DOES ANYONE REGRET BUYING A TAIKO EXTREME SERVER? ANYTHING BETTER?

[DoctorWhy]

So here's what I think I know about NAGRA. The HD PreAmp is fantastic. It obviously bested my AESTHETIX Callisto Eclipse recently, although the Callisto Eclipse's tubes are a bit long in the tooth. Nonetheless, the Aesthetix Callisto was the best pre amp I ever heard before this Swiss monster.
The HD DAC X just sounds right. I never A-B'd it with my PS Audio Direct Stream DAC. It just sounded right. Same was tru with the Aesthetix pre-amp vs the Nagra. The Nagra just sounded great, so there was little impetus to compare. When I finally went back to the Aesthetix, it was worse, as I suspect would be the case with the PS Audio vs the HD DAC X. According to Rene La Flame, NAGRA"S N.A. Distributor, The previous DACs were not in the HD line. Only the HD DAC X is made to their cost no object design.

 

[Zeotrope]

Agree with most of what you wrote, except the last part. The Tube DAC was indeed in the HD line. Before the HD DAC X, the Tube DAC was called the HD DAC, and was their ‘cost no object design’. They made a few improvements to that HD DAC and called it the Tube DAC.
You can think of the HD DAC X as the dual mono version of the Tube DAC, with a standard super cap power supply (which you can buy separately for the Tube DAC). Price difference is about 50% more (since the Tube DAC with a super cap supply lists for about $40k).
Both DACs are phenomenal, and both are/were part of the HD Line. One is dual mono and a few other tweaks, the other is not.

I owned a PS Audio DSD DAC. There’s no comparison to the Nagra Tube DAC. But then it costs like 8x less, so there shouldn’t be. Just don’t listen to a Nagra DAC if you don’t want to pay for one

 

[AThrillOfHope]

It’s very heavy.

... and doesn't not adhere to my sense of feng shui.

 

[Zeotrope]

with XDMS the sound quality is simply astounding. Whenever I put on a vinyl record (which is very rare now), I am reminded about why I don't listen to vinyl anymore.
Not that it has to be one or the other; but the digital-vinyl battle is over. Taiko Extreme + Nagra HD DAC X have won.

 

[AThrillOfHope]

Sorry, this thing is just plain ugly. Don't they have any taste?

You have to remember that it doubles as a parking meter.

 

[AThrillOfHope]

You can always buy the silver version...
View attachment 73899

Now it looks like luggage.

 

[Zeotrope]

Now it looks like luggage.

The attachment above is not the Taiko Extreme.

 

[AThrillOfHope]

The attachment above is not the Taiko Extreme.

Yes, I know. It is Wadax's lesser line. Just joking. Audio should be fun, right? I would love to own anything Wadax. Not really interested in the looks so much. My listening room is dark most of the time, anyway.

 

[AThrillOfHope]

with XDMS the sound quality is simply astounding. Whenever I put on a vinyl record (which is very rare now), I am reminded about why I don't listen to vinyl anymore.
Not that it has to be one or the other; but the digital-vinyl battle is over. Taiko Extreme + Nagra HD DAC X have won.

Even over the MSB Select II?

 

[Zeotrope]

Even over the MSB Select II?

Yes, according to this well regarded reviewer:

TOP 5 - Digital sources​

• Nagra HD DAC X – 111 points (State of the Art) – German Audio – Ed.264
• MSB Select DAC – 106 points (State of the Art) – German Audio – Ed.252
• Nagra Tube DAC – 105 points (State of the Art) – German Audio – Ed.262
• dCS Rossini – 100 points (State of the Art) – Ferrari Technologies – Ed.250
• dCS Scarlatti – 100 points (State of the Art) – Ferrari Technologies – Ed.183

TOP 5 – AVMAG

Ranking de testes da Áudio Vídeo Magazine Apresentamos aqui o ranking atualizado dos produtos selecionados que foram analisados por nossa metodologia nos últimos anos, ordenados pelas […]

www.clubedoaudio.com.br

There are detailed reviews of each unit on the website.

 

[AThrillOfHope]

Yes, according to this well regarded reviewer:

TOP 5 - Digital sources​

• Nagra HD DAC X – 111 points (State of the Art) – German Audio – Ed.264
• MSB Select DAC – 106 points (State of the Art) – German Audio – Ed.252
• Nagra Tube DAC – 105 points (State of the Art) – German Audio – Ed.262
• dCS Rossini – 100 points (State of the Art) – Ferrari Technologies – Ed.250
• dCS Scarlatti – 100 points (State of the Art) – Ferrari Technologies – Ed.183

TOP 5 – AVMAG

Ranking de testes da Áudio Vídeo Magazine Apresentamos aqui o ranking atualizado dos produtos selecionados que foram analisados por nossa metodologia nos últimos anos, ordenados pelas […]

www.clubedoaudio.com.br

There are detailed reviews of each unit on the website.

Interesting. Not to be a snit, but a local dealer carries the Nagra line (believes the Nagra PreAmp is the best on the market right now), and favors the MSB Select II over the Nagra DAC in their ultimate listening room. I have NOT A/B'd the two DACs.

