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".

 

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"...

 

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

I've already tried the 725, and while I was initially considering getting the 760+725+711 set, I found that the 725 doesn't really add much value, on the contrary...

Since the 760 was designed after the 725, it seems to incorporate a lot of what the 725 offers. For instance, like the 725, the 760 also has over 500,000 µFarads of storage capacitance.

The 760 was designed to drive the 711 or the 701 mono blocks.

What will be more interesting to compare is the DAC performance.

Olympus -> 725 preamp -> 711 amp
vs
760 -> 725 preamp -> 711 amp

 

I've already tried the 725, and while I was initially considering getting the 760+725+711 set, I found that the 725 doesn't really add much value, on the contrary...

Since the 760 was designed after the 725, it seems to incorporate a lot of what the 725 offers. For instance, like the 725, the 760 also has over 500,000 µFarads of storage capacitance.

The 760 was designed to drive the 711 or the 701 mono blocks.

What will be more interesting to compare is the DAC performance.

Olympus -> 725 preamp -> 711 amp
vs
760 -> 725 preamp -> 711 amp

Interesting, or go 727 with the 717's...Perhaps the 727 won't add much either...I would have thought the 725 (even though older than the 760) would have still enhanced further. Really good input, thanks...

 

Interesting, or go 727 with the 717's...

The 727 is quiet a different beast!
As for the 717, who knows... ;-)

 

The 727 is quiet a different beast!
As for the 717, who knows... ;-)

You are correct, and I agree 717's????

 

Olympus XDMI and Sennheiser HE-1

As I mentioned earlier, I lent my Olympus XDMI to @onlychild for several days while I took a short trip to the Smoky Mountains (where, by the way, a black bear decided to join us on the cabin porch for dinner one night). You may be wondering why there hasn’t been any feedback on the Olympis XDMI yet. Let me explain.

@onlychild has the best headphone system I’ve ever seen or heard - Taiko Extreme with a dedicated router and switch, Sennheiser HE-1, all powered off-grid by a Stromtank S-5000, grounded by a Tripoint grounding system, HRS rack, Shunyata Omega cables, and more. It’s an incredibly resolving system.

As I was driving to Tennessee, I expected a call or text raving about the Olympus. But... nothing. No feedback on the first day, and none on the second day either. Strange! On the third day, I finally received a long message explaining that, while the Olympus was maybe 5-10% better than the Extreme, it wasn’t enough to justify the upgrade cost.

We had a long conversation discussing what he might have been hearing and why. One of the theories was that, since his entire system was already powered by the Stromtank and off-grid, he might not be experiencing the full benefits of the Olympus. But I didn’t buy that. The Stromtank’s batteries don’t sound as good as the Olympus’s. The Olympus BMS and GaN regulation are state-of-the-art, while the Stromtank uses an inverter to step up low-voltage battery output to 120V, only for components to step it down again later. So, technically, the Stromtank + Taiko Extreme combo has several disadvantages compared to the Olympus.

During our conversation, @onlychild mentioned something that piqued my interest: he thought the Olympus USB was more dynamic than the Olympus XDMI analog, which he described as softer. Bingo! That was the key. XDMI has extreme dynamics, crazy transients, and everything you’d want from your digital source. The only way to kill that is through additional digital conversion. I was now certain that the Sennheiser HE-1 was applying some kind of digital manipulation. A quick search revealed that the HE-1’s analog inputs are indeed converted to digital to apply DSP. Well, that explained a lot.

So, here’s what’s happening:

1. Taiko Extreme USB → DSP → Sennheiser HE-1’s built-in DAC → analog;
2. Taiko Olympus USB → DSP → Sennheiser HE-1’s built-in DAC → analog;
3. Taiko Olympus XDMI → analog input on the Sennheiser HE-1→ analog converted to digital → DSP → Sennheiser HE-1’s built-in DAC → analog.

In comparison, #2 is clearly better than #1, but not by much. However, #3 sounded softer and less dynamic, which makes sense since the digital conversion inside the HE-1 was negating the benefits of the XDMI.

To clarify what's going on: XDMI is engineered to minimize digital conversions, eliminate USB, and offer extremely low latency. Meanwhile, the DSP inside the HE-1 is doing the opposite - converting the analog back to digital, applying DSP, and then converting it back to analog. So, the final DAC isn’t the XDMI analog - it’s the DAC inside the HE-1. Not only does this add more digital conversions, but it also introduces a significant amount of latency (though this is probably moot since we’re dealing with another DAC anyway).

In short, if you own a Sennheiser HE-1, you’re probably better off avoiding the XDMI analog. Look for the best digital source. Olympus USB will be an upgrade over Taiko Extreme USB, but you’re entering the realm of diminishing returns.

EDIT: For some reason, I cannot locate the source I had that confirmed that the HE-1 uses DSP. Planning to reach out to Sennheiser to confirm directly with the manufacturer when I have a chance. Until then I am not sure if everything above is entirely correct.
If you have more info on the HE-1 please let me know...

