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".

 

What I heard today was the anti dac.

There is no reason to keep my dac other than putting it on my second system...
Imo, I really don't care what dac I or you, or anyone else uses in the context of what I heard today and I can not tell you what YOU would prefer.
Ymmv.....

Absolutely.. I will post as soon as the O seems run in. First impressions if you wish?

I promise you I am not trying to be coy in my comments...
Mn

Just like anything else, there is no one "best" DAC since they all sound different. There will clearly be a big difference in sound between a Lampizator tubed DAC via XDMI and the Taiko DAC. It is just a matter of which sound you prefer.

 

Is there a link to Vassil's system components?

 

Emile and Edward's must be reading this thread.
Can the production capacity of Taiko Audio be elevated gradually?

It absolutely has to! We’re allocating significant resources addressing rate limiting factors.

Dear Emile,
Do you have an estimated timeframe for the release of the XDMI analog board (DAC) mk2? 2S2024, 1S2025, 2S2025?
For me, I need at least two inputs (AES/EBU, and Spidf/coax for my video sources), volume control, and Balanced outs (if possible).

Sorry, no estimate, have taken note of your additional input desires, which wouldn’t be hard to implement, but also unlikely to be wanted by many, making it relatively costly / unlikely a standard option. However I’d like to be able to offer this, so we should continue the modular approach we’re on already, making this an optional feature. It could be possible though we’d run out of physical space at some point in time but that can be solved by adding an I/O.

 

This supports what @dminches said regarding "best". Determination will be widely varied. Some will love analog out, some will prefer their Horizon or other XDMI compatible DAC. Systems, room, tastes are huge variables. At this juncture without determining/listening for ourselves its a fruitless exercise...

 

This supports what @dminches said regarding "best". Determination will be widely varied. Some will love analog out, some will prefer their Horizon or other XDMI compatible DAC. Systems, room, tastes are huge variables. At this juncture without determining/listening for ourselves its a fruitless exercise...

I'll hopefully let you know this week when mine arrives . The KBL cable is ready to go

 

It absolutely has to! We’re allocating significant resources addressing rate limiting factors.



Sorry, no estimate, have taken note of your additional input desires, which wouldn’t be hard to implement, but also unlikely to be wanted by many, making it relatively costly / unlikely a standard option. However I’d like to be able to offer this, so we should continue the modular approach we’re on already, making this an optional feature. It could be possible though we’d run out of physical space at some point in time but that can be solved by adding an I/O.

Out of curiosity, what are the rate limiting factors currently? Is it the anodising?

 

Out of curiosity, what are the rate limiting factors currently? Is it the anodising?

Hi Azjya,

If I may, here are a few posts by Emile that may answer that particular question.

But to sum up, I feel that @Taiko Audio is doing its very best.

We are in the summer period and in Europe this is a period of slowdown. Which, in my opinion, is a positive thing.

Of course, we're all anxious to get our new toys. But let's not forget that we've also benefited from the first orders (pre launch) discount. It's well worth a little patience

Especially as so much effort is put into details. So that everything is as expected. For example, each device is carefully listened to before being sent out!

All this takes a lot of time.

In the meantime, @nenon 's posts make an interesting reading.


Hope this helps

Cheers,

Thomas

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

Some nice pictures :

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

 

The Hong Kong Hiend AV Show is held on Fri 9 to Sun 11 Aug.

Volent Audio, the Taiko Audio official dealer in HK got the Olympus Server in the late afternoon on Fri 9.

Ben Lau, boss of Volent set it up as fast as possible and the Olympus has taken over and become the main source of the Volent room since today (Sat 10) afternoon.

Big thanks to the Taiko team and Volent Audio/Ben Lau for their hard work!

Hi CK,

Thank you again for your posts.

I think I recognize a totaldac DAC in the Volent setup.

Would be very interested in any comparisons between the Olympus feeding the totaldac via AES (or USB) versus the Olympus analog out going straight to the preamp.

Thanks

 

Hi CK,

Thank you again for your posts.

I think I recognize a totaldac DAC in the Volent setup.

Would be very interested in any comparisons between the Olympus feeding the totaldac via AES (or USB) versus the Olympus analog out going straight to the preamp.

Thanks

Yes please, that would be a great comparison.

 

Dear All WBF brothers,
The HK Hiend AV Show 2024 ended on Sun 11th and Ben Lau/Volent had moved his demo audio system back to his showroom.

I shall let him to understand the Olympus and the app and optimize it in his demo system first.
I will visit him and do a serious audition of the Olympus a few days later.
And I will compare the Olympus motherboard usb to Totaldac Sublime dac against XDMI dac analog output.

A lot of WBF members want to compare with Totaldac Sublime aes/ebu.
However Taiko Audio doesn't send the XDMI aes/ebu card to Volent Audio.
Ben Lau received only the XDMI dac analog output card.
Sorry.

 

Dear All WBF brothers,
The HK Hiend AV Show 2024 ended on Sun 11th and Ben Lau/Volent had moved his demo audio system back to his showroom.

