Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[Mike Lavigne]

Could someone please let me know what else I would need to upgrade as a bare minimum in order not to disgrace the presence of a top flight server like the extreme? i hear talk about switches, usb thingies, etc. Right now my set up with my Sooloos uses basic modems, routers, and crappy 10 dollar switches and bog standard Cat5. Which is these is a no no and what would be the order of priority in improving these please?

here you go.....post #560 from June 18th.....when that was the big subject at hand.

https://whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-28#post-582269

this is what i have. love it.

you also need a certain spec fiber cable. can't recall that exact spec.

maybe Emile has better choices now, but if he does i've not seen it. this set-up has been rock solid perfect for me for 6 months.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Could someone please let me know what else I would need to upgrade as a bare minimum in order not to disgrace the presence of a top flight server like the extreme? i hear talk about switches, usb thingies, etc. Right now my set up with my Sooloos uses basic modems, routers, and crappy 10 dollar switches and bog standard Cat5. Which is these is a no no and what would be the order of priority in improving these please?

Hi Howiebro,


In order of significance:

1) Good structural support, it's a heavy machine, it needs a solid rack and/or platform. If this is not available the floor will do. We do make platforms for them in case the support is dodgy.
2) Good quality USB cable.
3) The fiber setup Mike provided links to above is a nice upgrade, especially considering the investment.
4) If you're into it you can look into upgrading switches but focus on the first 2 items, those are the most influential on performance.

 

[howiebrou]

here you go.....post #560 from June 18th.....when that was the big subject at hand.

https://whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-28#post-582269

this is what i have. love it.

you also need a certain spec fiber cable. can't recall that exact spec.

maybe Emile has better choices now, but if he does i've not seen it. this set-up has been rock solid perfect for me for 6 months.

Thanks Mike, Bob and Emile. Will take a look. Structural support should not be an issue, USB cable open to suggestions, glad it can done in increments. I've just come out of the middle ages and got fibre broadband at home. Previously my Tidal would keep buffering mid song!
Happy Holidays Everyone!

 

[bmichels]

I am still hesitating what to ask santaclaus an upgrade from my W20 to the W20SE or... to the Taiko Audio SGM Extreme which, for same price range, is offering the ROON experience and is "supposed" to sound even better !

 

[Taiko Audio]

I am still hesitating what to ask santaclaus an upgrade from my W20 to the W20SE or... to the Taiko Audio SGM Extreme which, for same price range, is offering the ROON experience and is "supposed" to sound even better !

There was a direct comparison made with the W20SE in South Korea. Maybe @Esotar can chime in on the sonic differences.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Found it:
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...e-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-58#post-596874

In Korea, W20SE vs SGM Extreme comparison test was finished.

10 Korean audiophiles all said SGM Extreme quality is absolutely higher.

W20SE is much more than W20, but there is big difference with two music servers.

By this movies, interest about W20SE was decreased critically

and SGM Extreme awareness is much more higher.

I think to make W30 will be very difficult.

These members final opinions are that Aurender's reputation will be lost more and more.

Actually this comparison is meaningless I think.

Enjoy it~!


https://cafe.naver.com/hifikorea/98121

 

[matthias]

.......an upgrade from my W20 to the W20SE or... to the Taiko Audio SGM Extreme which, for same price range, is offering the ROON experience and is "supposed" to sound even better !

Hi bmichels,

I am not (yet) one of the Extreme owners here at WBF but I listened to it at very good show conditions.

IMHO, the Extreme is a no-compromise product and I would go for it.

If within a limited budget I would spend less on the DAC as @Rhapsody and others found out most DACs sound good in a combo with the Extreme.

Please read the latest post (or may I say article) of @romaz on AS:

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...eaming/page/616/?tab=comments#comment-1014096

The 20SE was inferior to his own builds and now he ordered an Extreme.......

Merry Christmas to all, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ

Best

Matt

 

[nonesup]

I know that I cannot support this more than in my intuition, but I would be very surprised that no matter how good the Extreme, there are no important differences depending on the DAC that we connect.

 

[Rhapsody]

I know that I cannot support this more than in my intuition, but I would be very surprised that no matter how good the Extreme, there are no important differences depending on the DAC that we connect.

Francisco, Sure there are differences in the dacs that are used. But not by intuition but by experience with a few dacs I experienced I witnessed great sound and this was confirmed by daily visitors.

Sound good enough to forget about the system and just enjoy the music. Once it gets to that level that's all I ask for.

I think every dac that is used will sound different but even dacs that are internal to integrated amplifiers sound VG in my system(s) when connected to the Extreme.

 

[matthias]

I know that I cannot support this more than in my intuition, but I would be very surprised that no matter how good the Extreme, there are no important differences depending on the DAC that we connect.

Francisco,
just for clarification, with a budget of 30k for server plus DAC I would go for an Extreme and spend the rest on a DAC.

Matt

 

[Rhapsody]

Francisco,
just for clarification, with a budget of 30k for server plus DAC I would go for an Extreme and spend the rest on a DAC.

Matt

Matt, I would personally do the same and then probably upgrade the dac later, but enjoy great sound in the meantime.

Happy Holidays!!!

 

[matthias]

I have found the largest gains by improving the quality of my power delivery, not just with respect to noise but also keeping line resistance as low as possible and so I have worked very hard to optimize my power infrastructure.

+1
For lovers of slam, dynamics and feeling of a live event this is a must, so maybe the best preparation for integrating an Extreme into a set-up.
I reserved one of the three phases at my place for my set-up with a low impedance 5AWG, there is no power distribution box with plugs and sockets, all is hard wired with Neutrik 32 Amp connectors at the devices.