The text below was one of the references during my research, but I just can't find it anymore:
"The on-board DAC handles conversion of digital inputs and processes both analog and digital signals at 32-bit/384 kHz using Sennheiser’s internal DSP, optimizing the sound across all input sources before it reaches the amplification stage."

 

Olympus XDMI analog vs. MSB Select 2 DAC (with MSB Digital Director)

I brought my Olympus XDMI to a state-of-the-art system to compare it with the MSB Select 2 DAC + MSB Digital Director. Three of us took part in the comparison: the host, guest #1 (me), and guest #2. The host and I met around 10:30 am, guest #2 joined a little later, and we finished close to 6 pm. We got so carried away that we even forgot to take a lunch break!

I won’t go into detail about the system, but it was phenomenal, with top-tier components and meticulous attention to every detail - exceptional power configuration, a custom built room within a room, excellent room treatment, reference-level speakers, amplifiers, cables, racks, and more. It was truly a dream setup.

The digital source was a Taiko Extreme USB (with the Taiko USB card) connected to the MSB Digital Director via MSB’s ProISL interface, which then fed the MSB Select 2 DAC. The Select 2 DAC was connected to a fully balanced preamp with top-quality XLR cables. As far as I understand, this fully balanced reference level preamp really shines with balanced connections, so the Olympus XDMI’s analog output, being RCA, might have been at a slight disadvantage from the start. Additionally, the MSB components were placed on HRS platforms, while the Olympus was not.

We started by warming up with the Extreme + MSB combo. It sounded pretty good. Then we switched to the Olympus XDMI analog. Hmm, it sounded different but not necessarily better to me. I felt the bass was better, but we seemed to lose some magic with the Olympus XDMI analog. Something wasn’t right. Then I remembered - I had left the XDMI battery power supply in "charging" mode. I quickly opened the BPS app and switched it from "charging" mode to "auto". Wow, what a difference! Much better.

Now, here are my thoughts - just my subjective opinion, of course. YMMV.

For me, it was hard to go back to the Extreme - MSB after hearing the Olympus XDMI analog in that system.

The first thing that stood out was how much better the bass was with the Olympus XDMI analog. All three of us agreed on that. There was noticeably more air around the instruments with XDMI, and again, all three of us concurred. The decay of each instrument was more pronounced with XDMI - fast, precise, and specific to each instrument, making you feel as you were right in the room with the musicians.

We noticed a bit of shimmer in the highs from the MSB. To me, it sounded brighter, though I didn't feel this was due to extra detail retrieval. In my opinion, it was brighter and leaner, with some veiling in the bass and mid-bass regions. Some people may actually prefer that sound - it’s more of the typical "HiFi" presentation that you often hear at shows and stores.

Next to the Olympus XDMI, the Extreme + MSB combo sounded lean. Interestingly, when we connected the Olympus via USB to the MSB, that lean sound disappeared for me, but I could still detect digital artifacts - the kind that make people gravitate toward analog sources.

One of the tracks we played was "Louis Armstrong - Duke’s Place (1990 Remaster)" (Qobuz streaming). I can vividly recall the difference between the MSB and XDMI analog on this track. To my ears, the double bass with the MSB sounded veiled and boomy. With XDMI analog, it was lively/playful/toe-tapping. That double bass is the foundation of the track, and when the system plays it right, you stop analyzing and simply enjoy the music. What I heard from XDMI was engaging and immersive music. In contrast, the MSB sounded slightly more digital to me and felt more analytical in presentation.

Here’s how each of us personally ranked the three presentations:

Host:

1. Olympus XDMI analog - best
2. Olympus USB —(MSB ProISL)—> MSB Digital Director -> MSB Select 2 DAC - second best
3. Taiko Extreme USB —(MSB ProISL)—> MSB Digital Director -> MSB Select 2 DAC - his third preference
   (By the way, he mentioned his MSB Select 2 and Digital Director are now for sale)

Guest #1 (me):
(Same as the host)

1. Olympus XDMI analog - best
2. Olympus USB —(MSB ProISL)—> MSB Digital Director -> MSB Select 2 DAC - second best
3. Taiko Extreme USB —(MSB ProISL)—> MSB Digital Director -> MSB Select 2 DAC - my third preference

Guest #2:

1. Olympus USB —(MSB ProISL)—> MSB Digital Director -> MSB Select 2 DAC - best
2. Olympus XDMI analog - second best
3. Taiko Extreme USB —(MSB ProISL)—> MSB Digital Director -> MSB Select 2 DAC - his third preference

Our main takeaway? Subjectively, all three of us preferred the Olympus XDMI analog over the Taiko Extreme + MSB Digital Director + MSB Select 2 in this particular setup. And that's without the Olympus I/O. I am excited to see/hear what the I/O will add when I receive mine.

