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".

 

When can we expect the next update on production and delivery dates?

hopefully tomorrow? If they still keep bi-weekly updates...

 

We have several exciting developments in progress. However, as a small team, we must prioritize our efforts and cannot tackle everything simultaneously. By focusing on key decisions now, we can ensure that our future projects receive the attention they deserve, even if some may need to wait a bit longer. Thank you for your understanding!

Yes, of course I understand. You should decide the priorities of your projects. Only if "almost finished" means what I think it means, it seemed strange to leave something unfinished that's so close to completion. We'll wait then.

 

hopefully tomorrow? If they still keep bi-weekly updates...

The next update will be available as soon as possible.

Please note that we remove the email addresses of those who have already received their Olympus, meaning they no longer receive updates.

 

The next update will be available as soon as possible.

Please note that we remove the email addresses of those who have already received their Olympus, meaning they no longer receive updates.

I would imagine those waiting on IO continue to be on comm list?

 

I would imagine those waiting on IO continue to be on comm list?

Naturally

 

Awhile back I was mentioning when stacking the Olympus and IO that I would make sure they both sat on a proper shelf/foundation/platform. (As long as you have the space) Several of us were discussing different substrates etc. This is a combination of Baltic Birch, MDF, and 3/8" aluminum. The Birch is what is in contact with the aluminum. This design is for my Monoblock's. Hence the girth and size 29" X 23". I have made a bunch of these for some professional musicians in Nashville. Typically Marshall amps. All have reported It tightens everything up. Stages sometimes have a lot of give. I don't finish the ones I make for them as they beat the snot out of them, just a clear coat. These will be wrapped in a maple veneer. Waiting on a veneer vacuum press. Insanity!! I'm thinking something similar for the Olympus/IO but with a thinner profile, same materials. For the Olympus/IO I could make the platform the same sexy shape, just a little bigger all around. I have a guy with a waterjet who cuts the aluminum. I'm still not sure what footers I would use if I make one for the O/IO, maybe the same ones? I did make a prototype, just square, with the same footers and the Olympus minus the IO did sound better than without it. I'll experiment more with that. I use 6 of the ones in the pic for each platform, along with sorbothane gaskets that I hand cut...

 

...how much would you estimate that sonic sandwich weighs,
@John T ? Looks nice and dense.

 

As MarkusBarkus mentions, it's best to use the same phase. Further, to avoid ground loops, it's best to use the same AC ground. Generally speaking, I find that using the same single ground for the entire system yields the best coherence and focus. Conversely, when sourcing ground via different cables and from different spurs, this tends to have a blurring effect. This is not an issue for galvanically isolated devices like Routers, which are frequently located in other rooms and on different circuits. When you have multiple 100% identical spurs, the outcome can differ, and there are other exceptions, as no two situations are alike, so it may be worth experimenting.

Regarding Roon extensions, basically, the more Roon does, the more network traffic it generates, and the more audible its effect. Then again, with Olympus, the Router, Switch, and DCD, we have various measures in place to minimize Roon's influence.

In cases where I disabled Roon volume control for a DAC, this has often been audible, even at 100% volume. However, in such cases, it is hard to determine whether the impact is due to Roon traffic or processes within the DAC. A preamplifier could behave similarly or differently, but neither Emile nor I have a preamp that allows this, so we have no first-hand experience with it.

If or when you decide to test this, I would be interested to hear the results.

I have now done some testing with using Roon with the Home Assistant extension. Unfortunately it does seem like turning on the connection to Home Assistant for convenient volume control does cast a veil on low level signals, I hear it best during quiet orchestral pieces where the ambient information seems a bit less "real".

I will have to confirm this with different pieces of music but I am leaning towards a negative impact.

 

...how much would you estimate that sonic sandwich weighs,
@John T ? Looks nice and dense.

Sonic sandwich!!! I like that Mark. I would say between 45-50 lbs. I'll eventually weigh it. 6 of those footers are rated at 300 lbs...Dense they are! I was going to do the typical veneer application. But the vacuum press is the cats ass!

 

...I'm a bit jealous of the vacuum bag/press, John. Those things really bump up the final quality. Nice!