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".

 

In case I inadvertently caused confusion, Emile has talked about a v2.

I was speaking more generally about a future v3 (and v4 and v5 etc) because of the potential of the platform and what hopefully will be very rapid and exciting innovations.

With xdmi and bps, there is brand new ground for digital audio, so very early days right now.

 

@ray-dude , it was an absolute pleasure meeting you in person, thank you for brightening our Sunday/Monday

A quick question for all those who’ve tried the analog output, what is your opinion on the output level / gain? Would you prefer it to be lower/higher or is it just right?

For me personally, I would like a higher gain, but I also have a low gain preamp given the Aries Cerat DAC tends to have a higher gain output so chose to have a lower gain preamp. Adjustable gain would be ideal, if possible.

 

@Taiko Audio - Emile, I could use lower gain, especially if it has potential for better SQ. Also allows for lower attenuation losses from the amplifier volume control.

 

@ray-dude , it was an absolute pleasure meeting you in person, thank you for brightening our Sunday/Monday

A quick question for all those who’ve tried the analog output, what is your opinion on the output level / gain? Would you prefer it to be lower/higher or is it just right?

Just right

 

Just right x2.

 

We are looking into XLR as well as a "preamplifier" version with volume control. However, we cannot not yet make any promises at this point, nor do we have a due-ready date.

Emile
Any update of the balanced analog XDMI (without volume control)? Do you think it can be ready by this quarter? Thanks

 

A quick question for all those who’ve tried the analog output, what is your opinion on the output level / gain? Would you prefer it to be lower/higher or is it just right?

Definitely not lower. It's just about right.
If anything, it could be slightly higher for those of us that don't use a preamp.

 

We are looking into XLR as well as a "preamplifier" version with volume control. However, we cannot not yet make any promises at this point, nor do we have a due-ready date.

Careful, we’re going to start debating autoformers vs attenuators vs digital volume control

 

We are looking into XLR as well as a "preamplifier" version with volume control. However, we cannot not yet make any promises at this point, nor do we have a due-ready date.

It's great for me (I don't want to stop using my preamp) to know that there will be a future balanced version without a preamp.

 

It's great for me (I don't want to stop using my preamp) to know that there will be a future balanced version without a preamp.

Given the modular nature of the XDMI platform, anything is theoretically possible provided there is enough interest, however, we have not yet firmly decided which functionality the balanced/and/or volume-control implementation will offer. But when we offer volume control, it will likely be defeatable/bypassable.

 

Tuly exciting times for Taiko. The world is your oyster Emile

 

Emile, can I beg for an update on the silver chassis supply? November 20 you stated that a number of O's were shipping and listed some O + I/O's that would be next up. What is their status now? Any prognosis?

 

The Taiko room is more of a lab than demo room these days, so the measure is how revealing it is (voicing and tuning). It is remarkable how quickly and how audible changes are. This is where the “art” happens to complement the “engineering”

I was very impressed how well the Zellatons could keep up with the Olympus (speed, control, and coherence). It is the Olympus that has kicked me into considering a speaker upgrade, so it was a VERY interesting experience to hear Olympus with different speakers and electronics (the character of the speaker and electronics really came through) learned a great deal

One of my bucket list wishes is to find time to visit the Taiko team in Oldenzaahl and to hear all things Taiko and to meet all of the elves who work their butts off to bring such satisfaction to all of us who read this thread.

What really piqued my interest more so than ever was to read and to see photos of the Zellaton Reference Ultra in Emile's main room. I have been a Wilson owner for over 30 years and owned almost all their speakers up to my present Alexandria series ll. My other bucket list dream is that if I were to ever make a speaker change in my seasoned room, the Zellaton Reference Ultra tops my list and clearly would be an end game move. You rock Emile. I would love to hear them in your room and to go to school on your putt. Kudos

 

Given the modular nature of the XDMI platform, anything is theoretically possible provided there is enough interest, however, we have not yet firmly decided which functionality the balanced/and/or volume-control implementation will offer. But when we offer volume control, it will likely be defeatable/bypassable.

Dear Taiko Team, please do not forget the functionality of digital inputs, even if optional.

 

One of my bucket list wishes is to find time to visit the Taiko team in Oldenzaahl and to hear all things Taiko and to meet all of the elves who work their butts off to bring such satisfaction to all of us who read this thread.

What really piqued my interest more so than ever was to read and to see photos of the Zellaton Reference Ultra in Emile's main room. I have been a Wilson owner for over 30 years and owned almost all their speakers up to my present Alexandria series ll. My other bucket list dream is that if I were to ever make a speaker change in my seasoned room, the Zellaton Reference Ultra tops my list and clearly would be an end game move. You rock Emile. I would love to hear them in your room and to go to school on your putt. Kudos

Looking at the speakers' transducers, I would say they are the Zellaton Reference MKll, from the Klassik series and not the Zellaton Reference Ultra, which belong to the Ultra Series.

 

Looking at the speakers' transducers, I would say they are the Zellaton Reference MKll, from the Klassik series and not the Zellaton Reference Ultra, which belong to the Ultra Series.

I think you’re correct. Here is a photo of the Reference Ultra

 

Here is Emile’s

 

Given the modular nature of the XDMI platform, anything is theoretically possible provided there is enough interest, however, we have not yet firmly decided which functionality the balanced/and/or volume-control implementation will offer. But when we offer volume control, it will likely be defeatable/bypassable.

For me, vol control or preamp section are not essential because I will use my preamp.
Most important is a xlr analog output.
Thanks！

 

Honestly, I view live performance and recorded music as two very separate things ...

Same here. I've thought about this often recently, and prefer home listening for a number of reasons, not least of which are the long drive in traffic to the Meyerson Center for my preferred genre, parking in a garage, and sitting in seats which should've been replaced a decade ago. I think home sound quality is generally better than live. And after you've been through a thing or two as an old-timer, and you realize time is running out, perhaps you justify spending a huge chunk of your life savings for a home system.

 

Dear Taiko Team, please do not forget the functionality of digital inputs, even if optional.

The suggestion has been noted