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 know, I’m hearing it everyday! : ) But will that mean I will not be able to hear xdms/nsm or even xdms through aes/ebu on my atlantis DAC? It’s not the Arcadia or the reference DAC.

Roon over WASPI does a nice sonic job too

 

@Taiko Audio The Extreme server was based on dual Xeon 10 core CPUs and 48GB of ECC ram, what are the specs of the new server as far as CPU, motherboard, and ram specs?

 

@Taiko Audio The Extreme server was based on dual Xenon 10 core CPUs and 64GB of ECC ram, what are the specs of the new server as far as CPU, motherboard, and ram specs?

Click on the red highlighted, underlined title below:

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

The specific part of Emile's post:

1) The Olympus Server utilises the latest available computer hardware with the following differences to the Extreme:

-The Extreme has 2 Intel Xeon Scalable processors with 10 CPU physical CPU cores each for total of 20 physical CPU cores (40 virtual), 48Gb DDR4-2400 Memory, PCIe gen3 interfaces, uses PCIe gen3 M.2 music storage drives and runs Windows 10
- The Olympus has 1 AMD Epyc 4th gen processor with 4*8 physical CPU cores for a total of 32 physical CPU cores (64 virtual), 128Gb DDR5-4800 Memory, PCIe gen5 interfaces, uses MCIO (PCIe) gen5 U.2/U.3 music storage drives and runs Windows 11

You can search on all the posts from Emile by using the search function at the upper right of each page and inserting TaikoAudio in the member field.



This will bring up a page or pages (in the case of Emile's posts) of all of a members posts:



Steve Z

 

@Taiko Audio The Extreme server was based on dual Xenon 10 core CPUs and 64GB of ECC ram, what are the specs of the new server as far as CPU, motherboard, and ram specs?

Do u guys read the posts here??
See #975

And thank u oldmustang

 

Click on the red highlighted, underlined title below:

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...

www.whatsbestforum.com

The specific part of Emile's post:

1) The Olympus Server utilises the latest available computer hardware with the following differences to the Extreme:

-The Extreme has 2 Intel Xeon Scalable processors with 10 CPU physical CPU cores each for total of 20 physical CPU cores (40 virtual), 48Gb DDR4-2400 Memory, PCIe gen3 interfaces, uses PCIe gen3 M.2 music storage drives and runs Windows 10
- The Olympus has 1 AMD Epyc 4th gen processor with 4*8 physical CPU cores for a total of 32 physical CPU cores (64 virtual), 128Gb DDR5-4800 Memory, PCIe gen5 interfaces, uses MCIO (PCIe) gen5 U.2/U.3 music storage drives and runs Windows 11

You can search on all the posts from Emile by using the search function at the upper right of each page and inserting TaikoAudio in the member field.



This will bring up a page or pages (in the case of Emile's posts) of all of a members posts:



Steve Z

Thanks.

Do u guys read the posts here??
See #975

And thank u oldmustang

No, I didn't read all 52 pages of posts in this thread. For 49 pages of those 52 pages that question remained unanswered.

 

Roon over WASPI does a nice sonic job too

Isn't Waspi bypassing most of the sonic improvements that mainly were ASIO related?

 

The

Isn't Waspi bypassing most of the sonic improvements that mainly were ASIO related?

ASIO benefits are not there, but the lower noise floor of the various Taiko components benefits WASAPI too

 

@Taiko Audio location planning for the new components/configuration will require some racking modifications at my place (maybe others too?), so regarding physical connections for QFSP28 transceivers, is it set to use a passive cable type, as we do for the switch? For the "28" cables, I find 1meter and 3meter options (perhaps limited by brand).

If not premature, can you offer a comment on that aspect of the new set-up for those of us with planing anxiety?! Cheers, Emile.

QFSP28 passive DAC cables are commonly available 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5 meter lengths. We only support passive cables, similar to those used with the switch/router. We don't support fiber in this application, it just doesn't perform that well, too noisy.

