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".

 

The center-to-center distance (380mm) of the footers is a useful data point, thanks Christiaan. But I believe the 90mm measurement was previously given as the inside diameter of each footer housing, rather than the footer itself. Is my memory mistaken? If you add half of that 90mm housing diameter times two footers plus the 380 span of the front footers, the result is 470mm, which would leave a reasonable 5mm each side for the rim of the footer housing (to reach total 480mm width).

For folks hoping to press into service a slightly smaller than ideal shelf, the outer measurement of the acrylic footer span is more relevant than the outside of the housing IMO. For this use, I think nonesup's 44cm estimate looks pretty good.

Good point, and you're right! 90 mm is the size of the cavity. The footers themselves are 50 mm (1.97 in) in diameter.
I will correct my earlier post.

 

What type of key do you use to remove the Olympus feet?

The screw used to attach the footers is an M6x12, using a 4mm HEX/Allen key.

 

Good afternoon
I can confirm that Roon may stop playing if you have Ring cameras.
This is a situation where pushing play resumes music.
Marc

 

...this Ring Cycle was not foretold in the Sagas.

 

...this Ring Cycle was not foretold in the Sagas.

 

Good afternoon
I can confirm that Roon may stop playing if you have Ring cameras.
This is a situation where pushing play resumes music.
Marc

that seems odd, at least if you have a taiko router. the olympus should then be on a different subnet than the ring cameras.
if they are on the same subnet, i wouldn't be surprised if the ring camera even let folks half way across the world pick the next song you hear

 

that seems odd, at least if you have a taiko router. the olympus should then be on a different subnet than the ring cameras.
if they are on the same subnet, i wouldn't be surprised if the ring camera even let folks half way across the world pick the next song you hear

I think...
It was in my network.
The Linksys that connects to the Taiko router was disrupted by the cameras and stopped the play.
Nothing to do with the Taiko router.

 

I think...
It was in my network.
The Linksys that connects to the Taiko router was disrupted by the cameras and stopped the play.
Nothing to do with the Taiko router.

got it. so nothing to do with taiko at all, just a linksys router issue.

 

Here's an interesting report about the Olympus / IO from Poland.

High Fidelity

highfidelity.pl

I usually like how they make reviews (whereas this time it is more an impressions article), with a rather down-to-earth approach and a choral list of impressions, where various listeners give their feedback.

The reference here was an Aurender N20, hence not a really fair comparison, but some of the things that were underlined resonated well, for me, with the core strengths of the Olympus. As when they mentioned its ability to mimic the projection of the scale and harmonics complexity of a grand piano.

I was listening to the Préludes from this collection yesterday, and with dynamic pieces like La Cathedrale Engloutie, the contrast between the most nuanced passages and the room-filling thunderous FF was truly engrossing.

​

And, it is not only a matter of dynamics. The beginning of the piece is noted by Debussy as "Dans un brume doucement sonore", and here the misty feeling is rendered in a way that the sound texture is still recognizable within the density, thanks to the O. resolving power. Then, the music gradually exits from the fogginess (just as the Cathedral emerges) dissolving into clarity of articulation and bell-like tones with a transition from pp to ff which is indicated as "Sonore sans dureté". This change of harmonics atmosphere and dynamics is the magic of grand piano - in the hands of a sublime pianist - and it can sound from smothered and underwhelming to gloriously exalting depending on the gear.

 

One of the pleasures of this avocation of ours is getting to meet delightful people who share the same interests.

This last week I had the honor of hosting Marty (@cat6man) in my home for a couple of hours of listening to music and talking about audio. A nicer person I can't imagine and Marty bought a playlist of some really great music, some familiar and some completely new to me. I'd already heard the improvement of .wav over .flac and Marty's examples left no doubt that .wav is currently unmistakably audibly preferable to .flac with the Olympus.

All too soon it was time for Marty to pick up his wife from one of our local lavender farms, but I am already looking forward to the next time his travels take him to my part of the world.

Steve Z

 

@StefanK - My apologies - I’m the one to blame for the lack of a complete estimated production schedule.

While there have been some partial updates, I’m the one who normally puts together the full schedule (it's quite complicated and time consuming process) - and I’ve fallen behind on that. After four back-to-back HiFi shows in the US (February, March, April, and June) and some major personal transitions that will actually allow me to focus exclusively on Taiko going forward, I took my family on a much-needed vacation we’ve been planning for the past year. During that time, I intentionally stepped away from work and focused on my family. I was also waiting on a few key production details before the trip, which made it difficult to put together an accurate schedule in time.

