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".

 

USB options:
1x Olympus + 1x Olympus I/O = 72.800
> 2x Extreme = 56.000
> 1x Olympus = 52.000
> 1x Extreme + 1x Olympus I/O = 48.800
> 1x Extreme = 28.000
> 1x Olympus I/O = 24.000

XDMI options:
1x Olympus + 1x Olympus I/O = 86.200 (intro 81.200)
> 1x Olympus = 65.400, intro 60.400
> 1x Extreme + 1x Olympus I/O = 65.400, intro 60.400
> 2x Extreme = XDMI NA, but 56.000
> 1x Olympus I/O = 37.400, intro 32.400, trade-in for existing owners 29.200
> 1x Extreme = XDMI NA, but 28.000

Is this correct?

 

The fix as I understand it has to happen at the Lampi end of things and the JL USB board used now needs to be replaced with one that works with XDMI.....I think

I am keeping the USB card until Lampi solves the problem I have no desire to use AES/EBU to get anything but native files beyond 24/192 and no DSD to boot. Option 4 for me

But doesn't the XDMI in on the Lampi doesn't need to be powered with a BPS in order to fully reap the benefits of the much lower noise? After all, this is why the Extreme cannot have the XDMI installed.

 

But doesn't the XDMI in on the Lampi doesn't need to be powered with a BPS in order to fully reap the benefits of the much lower noise? After all, this is why the Extreme cannot have the XDMI installed.

it's all beyond my pay grade.

 

@Taiko Audio - are you able to share your currently expected date for the XDMI to MSB Pro I2S interface to be shipping, please?

 

I’m certainly a huge DSD fan too. I try to collect in DSD over PCM. But reading between the lines, perhaps 24/192 with XDMI/AES is so far beyond anything with USB it might worth the temporary tradeoff. Only Emile can say…

 

Dear Emile, How long will an Olympus XDMI usually run without recharging the batteries? How long will it take to recharge (w/220v)?

 

IMHO USB has it's limitations even when implemented really well..the problem is that once you have heard a better format it cannot be unheard (at least I can't)
I2S is my fave digital format, yet that too has it's quirks and implementation matters a lot.

 

IMHO USB has it's limitations even when implemented really well..the problem is that once you have heard a better format it cannot be unheard (at least I can't)
I2S is my fave digital format, yet that too has it's quirks and implementation matters a lot.

Absolutely correct but none of us have heard XDMI. I also like I2S, but as you say it can be quirky. I have the utmost respect in Emile's knowledge, insight, and foresight. Most all of us have very decent systems, even with the limitations of USB I would venture to say our systems sound quite good. With NSM, things have been propelled further. Now include potentially Olympus I/0 and your maximizing further all that USB can do. Where does the comparison fall between the two? Is XDMI a completely different animal than USB from a sound perspective? Its very difficult to make a rational decision. Will the Horizon in fact become compatible? Then we throw in the financial aspect. lots of variables...

 

USB options:
1x Olympus + 1x Olympus I/O = 72.800
> 2x Extreme = 56.000
> 1x Olympus = 52.000
> 1x Extreme + 1x Olympus I/O = 48.800
> 1x Extreme = 28.000
> 1x Olympus I/O = 24.000

XDMI options:
1x Olympus + 1x Olympus I/O = 86.200 (intro 81.200)
> 1x Olympus = 65.400, intro 60.400
> 1x Extreme + 1x Olympus I/O = 65.400, intro 60.400
> 2x Extreme = XDMI NA, but 56.000
> 1x Olympus I/O = 37.400, intro 32.400, trade-in for existing owners 29.200
> 1x Extreme = XDMI NA, but 28.000

Is this correct?

Yes.

 

Absolutely correct but none of us have heard XDMI. I have the utmost respect in Emile's knowledge, insight, and foresight. Most all of us have very decent systems, even with the limitations of USB I would venture to say our systems sound quite good. With NSM, things have been propelled further. Now include potentially Olympus I/0 and your maximizing further all that USB can do. Where does the comparison fall between the two? Is XDMI a completely different animal than USB from a sound perspective? Its very difficult to make a rational decision. Will the Horizon in fact become compatible? Then we throw in the financial aspect. lots of variables...

sure, wat I wrote was not related to XDMI at all!