They use the Innuos Statemnt for the streamer. Alexx Vs are monitors. Had the chance to check this out for several hours and found that Nagra PreAmp is simply outstanding (off topic, sorry) and much preferred when it was inserted into the path rather than going direct from DAC to amps (Dag Momentum XVX monos). Much more air around vocals and strings.

 

[Zeotrope]

I think at this level you can't really go wrong. It's more about personal preference. Essentially, the difference seems to be that the Nagra is more "analog" like or realistic, whereas the MSB is more clinical and technical.
The Nagra DAC X is also HALF the price of the MSB Select -- not a small difference!

 

[AThrillOfHope]

I think at this level you can't really go wrong. It's more about personal preference. Essentially, the difference seems to be that the Nagra is more "analog" like or realistic, whereas the MSB is more clinical and technical.
The Nagra DAC X is also HALF the price of the MSB Select -- not a small difference!

Okay, you beat me on finding the price on the Nagra DAC. Half the price really ends the discussion when the differences are more preferential than measurable. Thank you.

Wonder if the same applies between the Innuous Statement and Taiko Extreme--is the Statement "good enough" at less than half the cost of the Taiko, or is it a case of "good enough" is NOT "good enough"? Have you ever compared the two? I would love to upgrade my streamer, but the Taiko is out of my current budget. Any insight on the Statement for the cost?

 

[Zeotrope]

Okay, you beat me on finding the price on the Nagra DAC. Half the price really ends the discussion when the differences are more preferential than measurable. Thank you.

Wonder if the same applies between the Innuous Statement and Taiko Extreme--is the Statement "good enough" at less than half the cost of the Taiko, or is it a case of "good enough" is NOT "good enough"? Have you ever compared the two? I would love to upgrade my streamer, but the Taiko is out of my current budget. Any insight on the Statement for the cost?

I completely understand where you're coming from!

I haven't heard the Innuous Statement, unfortunately, so I cannot comment. As long as you hear it and are happy with it & it fits your budget, then that's all the matters. Just don't listen to something more expensive!

 

[DoctorWhy]

... and doesn't not adhere to my sense of feng shui.

the Extreme works very well with Ethernet. but it has really worked hard to optimize USB as that seems to yield the best results with most dacs at this point.

how do you know that your dac sounds best with Ethernet? logically it would seem that judging an interface is a two sided question. you would need to test your dac with multiple servers with multiple interfaces to answer that question. the more the better. even different cables and Ethernet routers and such might change the result.

in the case of the Extreme server and my MSB Select II dac; to begin with Ethernet with the MSB Renderer v2 sounded better than USB. then came the MSB Pro USB interface and that sounded better than the Ethernet. finally Taiko developed an improved USB card and the USB interface got even better.

in any case the Extreme server can be used with any interface. it's very flexible and designed to adapt to different dacs and changing interfaces. and if, in fact, your dac is optimized for Ethernet the Extreme can work that way effectively.

 

[caesar]

with XDMS the sound quality is simply astounding. Whenever I put on a vinyl record (which is very rare now), I am reminded about why I don't listen to vinyl anymore.

Does the XDMS offer suggestions via a recommendation engine? or do guys just add songs to the play queue manually?

 

[Zeotrope]

Does the XDMS offer suggestions via a recommendation engine? or do guys just add songs to the play queue manually?

The app has not been officially released yet, so I don't know. You can use the Extreme with Roon; but the sound quality is vastly better with XDMS.

 

[DoctorWhy]

Hello AThrillOFHope. You raise many points that i can verify. First the NagraHD Pre Amp is fantastic. The Nagra DAC HD-X is also great. It has more natural tone than the MSB, but a smaller sound stage. I can tell you that I prefer the MSB Select with my tube amps. With the Nagra HD DACX my tube amps sound sluggish. When I am listienng to the more spacious and detailed Nagra HD amps, it is a tossup to me. My good freind "second liner" definitely prefers the Nagra DAC's tonality over the MSB with the solid state Nagra amps. I think the tonality is better with the Nagra HD DAC X, but the imaging and transparence is better with the MSB Select DAC. As an additional note, My KT150 hand built tube amps are very good. I still have not decided that the Nagra Amps are better. Only different.

linerInteresting. Not to be a snit, but a local dealer carries the Nagra line (believes the Nagra PreAmp is the best on the market right now), and favors the MSB Select II over the Nagra DAC in their ultimate listening room. I have NOT A/B'd the two DACs.

They use the Innuos Statemnt for the streamer. Alexx Vs are monitors. Had the chance to check this out for several hours and found that Nagra PreAmp is simply outstanding (off topic, sorry) and much preferred when it was inserted into the path rather than going direct from DAC to amps (Dag Momentum XVX monos). Much more air around vocals and strings.

 

[DoctorWhy]

The attachment above is not the Taiko Extreme.

You have to remember that it doubles as a parking meter.

What are you referring to? If the Nagra, Look at this:

 

[AThrillOfHope]

What are you referring to? If the Nagra, Look at this:

I was referring to the Wadax Reference line.

But was just joking. I regard audio equipment like actors--the ones that get paid more money for a single job than most people make in three lifetimes get to be harpooned relentlessly without apology. Comes with the territory for making that much money without saving a life. Those are the rules.

Doesn't mean I do not love movies and music. I do. More than can be expressed in words. But their price tags warrant a level of musing.