 

@Taiko Audio

i have a couple of software questions:
1. do you plan to carry two software loads for the backend, one for the extreme and one for the olympus?
2. do you anticipate either better performance (more processors to play with, as an example) or other differences (functionality?) as the olympus and extreme evolve?
3. can we assume parity in performance/functionality between the two for a while, e.g. years?

1. Assuming this is about XDMS, no current plans.
2. Both will surely evolve further.
3. Functionality yes, performance is hard to predict, we have 5.5 years of experience with the Extreme's OS and just a few months with the Olympus's OS. It's therefor not unlikely the performance delta will increase over time.

 

The

ASIO benefits are not there, but the lower noise floor of the various Taiko components benefits WASAPI too

This is a very good sign.
There are some aspects of the WAsapi I really liked , but also Asio was spectacular in the others
Are you considering ASIO v WASAPI as being on pair in SQ ?

 

This is a very good sign.
There are some aspects of the WAsapi I really liked , but also Asio was spectacular in the others
Are you considering ASIO v WASAPI as being on pair in SQ ?

The WASAPI implementation is coded by Microsoft.
The ASIO implementation is coded by ourselves.

 

The WASAPI implementation is coded by Microsoft.
The ASIO implementation is coded by ourselves.

So No chance for SQ being on pair.
I believe also here the performance delta will increase with further discoveries In favor to ASIO.

 

The WASAPI implementation is coded by Microsoft.
The ASIO implementation is coded by ourselves.

Emile, my current DAC, the wadax atlantis, does not support ASIO. I’m a little confused over earlier posts ed and christiaan made over ASIO clients and the like, and so I hope you might be able to help me with this question - with the Olympus and I/O combo, by way of the aes/ebu output, will I be able to hear xdms-nsm through my DAC, which, once again, does not support ASIO protocol?

Thanks so much! - kevin

 

Hi Emile (@Taiko Audio )

Looking at the Olympus images, I realise that there are no visible screws. Which is nice!

If I've understood correctly, parts A and B fit together, is that correct?

Part A would be the lid, so to speak.

I assume then that the Olympus I/O will be very similar to part B, but with the cards placed horizontally.

Olympus Server + Olympus I/O = 280mm (180mm + 100mm)


How will the Olympus Server and Olympus I/O slot together?


If you haven't figured this out yet, don't bother answering. Forget I asked.

I'll ask again later

Cheers,

Thomas

 

View attachment 122776


Hi Emile (@Taiko Audio )

Looking at the Olympus images, I realise that there are no visible screws. Which is nice!

If I've understood correctly, parts A and B fit together, is that correct?

Part A would be the lid, so to speak.

I assume then that the Olympus I/O will be very similar to part B, but with the cards placed horizontally.

Olympus Server + Olympus I/O = 280mm (180mm + 100mm)

How will the Olympus Server and Olympus I/O slot together?

If you haven't figured this out yet, don't bother answering. Forget I asked.

I'll ask again later

Cheers,

Thomas

You hit the nail on the head with those red arrows

 

Emile, my current DAC, the wadax atlantis, does not support ASIO. I’m a little confused over earlier posts ed and christiaan made over ASIO clients and the like, and so I hope you might be able to help me with this question - with the Olympus and I/O combo, by way of the aes/ebu output, will I be able to hear xdms-nsm through my DAC, which, once again, does not support ASIO protocol?

Thanks so much! - kevin

Yes as you’d then use XDMI which has an ASIO driver.

 

Yes as you’d then use XDMI which has an ASIO driver.

Thank you so very much, as always, Emile! : )

 

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 and version 003 is now available.

 

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 and version 003 is now available.

Can that link be added as a Summary to the upper of each page ?
Just like we had that USB/ Network / AES choices on the upper part of the original Taiko Extreme thread ?

 

Can that link be added as a Summary to the upper of each page ?
Just like we had that USB/ Network / AES choices on the upper part of the original Taiko Extreme thread ?

Sure, will look into this.