I shall let him to understand the Olympus and the app and optimize it in his demo system first.
I will visit him and do a serious audition of the Olympus a few days later.
And I will compare the Olympus motherboard usb to Totaldac Sublime dac against XDMI dac analog output.

A lot of WBF members want to compare with Totaldac Sublime aes/ebu.
However Taiko Audio doesn't send the XDMI aes/ebu card to Volent Audio.
Ben Lau received only the XDMI dac analog output card.
Sorry.

No worries CK. Even a motherboard usb vs XDMI analog will be an eagerly awaited comparison.

We just need to convince Emile to express ship an AES/EBU to master Lau for the greater benefit of society at large!

Thank you CK. Your help is very much appreciated.

Kindest regards,

 

I went to visit Volent room over the weekend. Even in a difficult environment ie the show room with minimal acoustic treatment and noisy environment, not fully run in. What strikes me was how quiet the system is. Yes. I know it’s quite counterintuitive, “quiet in a noisy environment” but that’s how it presents to me. Can’t wait to hear in his show room

 

However Taiko Audio doesn't send the XDMI aes/ebu card to Volent Audio.

That’s easy to fix

 

Out of curiosity, what are the rate limiting factors currently? Is it the anodising?

Yes, but there’s a bit more to it. Applying the finish consists of 2 parts, bead blasting and anodising.

Due to the size of the chassis bead blasting is currently a manual process taking 3 hours each Olympus.

Anodising is performed after bead blasting.

Then there’s a final QC check where irregularities can pop up which only become visible after the anodising process.

This than leads to de-anodising, re-blasting, re-anodising.

All together, adding Saturdays included, they manage between 6 and 8 chassis a week at best.

What we’re working on now is trying to alleviate them from having to do the bead blasting.

This is ultimately the same way we ended up solving the switch and router chassis shortages, we purchased polishing machines and do all the pre-finishing ourselves, leaving only the chemical processes to an external company.

On top of all that though we do also suffer from a shortage in man power. We have acquired 3 new people working here this year so far, but it looks like we need a few more to make things more manageable.

 

It absolutely has to! We’re allocating significant resources addressing rate limiting factors.



Sorry, no estimate, have taken note of your additional input desires, which wouldn’t be hard to implement, but also unlikely to be wanted by many, making it relatively costly / unlikely a standard option. However I’d like to be able to offer this, so we should continue the modular approach we’re on already, making this an optional feature. It could be possible though we’d run out of physical space at some point in time but that can be solved by adding an I/O.

Dear Emile, DACs usually have multiple inputs, but it would not be a problem for me if it comes as an option for extra cost. Also, if you offer an amazing XDMI DAC mk2 which requires the purchase of an I/O, it would not be a problem if it was better than my current DAC. It could even take up the two slots of the I/O unit, leaving the network card in the Olympus. Cheers.

 

Considering that Taiko will be receiving a large number of Taiko Extremes back as partial payment for Olympus, perhaps Taiko will figure out a way to fit these Extreme with one BPS or two, even if continuously charging. This way we could possibly even have a version of the Taiko Extreme with BPS and XDMI, which would fit in between the regular Extreme and the Olympus. Of course, this would only make sense if less expensive than the Olympus.

 

Considering that Taiko will be receiving a large number of Taiko Extremes back as partial payment for Olympus, perhaps Taiko will figure out a way to fit these Extreme with one BPS or two, even if continuously charging. This way we could possibly even have a version of the Taiko Extreme with BPS and XDMI, which would fit in between the regular Extreme and the Olympus. Of course, this would only make sense if less expensive than the Olympus.

You can get Olympus IO as an addition to your extreme .

 

Considering that Taiko will be receiving a large number of Taiko Extremes back as partial payment for Olympus, perhaps Taiko will figure out a way to fit these Extreme with one BPS or two, even if continuously charging. This way we could possibly even have a version of the Taiko Extreme with BPS and XDMI, which would fit in between the regular Extreme and the Olympus. Of course, this would only make sense if less expensive than the Olympus.

The Taiko Extreme with BPS and the XDMI interface is roughly the description of the Olympus.

It wouldn't make much sense to make all these additions to the Extreme.

The Taiko Extreme is designed around the USB interface, whereas the Olympus is designed around the XDMI interface.

If I remember correctly, and if your goal is XDMI, Emile (@Taiko Audio ) would recommend switching to Olympus if possible.

Cheers,

Thomas

 

The Taiko Extreme with BPS and the XDMI interface is roughly the description of the Olympus.

It wouldn't make much sense to make all these additions to the Extreme.

The Taiko Extreme is designed around the USB interface, whereas the Olympus is designed around the XDMI interface.

If I remember correctly, and if your goal is XDMI, Emile (@Taiko Audio ) would recommend switching to Olympus if possible.

Cheers,

Thomas

Hi Thomas, I already ordered an Olympus XDMI (black) #19. I was just speculating how to improve the Extremes that Taiko will receive.

 

You can get Olympus IO as an addition to your extreme .

Correct. Good point. An Extreme with BPS and XDMI would only make sense if cheaper than Extreme+ Olympus I/O xdmi.