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".

 

I understand what you mean about the latest XDMS sound. Lately I was listening to Roon more than XDMS, until I decided to change the Sound Profile from Default to Alternative.

 

I understand what you mean about the latest XDMS sound. Lately I was listening to Roon more than XDMS, until I decided to change the Sound Profile from Default to Alternative.

There are other issues, XDMS persistently playing another random album even if I chose the one I wanted to play, stopping after one track, not moving to the next, failing to scan some albums (even though they are in red book format), inability to open embedded PDF documents etc. (I deleted and reinstalled XDMS app to no avail.) Frankly, once I have heard what "purist" i2s connection can reward, I am using my "lowly" DVD transport primarily these days to watch loads of operas (my video library is growing fast, currently having about 300 titles) and biting my nails for the eventual arrival of Olympus. When video discs are well recorded (especially without extensive dynamic range suppression), I get goose bumps with the SQ (such air, transparency, immediacy, impact, details, depth, naturalness). You would have to price top price ($300+) to be in London or New York at the right time to hear such once-in-a-lifetime performance like Berlioz's Les Troyens (Pappano/Royal Opera, Antonacci as Cassandra and Westbroek as Dido) and Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin (Gergiev/Met Opera with the incomparable Netrebko as Tatiana), not to mention the vivid Blu-ray visual quality (how I could see action in such detail and closeup in an opera house).

 

Yes John, 1fs is 44kHz and 48kHz, and 2fs is 88kHz and 96kHz.

This is how I have XDMI Analog set up in Roon (under advanced)

View attachment 138293

Ray...for a dummy like myself why are you not listening to XDMI native. Im using the XDMI digital card direct into my Horizon 360 via the Taiko XDMI port

My preference has always been to listen to a file in the manner in which it is recorded. I have countless files in 24/192 as well as DXD and DSD up to DSD512

 

Steve, I found that with XDMI Analog, any file above 96k or DSD64 sounded worse than the lower resolution version (the XDMI magic started to go away at higher resolutions)

I use Roon to downsample music to 96k and DSD64

Before this, I was listening almost exclusively to DSD512 files, with PGGB for upsampling

As near as I can tell, it takes significantly more processing to play these higher resolution files. This seems to degrade sound quality with XDMI analog

Your experience with XDMI digital may be different. I’m eager to hear XDMI Analog vs XDMI digital in the same system

 

I ordered my Olympus with the minimum internal SSD, and now that I have a SSD NAS, I want to remove the Olympus music SSD. Is there a video or detailed instructions explaining how to safely remove the internal music SSD of the Olympus?

 

any file above 96k or DSD64 sounded worse than the lower resolution version (the XDMI magic started to go away at higher resolutions)

This has always been my experience even with Extreme/Horizon. Higher resolution is pure marketing gimmicks and always sounds worse (because it unnecessarily consumes excessive CPU power, resulting in increased jitters). I believe that optimal format size should be around 24/44.1 or 24/48, but no more than 24/96. (I have many 24/192 albums; they never sound really good; mostly they sound muffled or lumpy; I have in mind the most complex orchestral and choral pieces like Mahler's symphonies and Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem.) Red book format, if done right, should be all we need (because it is well within human hearing range), but margin for errors for the red book format is perhaps smaller. PCM sounds generally better than DSD to my ears even with a delta-sigma DAC like Horizon (because DSD consumes much more CPU and DAC chip power) and uncompressed WAV sounds better than compressed FLAC etc. (because de-compression and conversion in real time with added CPU processing results in increased jitters). Based on extensive experience, I am now convinced that it is the recording quality (no excessive dynamic range compression) or remastering quality (for analog recordings) that is decisive; digital format is of tertiary importance or relevance. I sigh every time I see a 24/192 new or remastered album; hope also that the industry will abandon DSD (which is now limited to small or boutique recording companies largely because, I suspect, they want to sell SACD discs for higher profits).

 

I understand what you mean about the latest XDMS sound. Lately I was listening to Roon more than XDMS, until I decided to change the Sound Profile from Default to Alternative.

