Don't sell the Time Windows

These are classics, you will regret it..... If you change your mind, I can send you my address

People we need Pictures of the Time Windows

 

[gib]

Time Window Grill Cloth

Just happend to find this forum and Time Window discussion from a Google search, what a grin. I have owned a pair for, I'm guessing, 30 years, bought them in Ann Arbor, from a friend who had a store retailing them. I think the serials are around 1500 or so. Anyway, before DCM went under I was able to get them rebuilt, still use them everyday as I have never found a pair of speakers that I wanted to replace them with. Started using them with a Rotel amp, (still have it) way back then, then went to a Carver reciever with their "holographic" feature, what a great combo for an unmatched soundstage.

Anyway, I did have to replace the grill cloths, called the company that bought the DCM name, and they pointed me to a Grainger catalog and informed me that the original grill material was essentially air conditioning filter material. I ordered it, and sure enough, it was the exact material as the original. I re-wrapped them, still in use today.

Sadly, my Carver receiver is begining to die. Not to hijack this thread, but anyone know of a good, reputable reapir facilty, hopefully in Michigan, that could do do some reapir work?

BTW, great forum, I've had a look around, got a lot of reading to do!!

 

[haraldo]

Just happend to find this forum and Time Window discussion from a Google search, what a grin. I have owned a pair for, I'm guessing, 30 years, bought them in Ann Arbor, from a friend who had a store retailing them. I think the serials are around 1500 or so. Anyway, before DCM went under I was able to get them rebuilt, still use them everyday as I have never found a pair of speakers that I wanted to replace them with. Started using them with a Rotel amp, (still have it) way back then, then went to a Carver reciever with their "holographic" feature, what a great combo for an unmatched soundstage.

Anyway, I did have to replace the grill cloths, called the company that bought the DCM name, and they pointed me to a Grainger catalog and informed me that the original grill material was essentially air conditioning filter material. I ordered it, and sure enough, it was the exact material as the original. I re-wrapped them, still in use today.

Sadly, my Carver receiver is begining to die. Not to hijack this thread, but anyone know of a good, reputable reapir facilty, hopefully in Michigan, that could do do some reapir work?

BTW, great forum, I've had a look around, got a lot of reading to do!!

Very very interesting to read stories like these, who say that speakers are getting better
Some "old-timers" are really up to speed still

Pictures plz

Or even better, post your rig in the Member Systems Gallery

Cheers h

 

[JulianD]

Wow! - These are classics, just like owning a '70 Challenger.
I still have these, and I use them in my home theater setup, along with a Bose center, and 2 rear channels. They are now driven by my Onkyo Surround receiver.
I originally purchased these here in Florida back in 197?, along with a Marantz receiver.
They are in great physical shape, sans cloth grill.
The receiver also works fine, but it is in storage.
American classics, you can NOT beat them.
I did find the Grainger source for grill material as one has pointed out.
Link ...
grainger.com/Grainger/items/5W913?Pid=search

I will be ordering this today..
I do not miss having a sub woofer in my theater setup, mainly because these Time Windows will shake down the house if I want..
I'm glad to have found other fans here..

 

[TW1]

Hi all,
New to Audioholics ... like that wasn't obvious. Nice to find that there are still a number of Time Windows out there and working. I have some of the original TW1's. I bought them used in 1982. I was in the market for some higher end audio equipment, and I saw them in a shop sitting in a pile of other equipment. My room mate at the time (originally from Michigan) knew what they were and said I should get them. They were $300 for the pair (pretty steep price for a guy fairly new to the working world). I thought at the time (and still do) that they had one of the most open and natural soundstages that I had heard.

My wife absolutely hates them because of their substantial mass and their appearence (and I have to confess that the wood is pretty shabby looking [anyone have any luck refinishing it?] and the grill cloth has had it ... OK ... it had had it 20 years ago) but in looking for more info on the speakers I came across this site:

w.mawebcenters.com/midwestspeaker/ecommerce/speaker-cloth-foam/mf-1-4-foam-speaker-grille-cover.html

The grill foam is already cut to size 34.5x36 for a TM1 (and possibly 1a). I thought the price was pretty steep - $35 a pop; but the grainger roll although plenty long enough for 2 speakers doesn't appear to me to be wide enough. At 24 inches, you would have to either cut 2 strips or just not completely wrap the speaker. They do carry a 36 inch roll but it's either 1/2in thick or 1in thick and VERY expensive. So, the search continues.

Honestly, I didn't mean to write this much on the first post. I guess I'm pretty excited; I have a new receiver coming today and the first thing I'm going to hook it up to are the TM1's. Can't wait. Oh, Resolution ... I don't seem to have a plackard either. I'm not sure if the earliest TMs had them, or if so, maybe they just prone to fall off. It's possible that the information is IN the speaker somewhere but I don't want to "crack" them open to find out.

 

[jsours]

TimeWindow bliss

I was fortunate to recently obtain a pair of TimeWindows in excellent shape for $200 from craigslist. These are the first ones that I had ever heard. I am very impressed. The instrument separation and presence is quite amazing. I may never get rid of them.

 

[TW1]

I went to the DCM site and looked at the Time Window manuals and none of these looks like mine. I am sure that when I bought them in the 70s they were called Time Windows, but I see no placard for a model # or serial #. Where is that located? Unlike the manuals here, my speakers are curved in the back and only have flat sides in the front.

Also, one of the speakers has come loose from its mounting. It looks like it was held there with some sort of thermoplastic material that penetrated a hole in the speaker and adhered to the fiberboard material below. Not being an audiophile I have to wonder if there is a good reason to not just glue this or screw this in place? If so, where can I get this material to make a repair?

Hi Resolution,
Don't know if you're still looking at repairing your speakers or not. My personal opinion is that the black "goop" encasing each of the speakers is to do a couple of things. One, I believe it isolates and cushions the driver in the cabinet. And two, it totally seals the cabinet forcing any air pressure generated in the cabinet to be forced out the ports. Could be totally wrong, but that's my best guess. I did find my serial numbers though. If you turn the speaker around, on the bottom wood support to the right of center, I have a number stamped/carved in to the wood on the top side. Mine have 1472 and 1478. So far, the wood refinishing job is exceeding my expectations. I've sanded and restained and they are looking great. I'm still looking for the perfect grill cloth/foam, but I haven't found it yet. And, I did receive my Denon receiver, hooked up the TWs and played a few vinyl discs as well as some MP3 selections and all I can say is WOW!!!! These babies can still sing.

 

[steveJosephson]

I have a pair of the original DCM TimeWindows, too. You're correct that I need a new grill cloth.

I would appreciate any information you have on these speakers.

 

[ElRoi]

Obligatory Post 1

 

[ElRoi]

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[ElRoi]

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[ElRoi]

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[ElRoi]

Final Obligatory Post

 

[ElRoi]

Over the weekend I was in Athens, GA and while perusing one of the many Antique/Salvage/Junk stores thereof, I was indoctrinated into the the Time Window cult for the reasonable price of $100. They are fully functioning and appear to be completely original. The speaker cover "socks" are in pretty damn good shape considering the their age.



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[haraldo]

Thx... I never seen proper pictures of them but these were high resolution indeed

And now we also know that they used Danish tweeters, perhaps woofer is Vifa too

 

[WooHoo]

Now THIS is a fun thread! I have an old (80's) pair of Klipsch KG2's that I feel I need to dust off and have fun with!

 

[ElRoi]

Do it WooHoo.