Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Im out of shelf space so that could be my escape clauseSave this "end game" post and see if in 2026 it was the "end game"
The Taiko Train will be rolling for a long time!
Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème
- Thread starter CKKeung
- Start date
Emile
I was playing in Taiko ASIO Roon settings with MQA core decoder OFF as it was artificially uplifting higher frequencies.
After the update I am not so sure if this function is making my system sound bad anymore.
It actually sharpens the presentation.
Do you personally keep it on or off ?
Also what is max sample rate (PCM) you have in your ipad ( ipad audio device - this tablet- in Roon) roon settings ?
I am asking as for the ipad as an audio device I have 768 khz.
I was playing in Taiko ASIO Roon settings with MQA core decoder OFF as it was artificially uplifting higher frequencies.
After the update I am not so sure if this function is making my system sound bad anymore.
It actually sharpens the presentation.
Do you personally keep it on or off ?
Also what is max sample rate (PCM) you have in your ipad ( ipad audio device - this tablet- in Roon) roon settings ?
I am asking as for the ipad as an audio device I have 768 khz.
I use Roon at its default settings deliberately as most people will use it that way.
i'm a 100% xdms user (roon has never even been activated here) and this update is huge.
i did 30 minutes of listening with stax headphones to get calibrated, then was updated.
the difference was immediately obvious on all of my test tracks.
i would say that most of the improvement is an even further lowered noise floor, and the accompanying
benefits that this provides. the sounds coming out of silence are hugely more natural and nuanced, the vocal
micro-modulations are clearly audible, the decays of notes (instrumental and vocal) are much more detailed and quite delicate,
the soundstage is wider and more continuous/contiguous (instruments that were more prominent and out front are now more integrated into the overall soundstage). the latter may not be everyone's cup of tea (a bit politer, delicate) but that is at the very core of what i'm looking for in SQ.
vocal tracks:
Wexford Lullaby and Traveller's Prayer (John Renbourn)
La Misa Criolla - 1. Kyrie (Ramirez)
Down to the River to Pray (Krauss, live album)
soundstage, instruments and vocals
Guantanamera (Weavers live, 16/44 version!, listen to those rolled "R"s)
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Baez)
dynamic range, denser mixes
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina, original studio cut)
Palace of the KIng (Freddie King)
Diamonds (Paul Simon)
bravo!
i did 30 minutes of listening with stax headphones to get calibrated, then was updated.
the difference was immediately obvious on all of my test tracks.
i would say that most of the improvement is an even further lowered noise floor, and the accompanying
benefits that this provides. the sounds coming out of silence are hugely more natural and nuanced, the vocal
micro-modulations are clearly audible, the decays of notes (instrumental and vocal) are much more detailed and quite delicate,
the soundstage is wider and more continuous/contiguous (instruments that were more prominent and out front are now more integrated into the overall soundstage). the latter may not be everyone's cup of tea (a bit politer, delicate) but that is at the very core of what i'm looking for in SQ.
vocal tracks:
Wexford Lullaby and Traveller's Prayer (John Renbourn)
La Misa Criolla - 1. Kyrie (Ramirez)
Down to the River to Pray (Krauss, live album)
soundstage, instruments and vocals
Guantanamera (Weavers live, 16/44 version!, listen to those rolled "R"s)
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Baez)
dynamic range, denser mixes
Proud Mary (Ike & Tina, original studio cut)
Palace of the KIng (Freddie King)
Diamonds (Paul Simon)
bravo!
Last edited:
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Like you I am simply stunned by the sound of XDMS. I have yet to listen to Roon but honestly I have zero desire. The sound stage is simply amazing. The low sound floor is so revealing that I honestly have to keep looking to be sure it is the same demo tracks that I always use
Bravo is putting it mildly. I'm shocked
Yes…the one and only! My apologies for doubting our fearless leader! Onward to nirvanaIf I'm the Steve, I have not gone to the dark side
Great.
BUT , owning few roon remote devices ( few ipads, phones) I noticed some of their defult settings are different in regards to max pcm rates!
I would not ask otherwise.
We're calling it a day here and are resuming rolling out updates tomorrow morning 9 AM CEST!
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Yes…the one and only! My apologies for doubting our fearless leader! Onward to nirvana
after listening to XDMS for the past few hours I can only say that for all you Extreme users who are hell bent on using Roon and have yet to experience XDMS you have no idea what you’re missing. Just when you think it just can’t get better than this Emile and his team not only pull a Roon patch out of thin air but the icing on the cake was the secret sauce that he added that did something to XDMS that has me pinching myself to make certain I’m not dreaming
Agreed, in my system as well. XDMS got an uptick, but in comparison Roon still sounds better, since the update and also before the recent update.
I still play XDMS to help out Ed and the development team but for most of my listening it is Roon.
At this point I like the XDMS UI, especially for file playing. I miss not using XDMS for now, but I've compared back and forth several times recently and always end up staying with Roon......for the time being.
