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".

 

You'd extend that blanket dislike to linear power supplies? I use a Farad LPS utilising super capacitors on my TT motor controller.

Not at all. I actually really like super capacitors on my turntable speed controller.

 

If that is the case, then the MoBo is not really battery powered.

It would be interested to learn why they have chosen betteries instead of ultra capacitors, which charge faster and can discharge much greater amounts of energy in a very short period of time (their output impedance is much lower; high output impedance is an Achille's heel of every battery) which suits MotherBoard requirements really well.

Ultra Capacitors have been recently introduced in the latest Aurender models and PinkFaun Ultra server (although in the later case, only on the USB card).

It's a matter of definition what constitutes real battery power, we think the Olympus still applies for that.

But what's more important - we have in our shop huge battery supplies, basically the same components as in the Olympus, weighing more than the Olympus itself. In fact, if you read the Extreme thread a few months back, the Olympus project started this way as being "truly" battery powered. But this current solution is virtually identical sonically speaking, but much more economical, both in price and weight.

The Olympus is our all out flagship effort, we would have settled for the most extreme solution, if it was clearly better - but it's not.

 

It's a matter of definition what constitutes real battery power, we think the Olympus still applies for that.

But what's more important - we have in our shop huge battery supplies, basically the same components as in the Olympus, weighing more than the Olympus itself. In fact, if you read the Extreme thread a few months back, the Olympus project started this way as being "truly" battery powered. But this current solution is virtually identical sonically speaking, but much more economical, both in price and weight.

The Olympus is our all out flagship effort, we would have settled for the extremest solution, if it was clearly better - but it's not.

I have quite many bad experiences with stromtank products. It makes the sound soft, slow and lack of dynamic and transparent. I’m so excited that if Olympus can overcome my stereotype for battery supply.

 

Not at all. I actually really like super capacitors on my turntable speed controller.

That is interesting. I have tried many battery formulations and a few brands of Ultra Capacitors and much prefer the latter on digital circuits.

Batteries are often too slow on digital circuits. Same for linear power supplies - many of the more powerful motherboards will crash on linear PSUs, simply cos they can't keep up with the current draw rapid fluctuations.

But as always - there's more than one way to skin a cat. Maybe Taiko have found a solution around this problem. Who knows.

 

But as always - there's more than one way to skin a cat. Maybe Taiko have found a solution around this problem. Who knows.

Well, Vassil and Lukasz know, to name two.

Emile shared his dissatisfaction with conventional batteries, and battery and charge control circuits during the development of what became the Olympus. He explains earlier in this thread and the Extreme thread that it was a difficult problem to solve, however he feels they have indeed solved the sonic problems you relate.

Steve Z

 

I am guessing Emile could solve our world’s energy issues. (after project Olympus is complete, of course )

 

I am guessing Emile could solve our world’s energy issues. (after project Olympus is complete, of course )

How about a Taiko EV???

 

How about a Taiko EV???

The charging cable will still make a difference to the driving experience

 

The charging cable will still make a difference to the driving experience

I would expect no less but who wouldn't want an Olympus in their car?

 

If I was a high-end DAC manufacturer, I would be really worried and try to work with Taiko / XDMI if I want to have a future in the high-end DAC market.

I'm a fan of Taiko's R&D, but this impulsive statement is at best premature, likely to foster competition than collaboration.

 

I'm a fan of Taiko's R&D, but this impulsive statement is at best premature, likely to foster competition than collaboration.

Whatever brings the cream to the top works...
Many of us on WBF have known @nenon for some time... Maybe, you do too?
I've never known him to be inaccurate with his dart..

 

I'm a fan of Taiko's R&D, but this impulsive statement is at best premature, likely to foster competition than collaboration.

If my experience with Olympus, when the time comes, confirms Nenon's finding, I would make the same statement as his, which I assume is made as an end-user rather than as a spokesperson for Taiko (which I assume will not be made by Emile wise as he is). If Olympus turns out to be what I hope it is, I have no qualm in asserting that any DAC, no matter how fancy it is, is irredeemably flawed if its input is via USB or SPDIF/AES-EBU. The quality of Olympus' XDMI analog board, if sufficiently confirmed by end-users, proves that the optimized source treatment (XDMI) is way more important than downstream processing and conversion via a DAC. Come to think of it, if Olympus equipped with an ostensibly simple or cheap DAC board (analog out), roughly $72K, outperforms another server (Extreme or Aurender's flag server) out to the fanciest or most expensive DAC out there, which may cost $150K+, via USB or AES-EBU, it will put enormous pressure on those DAC makers to adopt XDMI. The landscape may be redrawn. (I wrote earlier that my own experience with a lowly DVD transport modded with pure i2s out connected to the DAC which is similarly modded, which outperforms Extreme to the DAC via USB in some respects, does give me an inkling of what to expect from Olympus.)