I’ll be back in a week, fully recharged and fully focused on supporting Taiko and resuming timely, consistent updates.

In the meantime, Taiko will send out another partial production update — and I’ll make sure we’re fully back on track with regular communication as soon as I return.

Thanks again for your patience and understanding.

Hi, @nenon Can we expect an update this week? On the 25th you promised an estimate in a week.

 

Hi, @nenon Can we expect an update this week? On the 25th you promised an estimate in a week.

Yes, I am back and catching up. Give me a couple of days. Should have something out by Wednesday - Thursday this week.

 

It really amazes me about the quality control at taiko . I received my Lampizator daughter card today and it was so full of dust . Also the plastic case all sticky . With a company selling a product of this cost one would think they could dust of card and remove the glue residue of case .

This would be the 3rd issue since receiving the Olympus.

My bottom cover on IO is a bit to large so cover has to be bowed to fit . It took a lot to remove cover after screws were removed , even the weight of the IO wasn't enough to remove cover .

 

It really amazes me about the quality control at taiko . I received my Lampizator daughter card today and it was so full of dust . Also the plastic case all sticky . With a company selling a product of this cost one would think they could dust of card and remove the glue residue of case .

This would be the 3rd issue since receiving the Olympus.

My bottom cover on IO is a bit to large so cover has to be bowed to fit . It took a lot to remove cover after screws were removed , even the weight of the IO wasn't enough to remove cover .

@rau - just to respond here, since your post includes things I was directly involved with.

You have my personal number - the same one I use with close friends and family - not my work number that most others get. During the short time I was away on vacation, you and I exchanged a couple of hundred messages - more than all my other messages combined. Even while trying to focus on family, I made sure to answer every question and support you however I could.

You asked for the Lampizator daughter card to be shipped ASAP. Taiko was planning to wait for new mini flight cases with custom foam to arrive, but I told them NOT to hold the shipment - just send it in an older case so you’d have the card faster. That decision came from me. So yes, the case may have had some sticker residue, and the card may not have been cleaned to the usual standard - but that was the trade-off for speed. If I’d told them to wait, you’d still be waiting.

Regarding the I/O bottom cover - I looked into that too. I checked with Taiko, and they only had powder-coated bottom plates available. During my vacation, I did the research to confirm that your I/O has an anodized plate, so sending a replacement wouldn’t have been a match. That’s actually why I offered to come visit you - my intention was to bring my own (anodized) I/O bottom plate with me to test-fit it on your unit and figure out exactly what was going on. And leave it with you if it fixes the issue.

None of this points to any broader quality control issue at Taiko. These were isolated, specific situations - one of which came from a conscious effort to ship something quickly, and the other required a bit more investigation to handle properly. I just wish you had reached out directly before posting something like this - we’ve already handled so many things one-on-one, and this could’ve been no different.

As always, I’m still here if anything else comes up.

 

Another subject: Roon or Taiko software problem

Running the Olympus and I/o with aesbu/xdmi to a Nagra Ref dac:
Don’t know if this is happening to other users, but the problem is real, and this has been identified together with a panel of experienced audiophiles.
When listening to the server/dac as above, the only driver that appears on the audio section of roon is used (Taiko xdmi), others completed disabled:
If i go to Zone settings>Taiko xdmi>device setup>load defaults>save, the blu colour changes from a vivid to a pale blue.
Everything ok, but something like half hour, the sound changes a bit ( coarser and less defined)
I repeat the procedures above and it looks that roon/windows 11 changes the defaults after 30 minutes.
Load again the defaults and the sound becomes much better.
And the cycle continues, load defaults again, save ……….better sound and so on.
So with the defaults loaded, after half hour, you can see that somethig wrong is happening, the defaults change, the colour of the save button changes like if i didn’t save the defaults loaded or entered another configuration.
Is this an isolated glitch and did someone noticed it?
Thank you.

JMRF

 

@rau - just to respond here, since your post includes things I was directly involved with.

You have my personal number - the same one I use with close friends and family - not my work number that most others get. During the short time I was away on vacation, you and I exchanged a couple of hundred messages - more than all my other messages combined. Even while trying to focus on family, I made sure to answer every question and support you however I could.

You asked for the Lampizator daughter card to be shipped ASAP. Taiko was planning to wait for new mini flight cases with custom foam to arrive, but I told them NOT to hold the shipment - just send it in an older case so you’d have the card faster. That decision came from me. So yes, the case may have had some sticker residue, and the card may not have been cleaned to the usual standard - but that was the trade-off for speed. If I’d told them to wait, you’d still be waiting.

