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'm getting goose-bumps just listening to Lukasz describe listening to music via XDMI.

Thanks for doing the interview and asking the right questions, Ron.

Steve Z

That caught my attention as well...

 

@Lukasz "Lampizator" Fikus / @Ron Resnick interview at Axpona, talk about XDMI specifically starts at around the 4:30 mark.

Ron makes, by far, the best questions among all high end audio interviews!

 

Ron makes, by far, the best questions among all high end audio interviews!

I agree. The others should take note. The “old guy reads from teleprompter in monotone voice” model has got to go.

 

Yeah indeed, there’s a point where you just run out of expansion slots. There are 5 in total. Then you have the same “issue” we have with the Extreme that certain devices sound better in certain slots.

The current config we run here is:

Slot 1: combined for graphics and OS drive
Slot 2: network card
Slot 3: XDMI or USB
Slot 4: prefer not to use (heat)
Slot 5: USB or U.3 storage drive

@Taiko Audio Emile, could you please confirm the following (or correct if mistaken): my contemplated connection is between Olympus interface and Horizon via proprietary XDMI connection in lieu of SPDIF/AES-EBU. Under this scenario, will the analog output (your own DAC output) and Horizon XDMI output both be in the XDMI card that occupies slot 3? If so and under the aforementioned scenario, there will be no connection between Olympus and my Horizon until the Horizon is modded to have the XDMI input (because no SPDIF/AES-EBU or USB connection will be available from the Olympus side)? In the interim period, it would be just good to use the O's analog output.

 

@Taiko Audio Emile, could you please confirm the following (or correct if mistaken): my contemplated connection is between Olympus interface and Horizon via proprietary XDMI connection in lieu of SPDIF/AES-EBU. Under this scenario, will the analog output (your own DAC output) and Horizon XDMI output both be in the XDMI card that occupies slot 3? If so and under the aforementioned scenario, there will be no connection between Olympus and my Horizon until the Horizon is modded to have the XDMI input (because no SPDIF/AES-EBU or USB connection will be available from the Olympus side)? In the interim period, it would be just good to use the O's analog output.

XDMI is built modular with output cards, where you can only have one at a time. This has several reasons, short signal path being one of them. The proprietary Lampizator output daughter card is a single output interface, meaning you cannot have Lampizator output and analog RCA out simultaneously.

Our current portfolio of cards consists of
- analog out
- digital out (Spdif and AES-EBU)
- proprietary DAC out (Lampizator OR MSB OR Aries Cerat)

In your scenario you have 2 options:
1) install the analog output card and use its signal into your preamp until your Horizon is upgraded. This is our recommended approach.
2) use the digital output card of XDMI (Spdif or AES-EBU) into the respective input of your Horizon. This of course does not work for the time when the unit is back at the factory for the upgrade

Hope that helps!

 

@Taiko Audio Emile, could you please confirm the following (or correct if mistaken): my contemplated connection is between Olympus interface and Horizon via proprietary XDMI connection in lieu of SPDIF/AES-EBU. Under this scenario, will the analog output (your own DAC output) and Horizon XDMI output both be in the XDMI card that occupies slot 3? If so and under the aforementioned scenario, there will be no connection between Olympus and my Horizon until the Horizon is modded to have the XDMI input (because no SPDIF/AES-EBU or USB connection will be available from the Olympus side)? In the interim period, it would be just good to use the O's analog output.

Hello Moladiego,

I'm going to take the liberty of answering for Emile ( @Taiko Audio ) , who will correct me if necessary.

I'm going to assume that you ordered an Olympus XDMI.

The XDMI interface is a modular system consisting of two parts: a motherboard plus a daughterboard.

The motherboard is the main part of the interface and can only accommodate one daughterboard at a time.

The Olympus XDMI will be delivered with two daughter boards:

- a DAC daughterboard (analogue)
- an AES/EBU - S/PDIF daughterboard (digital)

I assume you will order an XDMI-LampizatOr daughterboard when it is available.

I also assume that you will have your Horizon modified to be XDMI compatible.

In the meantime you can use your LampizatOr Horizon via an AES/EBU connection (digital).

The other option would be to use the DAC daughterboard (analogue) directly to your preamp, if you have one.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,

Thomas

 

@Taiko Audio @Aries Cerat
So exciting. Getting close!

I have a Kassandra Ref II. Can you confirm when Aries Cerat XDMI solution will be available and how the retrofit will work? Will Aries Cerat provide the XDMI mother/daughterboards?

I am assuming I will listen to the Taiko DAC while I wait for Kassandra XDMI.

Any chance Taiko DAC is just as good or better? (Sorry I had to ask!) Thanks!

 

XDMI is built modular with output cards, where you can only have one at a time. This has several reasons, short signal path being one of them. The proprietary Lampizator output daughter card is a single output interface, meaning you cannot have Lampizator output and analog RCA out simultaneously.

Our current portfolio of cards consists of
- analog out
- digital out (Spdif and AES-EBU)
- proprietary DAC out (Lampizator OR MSB OR Aries Cerat)

In your scenario you have 2 options:
1) install the analog output card and use its signal into your preamp until your Horizon is upgraded. This is our recommended approach.
2) use the digital output card of XDMI (Spdif or AES-EBU) into the respective input of your Horizon. This of course does not work for the time when the unit is back at the factory for the upgrade

Hope that helps!

Why is using USB not an option?