Our biggest surprise? How much of an improvement we felt the Olympus USB was on the MSB Select 2 in this system, even with the MSB Digital Director.

The good news - I am told the XDMI MSB ProISL daughter card is nearly ready (I have one on order with my next Olympus). I wish we had a chance to try that as well. Next time, I guess? It will be extremely interesting to see how much of an improvement XDMI ProISL would be over USB and whether that will significantly change our rankings listed above.

Lastly, I am very interested in making such comparisons with other reference level DACs. Please reach out if you have any ideas on how to make this happen.


Disclaimer: The experiences and views shared above are purely my own from this particular listening session. As audio perception is highly individual, others may have different impressions or preferences. This review is shared for informational purposes only and is not intended to criticize or harm any products or brands.

 

These detailed comparison are invaluable.

 

Does Olympus XDMI analog imply the DAC is housed within the Olympus? There’s technical reasons why internal DACs might work better due to timing issues than external DACs that are not synchronized by an external clock.

 

The one thing that surprises me is that there was such a short time.

Things with connections (some obvious and instantaneous) are observed but some things take time to properly situate themself.

That said, wonderful observations and thank you very much!

Tom

 

Correction....not "surprises me"....but one must put this into the perspective of observations. 4 hours isn't necessarily long term.

Again, great write up on the observations.

Tom

 

Olympus XDMI and Sennheiser HE-1

As I mentioned earlier, I lent my Olympus XDMI to @onlychild for several days while I took a short trip to the Smoky Mountains (where, by the way, a black bear decided to join us on the cabin porch for dinner one night). You may be wondering why there hasn’t been any feedback on the Olympis XDMI yet. Let me explain.

@onlychild has the best headphone system I’ve ever seen or heard - Taiko Extreme with a dedicated router and switch, Sennheiser HE-1, all powered off-grid by a Stromtank S-5000, grounded by a Tripoint grounding system, HRS rack, Shunyata Omega cables, and more. It’s an incredibly resolving system.

As I was driving to Tennessee, I expected a call or text raving about the Olympus. But... nothing. No feedback on the first day, and none on the second day either. Strange! On the third day, I finally received a long message explaining that, while the Olympus was maybe 5-10% better than the Extreme, it wasn’t enough to justify the upgrade cost.

We had a long conversation discussing what he might have been hearing and why. One of the theories was that, since his entire system was already powered by the Stromtank and off-grid, he might not be experiencing the full benefits of the Olympus. But I didn’t buy that. The Stromtank’s batteries don’t sound as good as the Olympus’s. The Olympus BMS and GaN regulation are state-of-the-art, while the Stromtank uses an inverter to step up low-voltage battery output to 120V, only for components to step it down again later. So, technically, the Stromtank + Taiko Extreme combo has several disadvantages compared to the Olympus.

During our conversation, @onlychild mentioned something that piqued my interest: he thought the Olympus USB was more dynamic than the Olympus XDMI analog, which he described as softer. Bingo! That was the key. XDMI has extreme dynamics, crazy transients, and everything you’d want from your digital source. The only way to kill that is through additional digital conversion. I was now certain that the Sennheiser HE-1 was applying some kind of digital manipulation. A quick search revealed that the HE-1’s analog inputs are indeed converted to digital to apply DSP. Well, that explained a lot.

So, here’s what’s happening:

1. Taiko Extreme USB → DSP → Sennheiser HE-1’s built-in DAC → analog;
2. Taiko Olympus USB → DSP → Sennheiser HE-1’s built-in DAC → analog;
3. Taiko Olympus XDMI → analog input on the Sennheiser HE-1→ analog converted to digital → DSP → Sennheiser HE-1’s built-in DAC → analog.

In comparison, #2 is clearly better than #1, but not by much. However, #3 sounded softer and less dynamic, which makes sense since the digital conversion inside the HE-1 was negating the benefits of the XDMI.

To clarify what's going on: XDMI is engineered to minimize digital conversions, eliminate USB, and offer extremely low latency. Meanwhile, the DSP inside the HE-1 is doing the opposite - converting the analog back to digital, applying DSP, and then converting it back to analog. So, the final DAC isn’t the XDMI analog - it’s the DAC inside the HE-1. Not only does this add more digital conversions, but it also introduces a significant amount of latency (though this is probably moot since we’re dealing with another DAC anyway).

In short, if you own a Sennheiser HE-1, you’re probably better off avoiding the XDMI analog. Look for the best digital source. Olympus USB will be an upgrade over Taiko Extreme USB, but you’re entering the realm of diminishing returns.

I also have the HE1 (I prefer the Stax 007mk1 on a DIY T2 amp to the HE1 by a quite big margin though) and would strongly recommend to keep the HE1 and the Olympus off the Stromtank.

I have had a S5000HP and tried various configurations with it and in the end left it out of the chain altogether.

It might not be an issue with the HE1 or its DSP.