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".

 

Thank you everyone! We’ve just finished packing the Olympus servers and are starting our drive to Munich. Will provide updates!

 

Apologies for the lack of updates, we've literally been working around the clock here to build the first Olympus servers.

The native XDMI link for Lampizator is operational and verified since last nigh as well, just in time to be able to demonstrate it at the Munich show, we literally have only hours left before we need to hit the road!

The Olympus will be shown in the following rooms:

F111 - A4.1
Aries Cerat, Contendo II loudspeakers and more
XDMI AES/EBU to the Homerus DAC

E225 - A4.2:
Wilson Benesch Omnium / IGx Infrasonic generator
Ypsilon DAC/Amplifiers
Stage III Concepts cabling
XDMI AES/EBU to the Ypsilon DAC

G15 - Halle 2:
System details here: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...ctionality-the-next-horizon.38709/post-965941
XDMI Native to the Lampizator Poseidon DAC

E214 - A4.2:
Alsyvox Caravaggio XX
Pilium amplifiers
Vyda cabling
Audio mass component support
XDMI Analogue out !

Alas we did not manage to finish a single I/O yet.

I wonder if there will be demonstrated comparisons at Munich between the Olympus xdmi analog out to pre amp vs xdmi digital AES/EBU to the various dacs in these rooms?

 

I wonder if there will be demonstrated comparisons at Munich between the Olympus xdmi analog out to pre amp vs xdmi digital AES/EBU to the various dacs in these rooms?

That’s unlikely to happen I’m afraid. But there will be plenty comparisons from the field soon!

 

Thank you everyone! We’ve just finished packing the Olympus servers and are starting our drive to Munich. Will provide updates!

Safe travels Emile. Drive super carefully and watch for bumps and pot holes on the roads along the way as we wouldn't want any of those beautiful products to get the hiccups at the unveiling

 

Great pictures .
Do you have similar IO pictures ?

Also it looks the direction is very clear .
We will have fully battery powered Olympus soon.

 

We have arrived!

 

Careful Ed!!! Watch your feet.

 

Be careful
There are Rockports behind you !

 

I confirm it all exists. It was not a mirage!

 

Olympus

 

Great pictures Bob.
This looks like RCA out from Olympus but XLRs to Pilium Amps.
Is pulium pre doing the true balanced output from unbalanced input ?
I am asking as I might need the similar solution for my Olympus.

 

Ready for action. No matter what anyone says about the sound of the Olympus it is not understandable until you hear it. Then it is undeniable.

 

Great pictures Bob.
This looks like RCA out from Olympus but XLRs to Pilium Amps.
Is pulium pre doing the true balanced output from unbalanced input ?
I am asking as I might need the similar solution for my Olympus.

Yes it is RCA out of the Olympus to the Pilium Olympus(O squared and then it is a balanced special P Link connection / XLRs from the Pilium Olympus to the Pilium stereo Zeus.

 

@Rhapsody Which power and RCA cables are those in the last pic?

 

@Rhapsody Which power and RCA cables are those in the last pic?

All cables are VYDA except Shunyata grounding cables.

 

The news I'm hearing out of Munich from this room is that the sound of the Olympus with analogue XDMI is like an anologue version of the live event.

Be prepared as Im betting this room will be one of the best at the show

 

What are the final dimensions of the Olympus, particularly the height?

 

The news I'm hearing out of Munich from this room is that the sound of the Olympus with analogue XDMI is like an anologue version of the live event.

Be prepared as Im betting this room will be one of the best at the show

I for one have never heard anything like the new Olympus with the XDMI output. As it was originally described, that it is a completely different way of listening or a totally different presentation. I can now concur with that. And that is under show conditions in a room that we just turned everything on at 10 AM this morning. That is without the I/O.

It will be fun to hear the different opinions as people start to listen tomorrow and do their reports.

 

Enjoy Bob, ...how do we here spell D-R-O-O-L-I-N-G

 

I for one have never heard anything like the new Olympus with the XDMI output. As it was originally described, that it is a completely different way of listening or a totally different presentation. I can now concur with that. And that is under show conditions in a room that we just turned everything on at 10 AM this morning. That is without the I/O.

It will be fun to hear the different opinions as people start to listen tomorrow and do their reports.

Im hoping someone will get into Lukasz room today where he will be showing Olympus with Poseidon, native XDMI (digital boardXDMI My new Horizon is sitting on the shelf with the KBL XDMI interconnect cable waiting .......