Regarding the I/O bottom cover - I looked into that too. I checked with Taiko, and they only had powder-coated bottom plates available. During my vacation, I did the research to confirm that your I/O has an anodized plate, so sending a replacement wouldn’t have been a match. That’s actually why I offered to come visit you - my intention was to bring my own (anodized) I/O bottom plate with me to test-fit it on your unit and figure out exactly what was going on. And leave it with you if it fixes the issue.

None of this points to any broader quality control issue at Taiko. These were isolated, specific situations - one of which came from a conscious effort to ship something quickly, and the other required a bit more investigation to handle properly. I just wish you had reached out directly before posting something like this - we’ve already handled so many things one-on-one, and this could’ve been no different.

As always, I’m still here if anything else comes up.

I didn't know this was a personal phone number , as far as I knew it could of been a work number . As for the couple hundred messages ! We also spoke about other things and you even started some of these convos so let's be fair here and not make me look like the villain for pulling you away from your family . I also am thankful for the time you did spend helping me .

As for the cover it should of never shipped like this .

As for dust and residue it would of took 5 min to clean up .

Again thanks for the time you did spend with me and for your help . And now since I know this is your personal number I will no longer use it and follow the proper channels.

Esoteric , MSB , Solution , CH , and many more would never release stuff like this . It's comical that I get personal emails about issues people are having , but they are to afraid to post with fear of being banned which a has been done to a couple guys already. As far as I'm concerned this subject is closed.

 

Folks - here’s the deal.

As Taiko continues to grow, priorities are shifting. Emile simply can’t scale himself to spend the kind of time on this forum that he used to. We all enjoy hearing from him and learning about the truly unique innovations he’s working on - but the reality is, times have changed.

This forum is both a privilege and a responsibility. It’s paid for and sponsored by Taiko, and it has become incredibly powerful - with millions of views. That’s a blessing and a curse. With that kind of visibility, a single post suggesting “quality issues” - even if based on a misunderstanding or a one-off - can quickly snowball into dozens or even hundreds of support tickets, emails, texts, DMs, and forum posts. That kind of distraction pulls time and focus away from what matters most right now: building and delivering the remaining Olympus orders.

There’s also a quieter, opposite effect happening. Because some people have been frustrated by the longer lead times, those who have received their units - and are thrilled with them - often hesitate to post glowing feedback here, out of concern it may upset others still waiting. Several clients have shared their impressions with us privately instead. So, this thread is no longer the open, balanced space it once was - and I’m seriously questioning whether it still makes sense to keep it going.

So we’re left with two choices:
1. Close the WBF threads entirely and focus purely on production.
2. Keep them open, but apply some degree of moderation.

In rare and extreme cases, when someone creates ongoing disruption, we may have to ban them. That’s not about silencing valid feedback - far from it. Taiko has always thrived on community input, and we wouldn’t be where we are without it. But we have to protect the limited bandwidth of a small, dedicated team - and keep the conversation rooted in facts, not fear or frustration.

That said, I’m here - and fully available - to handle every issue. Please reach out directly and give me a chance to make things right. No one is perfect - mistakes can happen. What sets great companies apart is how they respond when they do. If, in the end, you still feel unsatisfied, you’re of course free to share that. Just please be mindful of generalizations, especially when they can trigger unnecessary concern or confusion across the wider community.

Let’s keep this a constructive space. We’re listening. We’re working. And we truly appreciate your support.

 

Folks - here’s the deal.

As Taiko continues to grow, priorities are shifting. Emile simply can’t scale himself to spend the kind of time on this forum that he used to. We all enjoy hearing from him and learning about the truly unique innovations he’s working on - but the reality is, times have changed.

This forum is both a privilege and a responsibility. It’s paid for and sponsored by Taiko, and it has become incredibly powerful - with millions of views. That’s a blessing and a curse. With that kind of visibility, a single post suggesting “quality issues” - even if based on a misunderstanding or a one-off - can quickly snowball into dozens or even hundreds of support tickets, emails, texts, DMs, and forum posts. That kind of distraction pulls time and focus away from what matters most right now: building and delivering the remaining Olympus orders.

There’s also a quieter, opposite effect happening. Because some people have been frustrated by the longer lead times, those who have received their units - and are thrilled with them - often hesitate to post glowing feedback here, out of concern it may upset others still waiting. Several clients have shared their impressions with us privately instead. So, this thread is no longer the open, balanced space it once was - and I’m seriously questioning whether it still makes sense to keep it going.

So we’re left with two choices:
1. Close the WBF threads entirely and focus purely on production.
2. Keep them open, but apply some degree of moderation.