I must admit I miss XDMS. When I had my Extreme my sound was at its best when I had the sound profile alternative

 

Steve, I found that with XDMI Analog, any file above 96k or DSD64 sounded worse than the lower resolution version (the XDMI magic started to go away at higher resolutions)

I use Roon to downsample music to 96k and DSD64

Before this, I was listening almost exclusively to DSD512 files, with PGGB for upsampling

As near as I can tell, it takes significantly more processing to play these higher resolution files. This seems to degrade sound quality with XDMI analog

Your experience with XDMI digital may be different. I’m eager to hear XDMI Analog vs XDMI digital in the same system

I haven’t heard the analogue card and you haven’t heard the digital card. What I find with XDMI via the digital card is that all formats played native, sound excellent in my system. I don’t look any more nor do I search out formats. I find that with XDMI everything just sounds right to my ears and my analogue board is still in the wrapping in which I received it . When Emile finds time for a week end open house I am looking forward to the comparison of both boards

 

For those with interest, Part 2 of my Olympus review just got posted:

Reality Quest: Review of the Taiko Audio Olympus Music Server (Part 2 of 2)

Audio: Listen to this article. In Part 1 of this review, I covered what has changed in the Taiko ecosystem in the past four years, dug into the hardware design and more unique aspects of the new Taiko Audio Olympus Music Server, and shared some curious first impressions. In this Part 2, I dig int...

audiophilestyle.com

Amazingly thorough write up, Ray-Dude! I appreciate your trailblazing on the various aspects we all should consider when using the new Taiko technology. Can't wait to get my units...

 

Ha, you found my visual pun!

(as an aside, when you have so much wine that you're able to make visual puns with the wine labels, it is time to have people over to enjoy the wine while listening to music)

I thought it was a clever Decoy!

 

IIRC, (please correct me if Im wrong) Emile said either using the DCD in your sound room or putting a NAS somewhere else in your home are equally effective. I also remember Emile suggested that using internal storage in the Olympus does have a slight negative effect on SQ. As a result I omitted all internal storage and did want to use the DCD with my NAS in the sam room however I my power supply to the DCD, router and switch was not sufficient to also power my NAS . This did cause me some chagrin as I did not want to invest in another LPS to keep my Qnap TS 464 with 16 TB storage in my sound room. I took Emile's advice and moved it downstairs wired into my home router with a cheap RJ45 using port forwarding and to my ears the sound is terrific

Hi Steve,

I’m pretty much going to follow your same storage approach with my NAS connected to my home router. Where can an IT ignoramus like me find out how to implement “port forwarding”?

Thanks

 

Hi Steve,

I’m pretty much going to follow your same storage approach with my NAS connected to my home router. Where can an IT ignoramus like me find out how to implement “port forwarding”?

Thanks

Hi @cmarin ,

Not Steve but assume you won’t mind me answering this one

This is normally not necessary. If your NAS is upstream of your router, aka on the WAN or Internet side, it will be in a different subnet / ip range.

If you enter your NAS ip-address into Roon, and that address is not in it’s own subnet/ip-address, aka on the LAN / music network side, it will automatically attempt to reach it on the WAN side.

This same process is used when you browse whatsbestforum.com from your home computer.

We did configure port forwarding for Steve prior to the arrival of his Olympus which wasn’t necessary in hindsight as he changed his NAS location from downstream to upstream.

If you want to setup port forwarding the procedure is described in the Router manual which you can download from our website.

If that looks challenging you can of course always contact our support team.

Edit for clarity: port forwarding is ONLY necessary if you position your NAS downstream of the Router (on the LAN side) and if you want to access your NAS from a device upstream of the Router (on the WAN side).

 

I ordered my Olympus with the minimum internal SSD, and now that I have a SSD NAS, I want to remove the Olympus music SSD. Is there a video or detailed instructions explaining how to safely remove the internal music SSD of the Olympus?

No but we can make one, @Christiaan Punter

 

Hi @cmarin ,

Not Steve but assume you won’t mind me answering this one

This is normally not necessary. If your NAS is upstream of your router, aka on the WAN or Internet side, it will be in a different subnet / ip range.

Of you enter your NAS ip-address into Roon, and that address is bot in it’s own subnet/ip-address, aka on the LAN / music network side, it will automatically attempt to reach it on the WAN side.

