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".

 

Happy to help when the time comes!

How is the new Olympus settling in? I gather you travel a lot and please forgive my anticipation/forwardness. Many are very curious even with initial observations. Other than Vassill and SW not very much information coming in....

 

Here’s a side by side of a 1.2 meter length in both versions.

View attachment 136387

So size does matter...What's another grand among friends...

 

So, a grand can buy you bigger size, huh?

 

So size does matter...What's another grand among friends...

I thought it wuz the mocean of the electronz!

 

I thought it wuz the mocean of the electronz!

Michael, it depends on who is doing the operating!!!

 

So size does matter...What's another grand among friends...

Whoever told you that it does not matter was lying

 

Whoever told you that it does not matter was lying

I've led a sheltered life, late bloomer. Learning all this new social interaction stuff on the fly!!

 

To put the two KBL XDMI cables in perspective to my ears the uptick in SQ with the better KBL XDMI cable was as much as changing the Olympus power cord from a Chin Cheng to my Masterbuilt Ultra.

 

Are you comparing the cable with the original Horizon or the new Horizon?

 

Both

 

To put the two KBL XDMI cables in perspective to my ears the uptick in SQ with the better KBL XDMI cable was as much as changing the Olympus power cord from a Chin Cheng to my Masterbuilt Ultra.

It sounds like a very big change with those cables.
Can't wait to try different scenarios myself.

 

It sounds like a very big change with those cables.
Can't wait to try different scenarios myself.

I just don't know how many XDMI options there are in today's market

 

I just don't know how many XDMI options there are in today's market

Two options: KBL 3K Version or 4K Version. I don't know of anyone else making these...KBL seems to be in the forefront, so, one of the easier decisions as of late...

 

Two options: KBL 3K Version or 4K Version. I don't know of anyone else making these...KBL seems to be in the forefront, so, one of the easier decisions as of late...

IIRC Lukasz was making a version and perhaps even Emile but short of that there is no major demand to encourage producers to get into the game.....at least not until the demand makes it a viable option

 

How is the new Olympus settling in? I gather you travel a lot and please forgive my anticipation/forwardness. Many are very curious even with initial observations. Other than Vassill and SW not very much information coming in....

Both the system and my brain are definitely burned in

I'm about 10k words into my long form review (maybe another 5k words to go), hope to have something up early October. Until then happy to discuss any aspect of the system or my experience.

TL;DR

* Olympus is the start of a brand new S curve in digital audio, Extreme is the absolute pinnacle of the last S curve that others are still catching up to
* Since getting my Olympus, I've only briefly listened to my Extreme to do some USB comparisons, the Olympus is miles better in every way
* Olympus USB >>> Extreme USB to my VR DAC (all that Extreme goodness is amplified...even USB only, O would have been a successful upgrade, USB on the Olympus is by far the best I've ever heard)
* Olympus XDMI Analog >>> Olympus USB (better but different than the steadily better we've experienced with Extreme and predecessor DIY digital audio...this is brand new territory for digital audio)
* Skip internal storage on Olympus, convenience doesn't offset the SQ hit (vs NAS or streaming)
* Full Taiko network stack kicks butt, hints at the goodness I/O must bring to the party (haven't heard I/O yet)
* XDMI >>>>>> USB/AES/etc, so much so that the relatively simple DAC in the XDMI Analog is a giant killer, can't wait to hear an insanely great XDMI DAC
* Need/benefit of upsampling is out the window with Olympus (which is both mind bending, and indicative of how much the world has changed with this new tech)

Net Net: Anyone that loves the Extreme sound enough to have ordered the Olympus unheard and unseen will be over the moon happy when they receive theirs

 

Not only would there need to be a big enough demand for anyone to take on such an endeavor but whoever did would need an Olympus and a compatible DAC to come up with anything worthwhile (or not).
I think that the DAC manufacturers that do the necessary modifications to their converters to make them XDMI friendly would be the most likely ones to come up with options.

 

Not only would there need to be a big enough demand for anyone to take on such an endeavor but whoever did would need an Olympus and a compatible DAC to come up with anything worthwhile (or not).
I think that the DAC manufacturers that do the necessary modifications to their converters to make them XDMI friendly would be the most likely ones to come up with options.

Precisely my point

 

Both the system and my brain are definitely burned in

I'm about 10k words into my long form review (maybe another 5k words to go), hope to have something up early October. Until then happy to discuss any aspect of the system or my experience.

TL;DR

* Olympus is the start of a brand new S curve in digital audio, Extreme is the absolute pinnacle of the last S curve that others are still catching up to
* Since getting my Olympus, I've only briefly listened to my Extreme to do some USB comparisons, the Olympus is miles better in every way
* Olympus USB >>> Extreme USB to my VR DAC (all that Extreme goodness is amplified...even USB only, O would have been a successful upgrade, USB on the Olympus is by far the best I've ever heard)
* Olympus XDMI Analog >>> Olympus USB (better but different than the steadily better we've experienced with Extreme and predecessor DIY digital audio...this is brand new territory for digital audio)
* Skip internal storage on Olympus, convenience doesn't offset the SQ hit (vs NAS or streaming)
* Full Taiko network stack kicks butt, hints at the goodness I/O must bring to the party (haven't heard I/O yet)
* XDMI >>>>>> USB/AES/etc, so much so that the relatively simple DAC in the XDMI Analog is a giant killer, can't wait to hear an insanely great XDMI DAC
* Need/benefit of upsampling is out the window with Olympus (which is both mind bending, and indicative of how much the world has changed with this new tech)

Net Net: Anyone that loves the Extreme sound enough to have ordered the Olympus unheard and unseen will be over the moon happy when they receive theirs

Much obliged Ray, Thank You....John

 

* XDMI >>>>>> USB/AES/etc, so much so that the relatively simple DAC in the XDMI Analog is a giant killer, can't wait to hear an insanely great XDMI DAC

You've definitely piqued my curiosity!

I'm really looking forward to trying it out.

Right now, I’m using the Soulution 760 DAC, which is directly connected to my Soulution 711 amplifier.

I didn’t get the 725 preamp because the 760 just shines when it’s connected straight to the 711. The 760 is a pretty special DAC.

It’s usually the preamp that’s the heart of the system, but not in this case!

That said, I’m planning to borrow the 725 preamp and test it with the XDMI-Analog-Out (DAC). It’ll be interesting to compare the two DACs.

For now, I’m just patiently waiting for my Olympus + I/O XDMI to be shipped

Cheers,
Thomas

 

You've definitely piqued my curiosity!

I'm really looking forward to trying it out.

Right now, I’m using the Soulution 760 DAC, which is directly connected to my Soulution 711 amplifier.

I didn’t get the 725 preamp because the 760 just shines when it’s connected straight to the 711. The 760 is a pretty special DAC.

It’s usually the preamp that’s the heart of the system, but not in this case!

That said, I’m planning to borrow the 725 preamp and test it with the XDMI-Analog-Out (DAC). It’ll be interesting to compare the two DACs.

For now, I’m just patiently waiting for my Olympus + I/O XDMI to be shipped

Cheers,
Thomas

Tom, I think you are going to be pleasantly surprised by the 725! More control along with "refinement"...