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".

 

(asking for a very close friend)...

No wifi use, all fiber and lan cabling in network.
Currently lan cables connecting Taiko Router to iPad controller and a computer.

If he changes connection of iPad and computer to a switch just upstream from the Taiko Router, will that isolate the iPad network activity from the Taiko Router (even though this Switch and Taiko Router are connected)?

And this would be as effective as having a separate Apple ID for the iPad?

That’s hard to predict, replacing the Taiko Wi-Fi for a presumably RJ45 cable increases power consumption of the Router (a rj45 port consumes more power then the internal Wi-Fi module).

Upstream traffic would go from WAN to LAN, it has a bit more overhead then from LAN to LAN.

But yes it would make traffic generated by the iPad irrelevant (outside of Roon’s traffic ofcourse).

 

That’s hard to predict, replacing the Taiko Wi-Fi for a presumably RJ45 cable increases power consumption of the Router (a rj45 port consumes more power then the internal Wi-Fi module).

Upstream traffic would go from WAN to LAN, it has a bit more overhead then from LAN to LAN.

But yes it would make traffic generated by the iPad irrelevant (outside of Roon’s traffic ofcourse).

If RJ45 is so power hungry why we don't have 2 sfp ports in Taiko router like we have in Taiko switch ?
One dedicated to WAN second to LAN.

Dream Machine pro has 2 SFP ports so theoretically it would make a sense to connect it by the DAC cable instead of RJ45 to SFP WAN port in Taiko Router.

Idea for Gen 2 Taiko Router or irrelevant difference in your testing ?

 

If RJ45 is so power hungry why we don't have 2 sfp ports in Taiko router like we have in Taiko switch ?
One dedicated to WAN second to LAN.

Dream Machine pro has 2 SFP ports so theoretically it would make a sense to connect it by the DAC cable instead of RJ45 to SFP WAN port in Taiko Router.

Idea for Gen 2 Taiko Router or irrelevant difference in your testing ?

RJ45 is mandatory at the WAN side for multiple reasons. We’d have very limited control turning it into another “only performs well if..”.

 

This has been my contention for quite some time.

When analyzing the subsystems, if you will, that make up a stand alone DAC, the Taiko Olympus compares very favorably. Regardless of what you look at -- chassis/vibration control/EMI shielding, power supplies, digital section, analog section -- Taiko's implementations are at least as good as anyone else's and in some cases, arguably superior (power supplies and regulation). And that is before considering XDMI.

I posted a picture of the interior of my dCS Vivaldi APEX DAC a while ago:

View attachment 133027

Circled in yellow is the real estate devoted to the analog output stage. A couple of square inches at most.

Like Vassil, I don't need or want my DAC to be the vehicle for "tube goodness" -- I can accomplish that with my tube preamps or tube amplifiers, apologies to Lampizator owners. As long as it is neutral and transparent and to paraphrase the late Steve Jobs, insanely great, I'll be happy.

Steve Z

I think @nenon hit the nail on the head. This will boil down to personal taste/different preferences. This is the case with most of these Audio Endeavors. Nothing earth shattering with that observation. I also think this will unfold system to system, room to room. We'll keep tasting the soup and see how we like it.

I'm in my comfort zone with the the H now. I know what my system can do. Did I want to buy a new H? NO! Do I want to spend more on the KBL cable NO! However many of us are in a similar position. Knowing what we have vs what we may have.

Sifting/listening to oodles of input here on the forum, it appears/sounds as though XDMI will provide a lot more musical "information". Again I think it will come down to personal tastes and how our systems respond with what ever direction we take...

 

RJ45 is mandatory at the WAN side for multiple reasons. We’d have very limited control without turning it into another “only performs well if..”.

Thx
Looks you checked all possible scenarios here !
Having absolute control is a way to go.

 

RJ45 is mandatory at the WAN side for multiple reasons. We’d have very limited control turning it into another “only performs well if..”.

If not using WiFi, maybe a good idea to use my upstream Buffalo switch to connect RJ45 to computer and iPad rather than taxing the Taiko switch with them?

 

Everything going to the Extreme eventually passes through the switch regardless of where it enters the network. Do you mean router instead of switch?

 

Everything going to the Extreme eventually passes through the switch regardless of where it enters the network. Do you mean router instead of switch?

My network (no WiFi involved):
Modem>switch>fiber>switch>rj45>TaikoRouter>TaikoSwitch>Extreme

Based on what Emile has said, I’m supposing it might be better, if not using WiFi, to connect (via rj45) my computer and iPad controller from the switch upstream of the TaikoRouter rather than from TaikoRouter.

The reasons being to (1) isolate the TaikoRouter from the iPad controller and
(2) not draw power from the TaikoRouter for the rj45 connections

I realize this may be much ado about practically nothing!

 

My network (no WiFi involved):
Modem>switch>fiber>switch>rj45>TaikoRouter>TaikoSwitch>Extreme

Based on what Emile has said, I’m supposing it might be better, if not using WiFi, to connect (via rj45) my computer and iPad controller from the switch upstream of the TaikoRouter rather than from TaikoRouter.