 

sure, wat I wrote was not related to XDMI at all!

Understood..I'm assuming Xdmi is a better format. Just attempting to gauge how it differentiates between USB in presentation/improved SQ...

 

@Taiko Audio - are you able to share your currently expected date for the XDMI to MSB Pro I2S interface to be shipping, please?

The lead engineer and project manager for further developing XDMI output options and product integration starts working on this February the 1st.

MSB Pro ISL is first as it’s completely defined and MSB has ready modules available, it’s more or less designing a pcb to mount them. This should be quite easy to do, I cannot put a firm date on it but May should absolutely be doable.

 

Dear Emile, How long will an Olympus XDMI usually run without recharging the batteries? How long will it take to recharge (w/220v)?

It draws around 500mA with a DAC / Analogue output mounted, far less with digital outputs.

Let me share a screenshot of the remote app setting screen and explain how that works:



The configurable values are a time window in which to charge, and a minimum soc, “state of charge” value.

80% here means don’t start charging if the battery is still over 80% full.

The charge start / end times configure the time to start and stop charging.

So with the settings on the screenshot the battery pack will start charging if the battery pack charge is below 80% at 17:37 (5:37PM). It will stop charging at 1AM or if it’s 100% full.

Now there is an override here as if the battery pack charge is near depleted it will always start charging ignoring the time window you configured.

The charging current is set at 5A here, that means 1 hour of charging is enough for 10 hours of XDMI operation.

 

Understood..I'm assuming Xdmi is a better format. Just attempting to gauge how it differentiates between USB in presentation/improved SQ...

I think Emile spelled out exactly what sonic attributes come with XDMI

 

Also to do balanced analog out would you need two TACDA cards and so yet another battery in the Olympus or Olympus I/O?

Balanced out is simply doubling up the analogue output stages. We’re not releasing that yet as we’re taking things a bit further then usual. The additional current draw from a doubled up output stage needs to be carefully designed around to not be (much) noisier then a single ended output stage.

Let me share some analysis details to clarify.

The representation below is a current density rendering in amperes per square mm of the analogue output module. The largest spikes at around 2.5A per square mm are at the DAC chip powersupply. The analogue section is completely even with no spikes. To have comparable performance we will need to achieve the same for balanced.



The next representation is voltage drop ground modulation, again the largest disturbances are centered around the most power hungry part, the DAC chip. Though do examine the actual scaling which is limited to about a 0.005 millivolt modulation which is very good for a 2.5A per mm2 current density.

 

The Olympus renderings don’t show any screws or fasteners. The top surface is full of holes! For access to the tasty bits, does the entire top half of the enclosure lift right off? Latches on the left and right sides under the overhanging seam? I sincerely hope so, as bottom access might be a little…challenging!

The Olympus is a 2 part chassis design, the top is basically half of the chassis and can be removed, see here (the design has changed a bit now but just in some small details and I have these available on my iphone) :

 

The difference between reading this thread and War and Peace is that I only had to read the latter once to understand it.

At this point, my only question pertains to the outputs that will be available for XDMI initially. Like many others, my skepticism of a single DAC chip that offers equal performance to a top stand alone DAC seems appropriate. I too, am not enamoured with a maximum resolution of 24/96 files and would also prefer to play files in their native configuration up to DSD512. While you will offer SPDIF, AES and analogue outputs for XDMI, it seems to me that I2S transmitters and receivers are common place and inexpensive. Simply put, why not offer one now? Why wouldn't that be a high priority to include in the first Olympus release rather than wait until a later time (that would require internal internal board swaps once again) since most Extreme users already have a high level DAC. In short, there's a psyche bridge in accepting a chip DAC or reduced bandwidth formats (or Band-Aids such as DoP) that may be difficult to cross with the initial offering.