Nice impression and listening notes @cat6man
I agree with much of your sonic take. I am also XDMS only. All day, every day.
Regarding bass, I don't feel I have a handle on what may be different. If you play crazy bass tracks, it's overloaded already so not helpful. Maybe some additional flex on "normal" tracks? I just received the update late-morning today, so need more ear-time.
Overall, I do find an increased dynamic/liveliness to the sound. More incisive? Excellent movement. In some ways I find this update gives some of the special sauce we see with the most recent PGGB processing. An open, detailed but generous sound. In fact, I tried a few PGGB files, new and older to compare. I did not find the update was in any way detrimental to existing PGGB processed files, BTW.
Below are some tracks I used, so you can get a sense of where I was. I used many others including some classical, which was very good. Everyone will have their favs, but this was my test today. MSB Reference dac w/Digital Director BTW. Please don't skip the Ellington or Hot Tuna if not your style; they are sonically very interesting, IMO.
----Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley/Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley - Save Your Love For Me and The Old Country
----Rickie Lee Jones/Pop Pop - My One and Only Love
----Annette Askvik/Liberty - Liberty
----Johnny Cash/American V - If You Could Read My Mind
----Mel Torme/Swings at Shubert Alley - A Sleepin' Bee
----Duke Ellington/Jazz Party - Malletoba Spank
----Bobby Hutcherson/Components - Tranquility
----Tsuyashsi Yamamoto/Midnight Sugar - Midnight Sugar
I used these tracks to compare the live room energy/feel with the PGGB energy that I perceive (yes the Magoni is not live, I know).
----The Ramsey Lewis Trio/The In Crowd - The In Crowd
----Hot Tuna/2019 Troy Savings Bank - Barbecue King
----PGGB: Petra Magoni/Musica Nuda - Come Together
PGGB: Patricia Barber/Live at the Green Mill - The Thrill is Gone
Bravo Taiko!
I agree with much of your sonic take. I am also XDMS only. All day, every day.
Regarding bass, I don't feel I have a handle on what may be different. If you play crazy bass tracks, it's overloaded already so not helpful. Maybe some additional flex on "normal" tracks? I just received the update late-morning today, so need more ear-time.
Overall, I do find an increased dynamic/liveliness to the sound. More incisive? Excellent movement. In some ways I find this update gives some of the special sauce we see with the most recent PGGB processing. An open, detailed but generous sound. In fact, I tried a few PGGB files, new and older to compare. I did not find the update was in any way detrimental to existing PGGB processed files, BTW.
Below are some tracks I used, so you can get a sense of where I was. I used many others including some classical, which was very good. Everyone will have their favs, but this was my test today. MSB Reference dac w/Digital Director BTW. Please don't skip the Ellington or Hot Tuna if not your style; they are sonically very interesting, IMO.
----Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley/Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley - Save Your Love For Me and The Old Country
----Rickie Lee Jones/Pop Pop - My One and Only Love
----Annette Askvik/Liberty - Liberty
----Johnny Cash/American V - If You Could Read My Mind
----Mel Torme/Swings at Shubert Alley - A Sleepin' Bee
----Duke Ellington/Jazz Party - Malletoba Spank
----Bobby Hutcherson/Components - Tranquility
----Tsuyashsi Yamamoto/Midnight Sugar - Midnight Sugar
I used these tracks to compare the live room energy/feel with the PGGB energy that I perceive (yes the Magoni is not live, I know).
----The Ramsey Lewis Trio/The In Crowd - The In Crowd
----Hot Tuna/2019 Troy Savings Bank - Barbecue King
----PGGB: Petra Magoni/Musica Nuda - Come Together
PGGB: Patricia Barber/Live at the Green Mill - The Thrill is Gone
Bravo Taiko!
MB: i'll have to try some of your tracks!
and just to add another point of reference, my evaluations are all local files in WAV format.
...good point. My listening was also local files, but .flac versions. Maybe PGGBs are .wav come to think.
OK, I’m going out on a limb here and say I’m experiencing the opposite to what you’re hearing. XDMS updated, to me, sounds much softer/silkier and less dynamic as though the music is slowed down. I’m sensitive to timing more than frequency for some reason and the update is not thrilling me.
Now you may point to the lower quality of my system which I accept compared to many of WBFs systems. I have also yet to listen to Roon after the update due to previous issues with Roon and I have guests coming to listen tomorrow to XDMS.
My precious post commenting on improved SQ after update relates to the increase in resolution and detail and the above comment after a day listening.
I have no idea why I am not hearing increased dynamics, liveliness, or ‘mind blowing improvements’.
I do not have the switch/net card or router/ddc which could be the reason.
Any thoughts guys?
cheers
barry
maybe you could try flac v. wav? maybe some of the pggb benefit is eliminating the flac decoding?
flac is clearly inferior here.
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