Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

wil

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some progress down the road of discovery about the Extreme.


today i added Qobuz 'Sublime' one year subscription. it does sound much better than Tidal. we will be working on the fiber network to optimize the streaming performance.

When you have your fiber network set-up , please let us know the details. Thanks
 
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CKKeung

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some progress down the road of discovery about the Extreme.

Emile did load some files of various resolutions from my NAS onto the 2tb internal drives standard on my Extreme, which allowed me to directly compare the files from the NAS (over both USB and the Renderer) and after lots of back and forth i do prefer the internal drive files to the NAS files. definitely a little more lively, vivid and musically nuanced with the internal drive......and the bass is a little more powerful and interesting. i can only say in my system worth pursuing.

so i'll be adding those drives to take it to 32tb's and which will hold all my files. the dual NAS units will be back up.

currently i prefer the USB interface to the Renderer after optimization by Emile.

today i added Qobuz 'Sublime' one year subscription. it does sound much better than Tidal. we will be working on the fiber network to optimize the streaming performance.

overall i'm thrilled with what i'm hearing from the MSB - Extreme both from the files and Qobuz.

last night after i did the file compares i played some vinyl for the first time in a week and the first time since the Extreme arrived. there are aspects of the best digital that get into the feeling of the vinyl. but vinyl, to my ears, in my system right now, is a whole different level of musical realism from the best digital has to offer. this digital can move me emotionally....it's does space and tone, and gets the textures and power of the music.....it lacks nothing. vinyl grabs me and pulls me into the music. more of everything. it's epic. it would be interesting if i had this level of digital 3-4 years ago to compare to my vinyl then.

it's a great time for both digital and vinyl lovers.
Hello Mike,
Is the MSB ProUSB optical usb reception module in use already?
Thanks!
 

Mike Lavigne

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Hello Mike,
Is the MSB ProUSB optical usb reception module in use already?
Thanks!

the Pro USB 'kit' i have includes the reception module and the short 'dual' cable. so i just have to switch it out with another unused module and i'm good to go.

just not yet got around to that yet. i will over the next couple of days. it might take USB to a higher level.
 
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Kingsrule

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It does.....
Quieter, more dynamic, more relaxed in the presentation.
 
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Mike Lavigne

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It does.....
Quieter, more dynamic, more relaxed in the presentation.

installed the Pro I2S input module, and the Pro USB module about 90 minutes ago.

been listening to it this last hour or so.....and i agree with your comments. more musical and less reproduced. veils removed......but more than just a lower noise floor or more vivid......more emotive and involving. it seems more likely to cause my shoulders to relax and my mind to be calm.

bravo to MSB for such a product!
 

CKKeung

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been listening to the MSB Pro USB interface this last hour or so.....and i agree with your comments. more musical and less reproduced. veils removed......but more than just a lower noise floor or more vivid......more emotive and involving. it seems more likely to cause my shoulders to relax and my mind to be calm.

bravo to MSB for such a product!
Yes, the MSB Gullman brothers are smart and innovative!

BTW diff optical transievers give diff sound. The ones included with the ProUSB are not bad but Emile has some even better recommendations. Pls ask him for the details.

BTW I guess a MSB optical Renderer module may be in the pipeline.
:cool:
 

Taiko Audio

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BTW I guess a MSB optical Renderer module may be in the pipeline.
:cool:

While on that subject, when using USB with the Select, unplugging the ethernet cable from the Renderer improves the sound. I would not be surprised if removing the entire module would help too as it seems to remain active when using USB.
 
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CKKeung

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While on that subject, when using USB with the Select, unplugging the ethernet cable from the Renderer improves the sound. I would not be surprised if removing the entire module would help too as it seems to remain active when using USB.
Hello Emile,
Agree with your tips.
I mostly listen to silver discs with my MSB Select Tranaport+DAC so I usually unplug all the ethernet cables from the Select Transport and from the dac Renderer to avoid inflow of noise.

However, removing the whole module out is rather clumsy/tedious.
Maybe MSB can have a future firmware update to enable switching off/cutting the electricity of unused modules?
 
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microstrip

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(...) currently i prefer the USB interface to the Renderer after optimization by Emile. (...)