The reasons being to (1) isolate the TaikoRouter from the iPad controller and
(2) not draw power from the TaikoRouter for the rj45 connections

I realize this may be much ado about practically nothing!

I don't use the Taiko Router wifi and don't have anything connected to it other than the switch on one side and my home network on the other. I have set up port forwarding on my home router so I can access XDMS from my home network. Taiko has already set up port forwarding so you can connect to Roon via your home network.

 

I don't use the Taiko Router wifi and don't have anything connected to it other than the switch on one side and my home network on the other. I have set up port forwarding on my home router so I can access XDMS from my home network. Taiko has already set up port forwarding so you can connect to Roon via your home network.

So you are isolating the Taiko Router/Switch/Extreme environment from the playback environment (Xdms/Roon) by putting Xdms/Roon/Controller on your Home network.

I guess what I’m doing is isolating from the Taiko router, but not the whole Taiko system.

— and by using port forwarding , you are provided with a way to use the playback software and controller without them being directly connected to the Taiko environment?

 

So you are isolating the Taiko Router/Switch/Extreme environment from the playback environment (Xdms/Roon) by putting Xdms/Roon/Controller on your Home network.

I guess what I’m doing is isolating from the Taiko router, but not the whole Taiko system.

— and by using port forwarding , you are provided with a way to use the playback software and controller without them being directly connected to the Taiko environment?

To clarify, my ipad is connected to my home network via wifi. With that connection, I can control either XDMS or Roon on the Extreme. This is all accomplished via port forwarding.

 

To clarify, my ipad is connected to my home network via wifi. With that connection, I can control either XDMS or Roon on the Extreme. This is all accomplished via port forwarding.

And any noise induced by the port forwarding connection to the main house WiFi is less than using the Taiko Router WiFi directly via an iPad?

 

And any noise induced by the port forwarding connection to the main house WiFi is less than using the Taiko Router WiFi directly via an iPad?

Theoretically. I can't say that I spent time assessing that. I did it more for convenience since my home wifi is stronger than the Taiko Router wifi.

 

And any noise induced by the port forwarding connection to the main house WiFi is less than using the Taiko Router WiFi directly via an iPad?

using Taiko Router WiFi is way much better than my home WiFi. I mean sound quality.

 

using Taiko Router WiFi is way much better than my home WiFi. I mean sound quality.

Can you be more specific? Define “using”. Roon or XDMS. Port forwarding setup.

 

Can you be more specific? Define “using”. Roon or XDMS. Port forwarding setup.

Both Roon and XDMS sound better with Taiko Audi WiFi.

My home router(Power by DCD)>RJ45>Taiko Router(Power by DCD)>1m DAC cable>Taiko switch(Power by DCD)>2m DAC cable> Extreme server> USB > dCS Vivaldi system.

Taiko Audio WiFi makes the sound more dedicate, less noise, dark background, deeper sound stage, better dynamic range. Most importantly I’m not only hearing the string of guitar but also the body of the guitar. It revealing more information in my system.

I hope that helps.

 

Both Roon and XDMS sound better with Taiko Audi WiFi.

My home router(Power by DCD)>RJ45>Taiko Router(Power by DCD)>1m DAC cable>Taiko switch(Power by DCD)>2m DAC cable> Extreme server> USB > dCS Vivaldi system.

Taiko Audio WiFi makes the sound more dedicate, less noise, dark background, deeper sound stage, better dynamic range. Most importantly I’m not only hearing the string of guitar but also the body of the guitar. It revealing more information in my system.

I hope that helps.

I have no idea why that would be the case but I am glad it is working great for you.

 

I have no idea why that would be the case but I am glad it is working great for you.

You can try to switch home WiFi and Taiko Audio WiFi and play by Roon. It doesn’t require change any cable.

Cheers.

 

You can try to switch home WiFi and Taiko Audio WiFi and play by Roon. It doesn’t require change any cable.

Cheers.

I have tried it both ways and didn’t find the sound to be different. I went with my home wifi since it is more reliable.

 

I have tried it both ways and didn’t find the sound to be different. I went with my home wifi since it is more reliable.

The Taiko Wi-Fi is configured to run at the lowest possible transmitter strength, at the slowest protocol, and uses a small antenna. I can absolutely hear the difference, similar to what @TWJeff described, but it may very well be subject to the environment it operates in. Although there are plenty of neighbouring Wi-Fi networks here they’re all pretty weak.

If the Taiko Wi-Fi is being “pushed out” by stronger neighbouring Wi-Fi networks, at the same channel for example, or even worse, configured to operate on unfavourable channels, like 2,4,5,7,8,10, then you either need to change the channel, increase transmission strength, mount a larger antenna (hardly ever necessary btw), or switch to a different protocol, for example N or AC at 5G will always work stable. We’re aware logging into the router and changing these settings is not as easy as selecting a different output in Roon so we’re working on making this all configurable from a remote app..