In rare and extreme cases, when someone creates ongoing disruption, we may have to ban them. That’s not about silencing valid feedback - far from it. Taiko has always thrived on community input, and we wouldn’t be where we are without it. But we have to protect the limited bandwidth of a small, dedicated team - and keep the conversation rooted in facts, not fear or frustration.

That said, I’m here - and fully available - to handle every issue. Please reach out directly and give me a chance to make things right. No one is perfect - mistakes can happen. What sets great companies apart is how they respond when they do. If, in the end, you still feel unsatisfied, you’re of course free to share that. Just please be mindful of generalizations, especially when they can trigger unnecessary concern or confusion across the wider community.

Let’s keep this a constructive space. We’re listening. We’re working. And we truly appreciate your support.

My glowing feedback is that during burn-in I did some bass-track listening - the drums intro on Hotel California off of Hell Freezes Over (Eagles) and the Leslie organ on Thanks to You off of Dig (Boz Scaggs). I got an immediate visit from my wife, “can you turn it down, you’re shaking the lamp upstairs in the living room and it’s rattling.”

Unbelievable bass, quantity and quality!

Thumbs up from #93!

 

I'm happy to share my early impressions regarding the Olympus with Lampizator 360. I was going to wait but maybe this will be "helpful". I wouldn't recommend adding two major pieces at the same time but circumstances happen. Gryphon Mephisto Solo Monoblock's and the Olympus arriving one day apart. Fun lifting all this stuff! I don't even have a 100 hours on the mono's yet. Its only day 10, new KBL Extrema Cable. Strangely the integration has been seamless. I'm not even certain of the correct words. Effortless comes to mind, today I noticed background instruments being more vibrant. Snare drums, violins, cymbal's, everything sounds natural. TBH I'm not thinking about the system only the music. Everything seems very comfortable in a very good way. I don't find myself wishing I had more of this or that with any sonic attribute. I'm a little giddy thinking things are only going to get better. Immense enjoyment...

 

Folks - here’s the deal.

As Taiko continues to grow, priorities are shifting. Emile simply can’t scale himself to spend the kind of time on this forum that he used to. We all enjoy hearing from him and learning about the truly unique innovations he’s working on - but the reality is, times have changed.

This forum is both a privilege and a responsibility. It’s paid for and sponsored by Taiko, and it has become incredibly powerful - with millions of views. That’s a blessing and a curse. With that kind of visibility, a single post suggesting “quality issues” - even if based on a misunderstanding or a one-off - can quickly snowball into dozens or even hundreds of support tickets, emails, texts, DMs, and forum posts. That kind of distraction pulls time and focus away from what matters most right now: building and delivering the remaining Olympus orders.

There’s also a quieter, opposite effect happening. Because some people have been frustrated by the longer lead times, those who have received their units - and are thrilled with them - often hesitate to post glowing feedback here, out of concern it may upset others still waiting. Several clients have shared their impressions with us privately instead. So, this thread is no longer the open, balanced space it once was - and I’m seriously questioning whether it still makes sense to keep it going.

So we’re left with two choices:
1. Close the WBF threads entirely and focus purely on production.
2. Keep them open, but apply some degree of moderation.

In rare and extreme cases, when someone creates ongoing disruption, we may have to ban them. That’s not about silencing valid feedback - far from it. Taiko has always thrived on community input, and we wouldn’t be where we are without it. But we have to protect the limited bandwidth of a small, dedicated team - and keep the conversation rooted in facts, not fear or frustration.

That said, I’m here - and fully available - to handle every issue. Please reach out directly and give me a chance to make things right. No one is perfect - mistakes can happen. What sets great companies apart is how they respond when they do. If, in the end, you still feel unsatisfied, you’re of course free to share that. Just please be mindful of generalizations, especially when they can trigger unnecessary concern or confusion across the wider community.

Let’s keep this a constructive space. We’re listening. We’re working. And we truly appreciate your support.

Really…

I would think you would be to happy read transparent reports from all of your user’s experiences. I know when I purchased my unit, it was helpful to read about the reasons for the delays with delivery and manufacturing issues. Like most others I prepaid in-full expecting a much shorter delivery experience; however, it is not a perfect world.

It is nice to read that the deliveries are catching up. Forums, with real world user experiences, can be a helpful way expanding dynamics for delivering unexpected surprises for end customer expectations. Sometimes these reports can be painfully experienced, received and delivered; however, it can be helpful information for a company developing one’s learning curve for customer satisfaction.

VBW,
ALF