Matt

 

[microstrip]

Francisco,
just for clarification, with a budget of 30k for server plus DAC I would go for an Extreme and spend the rest on a DAC.

Matt

Do not forget the Qobuz subscription!

 

[Rhapsody]

Do not forget the Qobuz subscription!

And a glass of wine or your favorite beverage

 

[Blackmorec]

I found that the best mains supply comprises multiple runs of Acrolink 7N P4030-III Stress Free cable (probably best in ring format) to Furutech Gold FP-1363D duplex sockets...which I prefer to the Rhodium plated versions although the FP-1363D NCF (Nano-Crystal Formula) sockets are probably superior to both, based on both price (I feel safe saying this as its Furutech we’re talking about) and the advanced materials and technology used. Slam, dynamics and a feeling of the live events aplenty. Energy, propulsion, dynamics, verve, purity and silence are probably the standout features. Instruments have their individual acoustic space and sound 3 dimensional, the notes are complex with timbre and textures, the music is usually very beautiful and effortlessly dynamic and there’re no frequency anomalies or anything to disturb listening pleasure and involvement. The micro-dynamics are absolutely superb and this is an important area in making music sound real and ‘live’. Micro dynamics gives music a freshness and feeling that there’s nothing between you and the music. Many instruments sound percussive as the note is formed, bloom then fade away, often the fading is directional....studio recordings often fade in a particular direction. The above obviously takes more than a cable, but the proof of the pudding is that the cable doesn’t do anything to prevent the above when the rest of the system has the capability. Essentially your power supply ‘enables’ the rest of your system to operate at a certain level. The better the supply, the higher the level seems to be, due to what feels like reduced noise and therefore more detail, an increased dynamic ability and the ability to sound effortless, unshackled, pure and ‘untarnished’. BTW I always leave installation to a competent electrician because at the end of the day I’ll get a better, neater job and the odds are massively increased that I’ll still be alive to listen to the result.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i would relate the significance of the Extreme (relative to alternatives i've heard) to 'just short' of the significance of a particular pressing in vinyl. modest tt's sound better than great one's with the right pressing. or a 45rpm or direct to disc over a normal 33. media trumps all. with digital even the resolution is not as significant as the delivery process of those bits.

yet turntables, arms and cartridges still matter. as do dacs. but they can only work with what is presented to them.

i think this speaks to the level of maturity of listening to streaming or files; we are in an awakening stage of digital listening, where possibly the Extreme is a break-thru product unleashing what can be done at a new level. i say 'possibly' only because only time and looking back will tell.

 

[matthias]

i would relate the significance of the Extreme (relative to alternatives i've heard) to 'just short' of the significance of a particular pressing in vinyl. modest tt's sound better than great one's with the right pressing. or a 45rpm or direct to disc over a normal 33. media trumps all. with digital even the resolution is not as significant as the delivery process of those bits.

yet turntables, arms and cartridges still matter. as do dacs. but they can only work with what is presented to them.

i think this speaks to the level of maturity of listening to streaming or files; we are in an awakening stage of digital listening, where possibly the Extreme is a break-thru product unleashing what can be done at a new level. i say 'possibly' only because only time and looking back will tell.

Yes, comparing analog and digital systems the turntable takes the same rank as the server and the cartridge the same rank as the DAC.
Both turntable and server are more important than cartridge and DAC.

Matt

 

[spiritofmusic]

So Mike, are you saying Extreme provides the best provenance digital, just as in the vinyl world, having the best first pressings or 45rpm dics, is the best of analog?

I'm not entirely sure that's accurate. On Tidal (and likely Qobuz), even w Roon nomenclature, it's still not exactly obvious what the provenance of albums is, certainly in my chosen genres.

If I want "first" pressings of LZ, Rush, Genesis, and I'm sure much jazz incl Blue Note, I still have to go to the cd's.

If you want the latest eg Nick Davis or Steve Wilson remasters, fine. But if you want 80s/90s original cd versions, I don't believe Extreme can access these.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

So Mike, are you saying Extreme provides the best provenance digital, just as in the vinyl world, having the best first pressings or 45rpm dics, is the best of analog?

I'm not entirely sure that's accurate. On Tidal (and likely Qobuz), even w Roon nomenclature, it's still not exactly obvious what the provenance of albums is, certainly in my chosen genres.

from my view not exactly.

we can all get the same bits. there is no trick to that like there is with vinyl. it comes down to how you feed the dac that matters. networks matter, streaming services matter, but especially the server matters. the server is the bottleneck. and where the hard lifting occurs. at least in my experience that is where things changed big time.

the whole disc <-> file thing is way behind us now (in reality......not that everyone can see it yet). the combination of higher rez and a server like the Extreme is just a bridge too far for discs. and streaming higher rez into the right server is just too easy and such a musical access with quality.

 

[steve williams]

i would relate the significance of the Extreme (relative to alternatives i've heard) to 'just short' of the significance of a particular pressing in vinyl. modest tt's sound better than great one's with the right pressing. or a 45rpm or direct to disc over a normal 33. media trumps all. with digital even the resolution is not as significant as the delivery process of those bits.

yet turntables, arms and cartridges still matter. as do dacs. but they can only work with what is presented to them.

i think this speaks to the level of maturity of listening to streaming or files; we are in an awakening stage of digital listening, where possibly the Extreme is a break-thru product unleashing what can be done at a new level. i say 'possibly' only because only time and looking back will tell.

in my system I continue to marvel at the virtues of the Extreme and how good it sounds in my system. I have zero need to add switches, optical fiber, gigafoil or other stipulated necessary tweaks as I am so drawn in by the sound as it is now. So much so that vinyl has taken a back seat in my system due to the ease of use of the Extreme as well as its excellent sound quality.

And yes Mike, like you I believe the Extreme to be a break out product