 

Thanks Lukasz for the sharings！

Taiko Olympus Experience By LampizatOr – M & S | Ultimate High-Fidelity

www.monoandstereo.com

 

I have a small dedicated room (13'×12'×8') and have spent many hours adjusting speaker position and experimenting with room treatment (both diffusion and absorption). JR of Wally Tools installed the bass array a few years ago and as a result I get defined, musical bass. I believe I have as much sound stage breadth and depth as I could hope for. I can hear the questioning, why the heck is he sharing all this in the Olympus thread?! My question is, if anyone has a room similar in size to mine and you receive your Olympus, what is the effect on the sound stage depth, width, and height? Thanks!

 

14*13/10

 

I have a small dedicated room (13'×12'×8') and have spent many hours adjusting speaker position and experimenting with room treatment (both diffusion and absorption). JR of Wally Tools installed the bass array a few years ago and as a result I get defined, musical bass. I believe I have as much sound stage breadth and depth as I could hope for. I can hear the questioning, why the heck is he sharing all this in the Olympus thread?! My question is, if anyone has a room similar in size to mine and you receive your Olympus, what is the effect on the sound stage depth, width, and height? Thanks!

Hi 2ndLiner,

The acoustic behaviour of a room depends only on its shape, dimensions and the reflectivity of its walls.

Speakers, electronics, etc. have no impact on the frequency response of the room.

So you have nothing to worry about.

The Olympus won't change the frequency response of your room.

In fact, it will probably improve your perception of the lower end of the spectrum.


However, it's important to understand that acoustics are based on the laws of physics.

Unfortunately, the listening room is almost always the weakest link in a hifi system.


The more energy you put into the room, particularly at the bottom end of the spectrum, the more you will triger room modes and therefore all its harmonics.


There are only two ways of limiting room modes:

- absorb low-frequency energy (by transforming it into heat)

- use loudspeakers that don't go too low in the spectrum (low cut at 60-70Hz) like the Wilson Audio TuneTot.


I'm in the process of finishing my listening room.

Although it's 38 square metres and 2.5 metres high, from an acoustic point of view it's a small room.

To treat it I used 8-9 cubic metres of passive absorber (Caruso ISO- Bond) and 4 x PSI AVAA C20 (active absorbers).


Hope it helps,

Cheers,

Thomas

 

Hi 2ndLiner,

The acoustic behaviour of a room depends only on its shape, dimensions and the reflectivity of its walls.

Speakers, electronics, etc. have no impact on the frequency response of the room.

So you have nothing to worry about.

The Olympus won't change the frequency response of your room.

In fact, it will probably improve your perception of the lower end of the spectrum.


However, it's important to understand that acoustics are based on the laws of physics.

Unfortunately, the listening room is almost always the weakest link in a hifi system.


The more energy you put into the room, particularly at the bottom end of the spectrum, the more you will triger room modes and therefore all its harmonics.


There are only two ways of limiting room modes:

- absorb low-frequency energy (by transforming it into heat)

- use loudspeakers that don't go too low in the spectrum (low cut at 60-70Hz) like the Wilson Audio TuneTot.


I'm in the process of finishing my listening room.

Although it's 38 square metres and 2.5 metres high, from an acoustic point of view it's a small room.

To treat it I used 8-9 cubic metres of passive absorber (Caruso ISO- Bond) and 4 x PSI AVAA C20 (active absorbers).


Hope it helps,

Cheers,

Thomas

Thank you, Tom!

 

While we are waiting for the elevator to reach the top floor, here is some nice elevator music. Actually a video of the anodizing process as posted by one of our customers' facilities, about 5 miles away from us.
Linetec Anodizing

Large scale architectural, but it's the same process.

 

I would expect no less but who wouldn't want an Olympus in their car?

I would settle for one in my stereo rack, to tell the truth.

Steve Z

 

Love to have one in my car driving it to my house..