 

@Taiko Audio @Aries Cerat
So exciting. Getting close!

I have a Kassandra Ref II. Can you confirm when Aries Cerat XDMI solution will be available and how the retrofit will work? Will Aries Cerat provide the XDMI mother/daughterboards?

I am assuming I will listen to the Taiko DAC while I wait for Kassandra XDMI.

Any chance Taiko DAC is just as good or better? (Sorry I had to ask!) Thanks!

Details on that to be worked out /announced.

As all DACs have their own unique distinct character/sound signature there’s no answer to that, do you prefer MSB, Aries Cerat, Lampizator, Totaldac etc, analogous to which wine you prefer, or perhaps you prefer a specific whiskey, or just a nice cool beer.

 

Why is using USB not an option?

You’ll figure that out when you receive your Olympus

 

You’ll figure that out when you receive your Olympus

Gotcha!

 

Details on that to be worked out /announced.

As all DACs have their own unique distinct character/sound signature there’s no answer to that, do you prefer MSB, Aries Cerat, Lampizator, Totaldac etc, analogous to which wine you prefer, or perhaps you prefer a specific whiskey, or just a nice cool beer.

Just keep your analogy at wine! LOL!

 

@Taiko Audio @Aries Cerat
So exciting. Getting close!

I have a Kassandra Ref II. Can you confirm when Aries Cerat XDMI solution will be available and how the retrofit will work? Will Aries Cerat provide the XDMI mother/daughterboards?

I am assuming I will listen to the Taiko DAC while I wait for Kassandra XDMI.

Any chance Taiko DAC is just as good or better? (Sorry I had to ask!) Thanks!

That’s the intriguing question! I have Aries Cerat Ithaca dac.

I’ll try the Taiko dac Xdmi to Aries Ageto pre first and then compare to Taiko Xdmi digital AES to Ithaca dac.

I’m guessing the Xdmi interface that Stravos is building (with dedicated power supply) comes out to be the best.

But, I would honestly be thrilled if Taiko analog to Ageto pre were its equal.

 

Just keep your analogy at wine! LOL!

No wonder John T is happy all the time. Saluto, Giovanni!

Steve Z

 

XDMI is built modular with output cards, where you can only have one at a time. This has several reasons, short signal path being one of them. The proprietary Lampizator output daughter card is a single output interface, meaning you cannot have Lampizator output and analog RCA out simultaneously.

Our current portfolio of cards consists of
- analog out
- digital out (Spdif and AES-EBU)
- proprietary DAC out (Lampizator OR MSB OR Aries Cerat)

In your scenario you have 2 options:
1) install the analog output card and use its signal into your preamp until your Horizon is upgraded. This is our recommended approach.
2) use the digital output card of XDMI (Spdif or AES-EBU) into the respective input of your Horizon. This of course does not work for the time when the unit is back at the factory for the upgrade

Hope that helps!

Thanks, Tsaett and Swiss Tom for your clarification. Need a further clarification: the stock Olympus comes with SPDIF-AES/EBU unless I opt to have the proprietary Horizon daughter card (which is to be provided by Taiko, not Lampizator) in lieu of the stock digital output (at no additional charge, as Emile had informed earlier), but not both cards (unless one pays for both cards)?

 

You’ll figure that out when you receive your Olympus

an answer to a question that even I seem to have figured out

FWIW my new Horizon. with native XDMI arrives this week . I will still be able to use the USB input from my Extreme until the Olympus arrives at which time I will use the Taiko XDMI digital card (although Emile knows my first experiment will be with the analogue card as I am betting that this is going to be something quite special and will influence many users to have an all in one solution). For those that go this route will the Olympus have a volume control in lieu of a preamp

 

That’s the intriguing question! I have Aries Cerat Ithaca dac.

I’ll try the Taiko dac Xdmi to Aries Ageto pre first and then compare to Taiko Xdmi digital AES to Ithaca dac.

I’m guessing the Xdmi interface that Stravos is building (with dedicated power supply) comes out to be the best.

But, I would honestly be thrilled if Taiko analog to Ageto pre were its equal.

As we are fortunate to be in the possession of an Ageto as-well I can tell you they play magically together. However we don’t have an Ithaca so that’s going to be up to you to try.

 

Thanks, Tsaett and Swiss Tom for your clarification. Need a further clarification: the stock Olympus comes with SPDIF-AES/EBU unless I opt to have the proprietary Horizon daughter card (which is to be provided by Taiko, not Lampizator) in lieu of the stock digital output (at no additional charge, as Emile had informed earlier), but not both cards (unless one pays for both cards)?

It would ofcourse be possible to buy multiple output card options. Pricing tbd, up to @tsaett actually. You can express your desire to purchase multiple cards by contacting support@taikoaudio.com .

 

an answer to a question that even I seem to have figured out

FWIW my new Horizon. with native XDMI arrives this week . I will still be able to use the USB input from my Extreme until the Olympus arrives at which time I will use the Taiko XDMI digital card (although Emile knows my first experiment will be with the analogue card as I am betting that this is going to be something quite special and will influence many users to have an all in one solution). For those that go this route will the Olympus have a volume control in lieu of a preamp

Volume control is on the wish list, already moved up to the to-do list even!

 

Volume control is on the wish list, already moved up to the to-do list even!

my question regarding the absence of a volume control and using the analogue card and go direct to amplifier is, "how will one control volume " until a volume control becomes reality on the Olympus