Introducing Olympus & Olympus I/O - A new perspective on modern music playback

For those who just started reading up on Olympus, Olympus I/O, and XDMI, please note that all information in this thread has been summarized in a single PDF document that can be downloaded from the Taiko Website.

https://taikoaudio.com/taiko-2020/taiko-audio-downloads

The document is frequently updated.

Scroll down to the 'XDMI, Olympus Music Server, Olympus I/O' section and click 'XDMI, Olympus, Olympus I/O Product Introduction & FAQ' to download the latest version.

Good morning WBF!​

We are introducing the culmination of close to 4 years of research and development. As a bona fide IT/tech nerd with a passion for music, I have always been intrigued by the potential of leveraging the most modern of technologies in order to create a better music playback experience. This, amongst others, led to the creation of our popular, perhaps even revolutionary, Extreme music server 5 years ago, which we have been steadily improving and updating with new technologies throughout its life cycle. Today I feel we can safely claim it's holding its ground against the onslaught of new server releases from other companies, and we are committed to keep improving it for years to come.

We are introducing a new server model called the Olympus. Hierarchically, it positions itself above the Extreme. It does provide quite a different music experience than the Extreme, or any other server I've heard, for that matter. Conventional audiophile descriptions such as sound staging, dynamics, color palette, etc, fall short to describe this difference. It does not sound digital or analog, I would be inclined to describe it as coming closer to the intended (or unintended) performance of the recording engineer.

Committed to keeping the Extreme as current as possible, we are introducing a second product called the Olympus I/O. This is an external upgrade to the Extreme containing a significant part of the Olympus technology, allowing it to come near, though not entirely at, Olympus performance levels. The Olympus I/O can even be added to the Olympus itself to elevate its performance even further, though not as dramatic an uplift as adding it to the Extreme. Consider it the proverbial "cherry on top".

 

Very interesting. Is XDMI and USB output possible on O I/O, or does USB have to go?

 

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Is it planned that the silver Olympus will be the same silver tone as that of the Extreme? … the one on the picture seems to be the raw just CNC‘ed version.

 

ok, so that definitely changes my upgrade path options as i had assumed that the xdmi card with daughter boards could start in the current extreme. this may move any possible upgrade for me out to 2025.

boy am i glad that NSM has reached a level that i can happily live with for a long time!

Not much to worry about on the Extreme's current performance and it will get even better with time, for free

 

Is it planned that the silver Olympus will be the same silver tone as that of the Extreme? … the one on the picture seems to be the raw just CNC‘ed version.

Yes the same, this is indeed raw aluminium, it still needs to be finished, bead blasted and anodised.

 

Very interesting. Is XDMI and USB output possible on O I/O, or does USB have to go?

You can exchange the two if so desired, but only one would be active at a time.

 

For now that would be over AES/EBU, I2S will follow later, so that would mean you'd be stuck with a 24/192 maximum sample rate limitation for a while.

That would depend on how long "24/192 maximum sample rate limitation for a while." is . Is there also a limitation on DSD files.

Since NSM the format is truly meaningless as everything sounds so perfect BUT I have so many files that are higher format than 24/192

 

You can exchange the two if so desired, but only one would be active at a time.

I like this.....so you can get the Olympus with the XDMI and still keep the USB card until you have found a solution for files more than 24/192 and once done you ca then give up the USB card

Is there a length limitation for i2s cables between the Olympus and the Horizon

 

That would depend on how long "24/192 maximum sample rate limitation for a while." is . Is there also a limitation on DSD files.

Since NSM the format is truly meaningless as everything sounds so perfect BUT I have so many files that are higher format than 24/192

AES/EBU does not support DSD.

 

I like this.....so you can get the Olympus with the XDMI and still keep the USB card until you have found a solution for files more than 24/192 and once done you ca then give up the USB card

Is there a length limitation for i2s cables between the Olympus and the Horizon

Yes but I severely doubt you'd be able to revert to USB when you have both, i2s is sensitive to cabling, shorter would definitely be better, it's sensitivity is the main reason for the existence of AES/EBU, but let's see what we can come up with, this is all peanuts relative to the XDMI design effort

 

Yes but I severely doubt you'd be able to revert to USB when you have both, i2s is sensitive to cabling, shorter would definitely be better, it's sensitivity is the main reason for the existence of AES/EBU, but let's see what we can come up with, this is all peanuts relative to the XDMI design effort

so what would your recommendation be if I want to be able to play DSD and files greater than 24/192 until there is an XDMI solution for doing such...Keep the USB?

 

There is no power connection between the Extreme and Olympus I/O. When adding he Olympus I/O you replace the USB and Network cards in the Extreme with our QFSP interface cards. The USB and network cards move to the Olympus I/O.

So both the O and the I/O need power cords?

 

Future applications we're completely open to working on, so is Lukasz, we've been in touch on that already. We have one full time engineer fully dedicated to designing more output options and/or work on integration into other manufacturer DACs. We've also been in touch with Stavros of Aries Cerat and Jonathan of MSB. These 3 we'll be working on first. We've also been in contact with Vincent of Totaldac and agreed that in this case AES/EBU would be the way to go so we don't need to take further action there. In more general terms Dual AES/EBU and various I2S output options are on the agenda.

I think that in the agreement with Vincent that in TotalDac the best way to go is AES/EBU, you can read “between the lines” quite well.
You really are a very thoughtful person Emile.

 

so what would your recommendation be if I want to be able to play DSD and files greater than 24/192 until there is an XDMI solution for doing such...Keep the USB?

Use the XDMI analogue outputs perhaps?

 

So both the O and the I/O need power cords?

Yes.

 

Use the XDMI analogue outputs perhaps?

does that allow for DSD files up to DSD512 as well as files greater than 24/192

 

does that allow for DSD files up to DSD512 as well as files greater than 24/192

Yes, DSD512 and PCM 32/768.

 

Yes, DSD512 and PCM up to 32/768.

so analogue out of Horizon into XDMI of the Olympus?

 

so analogue out of Horizon into XDMI of the Olympus?

No, bypass the Horizon!

 

No, bypass the Horizon!

I have zero desire to do such

 

so analogue out of Horizon into XDMI of the Olympus?

That won't work but you can also use both USB and XDMI ofcourse, then it's a matter of switching outputs in your player app and inputs on the Horizon.