There is no standard definition for (external) i2s at all. First of all you can have LSB or MSB first, both are used. Second of all there’s no pinout definition. And third but not least, you need muting and signaling functionality on format changes.

For I2S you may worst case end up designing a different configured i2s output stage for each different DAC vendor.

SPDIF and AES/EBU on the contrary are standardised and will be compatible with any DAC (if it has those as input options)

 

I just placed my order for the 1x Olympus + 1x Olympus I/O (Extreme trade-in) option.

I’ve been with the Taiko team since the early days and they’ve always exceeded expectations in every possible way throughout the journey.

Their unwavering commitment to cutting edge technology, audiophile fidelity, and customer service is unparalleled in this industry. They’ve taken significant risks in bringing us the latest Olympus iteration. It is a tour-de-force.

I’m all in.

Can’t wait for the rest of the journey.

 

I just placed my order for the 1x Olympus + 1x Olympus I/O (Extreme trade-in) option.

I’ve been with the Taiko team since the early days and they’ve always exceeded expectations in every possible way throughout the journey.

Their unwavering commitment to cutting edge technology, audiophile fidelity, and customer service is unparalleled in this industry. They’ve taken significant risks in bringing us the latest Olympus iteration. It is a tour-de-force.

I’m all in.

Can’t wait for the rest of the journey.

I’ve done the same, although I chose I/O XDMI and I’m going to upgrade my storage cards to current technology as well as more memory

I joined this Taiko journey when Emile announced several years ago after the fateful Roon update. He said he has decided to do something better where the only factor was a no compromise all out where SQ was paramount. He hasn’t disappointed although some might say there have been delays. Certainly BPS is one of them BUT Emile was at the mercy of transporting all of these batteries by boat as they could not be transported by plane In that lengthy interim he used time to design an even better product with the promise of the biggest SQ uptick to date. After wrapping my head around NSM this past week or so which was the second biggest uptick it’s difficult to understand how this could get that much better. Emile , for what I seek ( the best SQ) has always been dead on. I know too little about servers, networking etc to try to out think him. I read this thread as well as the Taiko info threads regularly and I know there a lot of smart Extreme users. I’ve learned a lot. However as I guoted the old E F Hutton commercial many times, “ when Emile talks people listen”

I understand the efficacy of an internal DAC but I love mine and prefer to keep it BUT. XDMI is part of where I’m headed as I truly feel that for me this is ‘end game’

What speaks volumes to me is that XDMI does not sound digital or analogue but has the best of both wrapped up in XDMI

I still encourages XDMS alpha users who haven’t updated to NSM to. do it. I really believe that if one has NSM but sits the fence on BPS and never hears it ( few have) they will be eternally happy. BUT if you look at % improvement with Olympus and BPS and knowing Emile as always true to his promises, and me seeking end game, I too have gone all in.

It is my hope that both the Extreme and the new Option 4 will be heard at my house when Emile is comfortable with flying half way around the world to do this. But he is and the number of people wanting to attend seems now to be between 49-50

once a date is known I will post it here and ask to reply by private message to me

Kudos Emile to Taiko and your great team which continues to grow

Can’t wait for the rest of the journey.

my hope is this is the end of the journey

 

There is no standard definition for (external) i2s at all. First of all you can have LSB or MSB first, both are used. Second of all there’s no pinout definition. And third but not least, you need muting and signaling functionality on format changes.

For I2S you may worst case end up designing a different configured i2s output stage for each different DAC vendor.

SPDIF and AES/EBU on the contrary are standardised and will be compatible with any DAC (if it has those as input options)

there indeed is no standard for I2S, yet from what I see there is sortof a consensus, perhaps you want to check with Pink Faun, they make an I2S output for various formats either using HDMI or RJ45 connectors
There are quite a few DAC's using the same principle, yet there may well be quite a few using some other output format...some DDC's use dipswitches to adapt, that may be a bit old school and can perhaps be handled with firmware/software?

Pink Faun I2S Bridge - Pink Faun

The Pink Faun I2S bridge realizes a high-quality I2S (PCM) connection between the music computer and the DAC. Read more here.

www.pinkfaun.com