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".

 

Saturday night in the US and I am still thinking about all this!

Emile, what are the main drivers of the “75%” boost between the Extreme + I/O and the Olympus, both utilizing XDMI output?

 

Are the router, switch, and DCD still utilized as before with #3 Olympus or #4 Olympus + Olympus I/O, or are any of the functions incorporated in Olympus?

Yes, their function is unrelated to Olympus/Olympus I/O.

With either #3 and #4 Olympus options can you start with the memory you have and later upgrade to the improved memory? Can you start with Olympus #3 and later add Olympus I/O?

Yes, yes.

 

Saturday night in the US and I am still thinking about all this!

Emile, what are the main drivers of the “75%” boost between the Extreme + I/O and the Olympus, both utilizing XDMI output?

XDMI can take advantage of recent technological advances made in computer hardware.

 

XDMI can take advantage of recent technological advances made in computer hardware.

It is in both the I/O and Olympus but the Olympus sounds better (according to your score). Why? Or maybe you are saying that Olympus can take more advantage of it.

 

It is in both the I/O and Olympus but the Olympus sounds better (according to your score). Why? Or maybe you are saying that Olympus can take more advantage of it.

Olympus has more recent computer hardware then the Extreme. XDMI benefits from that. Olympus I/O has nothing to do with that. Olympus I/O does more for the Extreme relatively because it provides battery power to the I/O cards where the Olympus already has that advantage by default. When you add the I/O to the Olympus you increase isolation levels a bit more, no rfi/emi pickup from other hardware, a few degrees lower operating temperatures, doubled up battery power/isolation, it does improve things a but further but not as much as it does for the Extreme.

 

Ok Emile you convinced me.
XDMI all the way.
I never thought I’d ever hear that there is some thing better than that Taiko USB card but i understand your argument so all XDMI for me. Old habits die hard

 

Ok Emile you convinced me.
XDMI all the way.
I never thought I’d ever hear that there is some thing better than that Taiko USB card but i understand your argument so all XDMI for me. Old habits die hard

That’s my cue to clock out for today then

 

That’s my cue to clock out for today then

I'll follow David's @dminches comment , Saturday Night and this is what has occupied my brain. Talk about being wired in a particular way! So a question for tomorrow and thank you for hanging around for as long as you did, and helping us grasp a little more. For those of us who have the Horizon (and forgive my lack of digestion) if we go all XDMI how do we utilize the Horizon in the best way possible while waiting to see what Lukasz has planned...Am I misunderstanding something here? Can you explain how you would approach those of us who have the Horizon?

 

I'll follow David's @dminches comment , Saturday Night and this is what has occupied my brain. Talk about being wired in a particular way! So a question for tomorrow and thank you for hanging around for as long as you did, and helping us grasp a little more. For those of us who have the Horizon (and forgive my lack of digestion) if we go all XDMI how do we utilize the Horizon in the best way possible while waiting to see what Lukasz has planned...Am I misunderstanding something here? Can you explain how you would approach those of us who have the Horizon?

AES/EBU but max at 24/192 and no DSD

Frankly I have said lately that since NSM the sound is just so good that the format doesn't matter.

 

AES/EBU but max at 24/192 and no DSD

Frankly I have said lately that since NSM the sound is just so good that the format doesn't matter.

Okay that's what I thought, Thanks Steve...

 

Hi Emile..Is there a possibility of using XDMI directly (without using Olympus I/O) in Extreme in place of the current USB card?

 

Since the router and switch also had tech to reduce noise and could be powered by external LPS via the DCD-

I’m personally hoping for a XDMI device, possibly housed in something similar to the switch/ router housing, interfacing with the Extreme via an interface card, and potentially being powered with an LPS via the DCD tech to reduce noise.

In short, very similar to the switch/router/dcd/NIC combo. I realise it’s going to perform way worse than even the Olympus I/O, but I’m hoping it’s close enough to give me a taste of the XDMI tech at prices I can afford.

 

Hi Emile..Is there a possibility of using XDMI directly (without using Olympus I/O) in Extreme in place of the current USB card?

I can’t find where Emile responded on this but XDMI cannot be used inside the Extreme - only via Olympus or I/O given the technology changes required to support the interface

 

Hi Emile..Is there a possibility of using XDMI directly (without using Olympus I/O) in Extreme in place of the current USB card?

That was what I was expecting from the shared information by Taiko, during all this time of development. Now we see that the development went a different route, for the better SQ no doubt but, also, at a higher price league out of my reach. Let’s see if they achieve the promised interface XDMI-MSB, in my case.

 

I'll follow David's @dminches comment , Saturday Night and this is what has occupied my brain. Talk about being wired in a particular way! So a question for tomorrow and thank you for hanging around for as long as you did, and helping us grasp a little more. For those of us who have the Horizon (and forgive my lack of digestion) if we go all XDMI how do we utilize the Horizon in the best way possible while waiting to see what Lukasz has planned...Am I misunderstanding something here? Can you explain how you would approach those of us who have the Horizon?

Using AES/EBU or SPDIF.

 

That was what I was expecting from the shared information by Taiko, during all this time of development. Now we see that the development went a different route, for the better SQ no doubt but, also, at a higher price league out of my reach. Let’s see if they achieve the promised interface XDMY-MSB, in my case.

Since the router and switch also had tech to reduce noise and could be powered by external LPS via the DCD-

I’m personally hoping for a XDMI device, possibly housed in something similar to the switch/ router housing, interfacing with the Extreme via an interface card, and potentially being powered with an LPS via the DCD tech to reduce noise.

In short, very similar to the switch/router/dcd/NIC combo. I realise it’s going to perform way worse than even the Olympus I/O, but I’m hoping it’s close enough to give me a taste of the XDMI tech at prices I can afford.

As much as I would love to be able to please everybody, it’s just not possible.

 

As much as I would love to be able to please everybody, it’s just not possible.

Now its Sunday Morning and the gears are still turning. Been loving NSM. Assuming in my case I go Olympus/I/O, all XDMI. How does Roon sound? is it improved? I'm asked to do demos for different dealers because of the geography and the client typically wants to hear Roon. Does the Olympus/I/O enhance Roon further? Does it help distinguish Roon in another/even better light? Since NSM its been all listening with it...

 

Now its Sunday Morning and the gears are still turning. Been loving NSM. Assuming in my case I go Olympus/I/O, all XDMI. How does Roon sound? is it improved? I'm asked to do demos for different dealers because of the geography and the client typically wants to hear Roon. Does the Olympus/I/O enhance Roon further? Does it help distinguish Roon in another/even better light? Since NSM its been all listening with it...

I use Roon most of the time simply because most of our customers do. All comments made in this thread apply to both Roon and XDMS.

 

I use Roon most of the time simply because most of our customers do. All comments made in this thread apply to both Roon and XDMS.

I think this is a SIGNIFICANT statement. I was thinking that Olympus/XDMI/I-O pretty much applied more to XDMS. A lot of people love and use Roon.

 

I think this is a SIGNIFICANT statement. I was thinking that Olympus/XDMI/I-O pretty much applied more to XDMS. A lot of people love and use Roon.

Exactly why I asked Bob, it is quite SIGNIFICANT...Also appealing for more people...