Can we know what type of optimization was carried remotely on the USB inteface?

(...) vinyl grabs me and pulls me into the music. more of everything. (...)

Now it is time to ask: is it the vinyl or the cutting/ playback chain that grabs me and pulls you into the music? I remember you carried vinyl rips long ago, perhaps it would be interesting to do it again using SOTA digital encoders. [/QUOTE]

it's a great time for both digital and vinyl lovers.

Yes, it is since a few years ago, not just now ... ;)[/QUOTE]
 

Taiko Audio

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It will get even better with break-in....maybe 5 days or so....

That's interesting, SFP modules on the networking side take about the same time to lose their initial veiling and gain dynamic expression / colour saturation. Did you notice similar gains on the MSB Pro?

Can we know what type of optimization was carried remotely on the USB inteface?

Decrease buffer size / latency settings in the MSB control panel.
 
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Kingsrule

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That's interesting, SFP modules on the networking side take about the same time to lose their initial veiling and gain dynamic expression / colour saturation. Did you notice similar gains on the MSB Pro?



Decrease buffer size / latency settings in the MSB control panel.

Hi Emile

Yes the gains were similar on MSB Pro

What SFP module do u recommend for the MSB Pro?
 
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Kingsrule

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BTW..u can not control volume in roon using the PRO USB module, a feature I really miss
 

Taiko Audio

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Hi Emile

Yes the gains were similar on MSB Pro

What SFP module do u recommend for the MSB Pro?

For networking the best one for me so far is the Startech SFP1000ZXST. Btw do not "hot swap" them, I've killed one doing that.

BTW..u can not control volume in roon using the PRO USB module, a feature I really miss

It will probably work with windows in "wasapi" mode. You will lose some sound quality then though, may also be limited to 24/192.
 

Mike Lavigne

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BTW..u can not control volume in roon using the PRO USB module, a feature I really miss

i'm a darTZeel analog volume control guy. but i could see that most Select II owners would use the passive pre in the Select II which is awesome.

why don't you use the MSB Select II volume control? i'm sure you have a good reason, i just would like to understand it and how the Roon volume control provides advantages.
 
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Mike Lavigne

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Now it is time to ask: is it the vinyl or the cutting/ playback chain that grabs me and pulls you into the music? I remember you carried vinyl rips long ago, perhaps it would be interesting to do it again using SOTA digital encoders.

i was never the guy doing those rips, and it's not something i would typically do as i listen to recordings in their native format when possible. not that i don't enjoy those 2xdsd ripped vinyl sourced files.

if i do get more recent rips with whatever current ripping tools i will let you know what i think. maybe that has improved?

Yes, it is since a few years ago, not just now ... ;)

agree.....but as both digital and vinyl get better it seems they get more of a similar presentation. the cutting/mastering <-> adc-dac process issues fall into the background. at least to my ears in my system. and my appreciation is that it makes the format i choose less of an issue.
 
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asiufy

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Using the Renderer, Roon’s Volume control is actually integrated with the SELECT. So adjusting in Roon will actually change SELECT’s. In other words, it’s a real VC, not digital VC.
And yeah I do miss that convenience, as you usually realize you need more/less volume when queuing a new track in Roon, and then you still need to reach for the physical Remote control...
 

Kingsrule

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i'm a darTZeel analog volume control guy. but i could see that most Select II owners would use the passive pre in the Select II which is awesome.

why don't you use the MSB Select II volume control? i'm sure you have a good reason, i just would like to understand it and how the Roon volume control provides advantages.

I do use the MSB volume control. All my gear is in another room so I can't see the display. In addition, unless I'm infront of the IR flasher, I'm stuck with the volume setting. Being able to adjust in roon, I can adjust volume all over my place.....
 
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Mike Lavigne

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I do use the MSB volume control. All my gear is in another room so I can't see the display. In addition, unless I'm infront of the IR flasher, I'm stuck with the volume setting. Being able to adjust in roon, I can adjust volume all over my place.....

thanks for the explanation. makes perfect sense and i can see how the Roon volume control would be very handy to use. having gear in a separate room can certainly have advantages. digital does allow for that to work pretty well.
 
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