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".

 

...MSB daughter board ships soon, it was noted.

 

Another data point : the Olympus does not gain much by grounding. The Altaira to left binding post induced a major drop in dynamics, and a collapse of depth ( from 7m to 2m, hard to put numbers on those ). The router and switch benefited from grounding, although not the Taiko distributor, nor the power supply that powers the distributor. In short, the Olympus is not taking well any of the power supply in the system being grounded, so there must be something in relation to isolating the grounding plane for the signal chain. I believe Emile had already made this comment in the documentation.

 

Has anyone of the Aries Cerat DAC and Olympus Server owners compared the USB output with the AES/EBU (or with the SPDIF)?

 

Another data point : the Olympus does not gain much by grounding. The Altaira to left binding post induced a major drop in dynamics, and a collapse of depth ( from 7m to 2m, hard to put numbers on those ). The router and switch benefited from grounding, although not the Taiko distributor, nor the power supply that powers the distributor. In short, the Olympus is not taking well any of the power supply in the system being grounded, so there must be something in relation to isolating the grounding plane for the signal chain. I believe Emile had already made this comment in the documentation.

Are you using both the Altaira Signal Grounding hub (for digital) and the Altaira Chassis Grounding hub (for non digital) or just the Chassis hub?

 

Are you using both the Altaira Signal Grounding hub (for digital) and the Altaira Chassis Grounding hub (for non digital) or just the Chassis hub?

It is a dual signal hub, one for digital and one for analog. For reference, it is the first time I observe the Altaira not improving significantly a component by reducing noise.

 

Has anyone of the Aries Cerat DAC and Olympus Server owners compared the USB output with the AES/EBU (or with the SPDIF)?

I haven’t, but it was tried at the last Munich— and the USB was preferred.

 

I haven’t, but it was tried at the last Munich— and the USB was preferred.

Thank you. I have the two units as well and I do have the O plugged in to the signal hub as well as the router and the switch and the DCD. I have not compared with or without the grounding cables connected as I just connected them and it sounds amazing with them being connected, but upon your observation, I will do some testing.

 

I haven’t, but it was tried at the last Munich— and the USB was preferred.

Not by me

 

Hi,

Is taiko working with ch precision for the XDMI connection?

We are communicating, however we do currently have our plates full.

 

Another data point : the Olympus does not gain much by grounding. The Altaira to left binding post induced a major drop in dynamics, and a collapse of depth ( from 7m to 2m, hard to put numbers on those ). The router and switch benefited from grounding, although not the Taiko distributor, nor the power supply that powers the distributor. In short, the Olympus is not taking well any of the power supply in the system being grounded, so there must be something in relation to isolating the grounding plane for the signal chain. I believe Emile had already made this comment in the documentation.

Thank you for trying, I myself have only found negatives, but in a world where no system is identical, nor sounds the same, it’s good to get as much feedback on this as possible. We have deliberately mounted separated power (charger) supply and chassis grounding posts for more freedom in experimenting.

 

"Black Olympus servers finished: 34.1, 40, 42, 49"
Shipped? If not, when?

I cannot tell you that specifically. Finishing construction doesn’t mean they ship instantaneously. For example several Olympus servers are holding as their future owners would like us to factory mount the MSB Pro ISL modules which are on their way to us. If you want specific information for a specific queue number you can reach out to support@taikoaudio.com and ask.

 

Not by me

I wasn't planning on trying the XDMI AES out to the Kassandra because USB is sounding so good. Also, I didn't want to flip the I/O upside down in order to replace the analog daughter card and I currently use the AES input on the DAC for the CD transport. But now I'm going to have to give it a try
After the positive comments on the sound of native XDMI digital out, I'm really happy to have a DAC that is going to have that option available soon as well.
Right now I'm still mesmerized by the USB output to the Kassandra. It's by far the best I've ever heard.

 

Not by me

Interesting…. I should have specified it was Stravos who preferred the usb.

 

Interesting…. I should have specified it was Stravos who preferred the usb.

Yes, and I cannot argue with the reasoning behind that. In a “low res” “high background noise” of a show environment, the finer grained, more delicate and agile high frequency rendering will go largely, if not completely, unnoticed. It is true the USB appeared more dynamic, and it’s “rougher” intrinsic nature does not stand out in quick, often just minutes long, listening sessions.

Additionally USB is the type of sound we’re completely accustomed to as it’s being used in 99% of file based / streaming digital playback systems. And it will remain to be for quite some time.

 

Additionally USB is the type of sound we’re completely accustomed to as it’s being used in 99% of file based / streaming digital playback systems. And it will remain to be for quite some time.

Indeed, never underestimate the power of cognitive dissonance, particularly in short-term listening sessions. In a human consciousness model where, whether we realize we are doing it or not, we are always trying to make sense of the outside world by recognizing patterns, sorting and categorizing, we often prefer the familiar and comfortable over something new and outside our normal experience.

Except of course for those of us (guilty!) who actively search out and enjoy the new, different and unexpected. . .

Steve Z

 

There were definitely a couple days of brain burn in for me when I first heard XDMI. It definitely helped having Olympus + USB vs Extreme + USB as a reference to hear what XDMI was bringing to the table.

 

Perhaps the Qobuz "problem" of periodic play stoppage has cured itself somehow. This is the second morning I've gotten up and checked Roon to find it played through the night > 12 hours continuously and is still playing. Not aware that Qobuz has issued a fix, but I've never gotten anything from them in the past about other problems, either.

Steve Z

 

Data point:
My Olympus has been burning in on continuous play since I turned it on for the first time this Tuesday. Not one stoppage here.

 

For burn in processes, is continuous qobuz any more effective than repeating one local track?

 

Another data point : the Olympus does not gain much by grounding. The Altaira to left binding post induced a major drop in dynamics, and a collapse of depth ( from 7m to 2m, hard to put numbers on those ). The router and switch benefited from grounding, although not the Taiko distributor, nor the power supply that powers the distributor. In short, the Olympus is not taking well any of the power supply in the system being grounded, so there must be something in relation to isolating the grounding plane for the signal chain. I believe Emile had already made this comment in the documentation.

Hi QuantumWave,
Let me share with members my experience.
I tried grounding of the Olympus at Volent Audio earlier this month.
Volent doesn't carry any groundbox brands but there was an discontinued and idling Taiko small electric groundbox Setchi D3 in the showroom so I plugged it into the USB socket of Olympus.
The improvement was instantaneous and significant, without any pitfalls. Noise floor further decreased and the layering of the soundstage & resolution of bass was surprises.

According to Ben Lau of Volent Audio, the two grounding posts on the back of Olympus are connected to chassis & the internal LPS only. The circuit board is somewhat "floated".
(Emile please correct us if we are wrong. )

I have got ready my two idling Setchis while waiting for the delivery of my Olympus & Olympus I/O.