This same process is used when you browse whatsbestforum.com from your home computer.

We did configure port forwarding for Steve prior to the arrival of his Olympus which wasn’t necessary in hindsight as he changed his NAS location from downstream to upstream.

If you want to setup port forwarding the procedure is described in the Router manual which you can download from our website.

If that looks challenging you can of course always contact our support team.

But again, this should simply not be necessary under normal circumstances.

Thank you for the reply Emile aka “Steve”!

My O server-I/O should be shipping soon but it will give me some time to try to enter the NAS ip-address into Roon before it arrives. Hopefully that will work without having to dive into the router manual or calling the taiko paramedic life support team!

 

Hi @cmarin ,

Not Steve but assume you won’t mind me answering this one

This is normally not necessary. If your NAS is upstream of your router, aka on the WAN or Internet side, it will be in a different subnet / ip range.

Of you enter your NAS ip-address into Roon, and that address is bot in it’s own subnet/ip-address, aka on the LAN / music network side, it will automatically attempt to reach it on the WAN side.

This same process is used when you browse whatsbestforum.com from your home computer.

We did configure port forwarding for Steve prior to the arrival of his Olympus which wasn’t necessary in hindsight as he changed his NAS location from downstream to upstream.

If you want to setup port forwarding the procedure is described in the Router manual which you can download from our website.

If that looks challenging you can of course always contact our support team.

But again, this should simply not be necessary under normal circumstances.

Although I don't have my Olympus yet, after reading Ray's fantastic article, I've decided to get my old NAS back. My question is, from the sound quality point of view, is it better to connect it to the Taiko Router or to the ISP Router at home?

 

For those with interest, Part 2 of my Olympus review just got posted:

Reality Quest: Review of the Taiko Audio Olympus Music Server (Part 2 of 2)

Audio: Listen to this article. In Part 1 of this review, I covered what has changed in the Taiko ecosystem in the past four years, dug into the hardware design and more unique aspects of the new Taiko Audio Olympus Music Server, and shared some curious first impressions. In this Part 2, I dig int...

audiophilestyle.com

Hi Ray.
Great job!!!.
One question, to which input of the Taiko DCD have you connected your NAS: Alt_1, Alt_2 or Default?

 

Hi @cmarin ,

Not Steve but assume you won’t mind me answering this one

This is normally not necessary. If your NAS is upstream of your router, aka on the WAN or Internet side, it will be in a different subnet / ip range.

Of you enter your NAS ip-address into Roon, and that address is bot in it’s own subnet/ip-address, aka on the LAN / music network side, it will automatically attempt to reach it on the WAN side.

This same process is used when you browse whatsbestforum.com from your home computer.

We did configure port forwarding for Steve prior to the arrival of his Olympus which wasn’t necessary in hindsight as he changed his NAS location from downstream to upstream.

If you want to setup port forwarding the procedure is described in the Router manual which you can download from our website.

If that looks challenging you can of course always contact our support team.

But again, this should simply not be necessary under normal circumstances.

Actually, my issue has to do with a quirky Roon port forwarding. My NAS is connected to my Taiko router so it is seen by Roon without any port forwarding. Since my NAS is on the Taiko network I think I had to set up a port forwarding rule from the WAN side so I can see it from my home laptop and add files.

The coffee is still brewing and I did this 9 months ago but hopefully what I wrote it correct.

 

Actually, my issue has to do with a quirky Roon port forwarding. My NAS is connected to my Taiko router so it is seen by Roon without any port forwarding. Since my NAS is on the Taiko network I think I had to set up a port forwarding rule from the WAN side so I can see it from my home laptop and add files.

The coffee is still brewing and I did this 9 months ago but hopefully what I wrote it correct.

That makes perfect sense, you do indeed need to configure port forwarding for that particular scenario. I’ve added that to my previous post as an example for clarity.

 

No but we can make one, @Christiaan Punter

Can certainly provide, but that will take some time. I made a note so I won't forget.

 

Hi Emile ( @Taiko Audio )

The use of internal storage in the Olympus has an impact on the sound.

What about the use of internal storage in the Olympus in the context of the Olympus + I/O ?

I have not been able to find the information.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,

Thomas