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 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.

I would add that I was blown away with the Aires Cerat room. They were using the Olympus with their DAC. I believe the AC room will also be a real show stopper along with our Taiko/Alsyvox/Pilium/VYDA room. Many other rooms as well.

So many fun and interesting rooms for visitors to see. I have as much fun on Tuesday and Wednesday, setting up and visiting many of the other rooms. It's really a great time.

Topping off the MOC show experience is staying at MotorWorld, which is right across the street from the MOC. Nothing like walking around looking at few hundred Super Cars, you name it, it's there. Bugatti, McClaren, Lambo, Ferraris and many $500K Super Cars, pretty much in all imaginable colors as well. It's quite shocking to see this many Super cars in one building.

 

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 .......

I tried going there a few times, but they were not ready yet. Tomorrow.

 

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

https://taikoaudio.com/taiko-2020/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Olympus-and-Olympus-IO-Introduction-FAQ_v026.x80569.pdf

Lots of good information in the pdf document.


Steve Z

 

I really like that picture of the Olympus back with the RCA outs. It looks heavy duty and capable of handling the cable size.

 

 

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Holy Moly, I didn’t know that Pratt & Whitney has gotten into the speaker business.

 

I would add that I was blown away with the Aires Cerat room. They were using the Olympus with their DAC. I believe the AC room will also be a real show stopper along with our Taiko/Alsyvox/Pilium/VYDA room. Many other rooms as well.

So many fun and interesting rooms for visitors to see. I have as much fun on Tuesday and Wednesday, setting up and visiting many of the other rooms. It's really a great time.

Topping off the MOC show experience is staying at MotorWorld, which is right across the street from the MOC. Nothing like walking around looking at few hundred Super Cars, you name it, it's there. Bugatti, McClaren, Lambo, Ferraris and many $500K Super Cars, pretty much in all imaginable colors as well. It's quite shocking to see this many Super cars in one building.

Living vicariously through you, Bob, have a great time! I know that will not be difficult How is the Olympus connected to the Aries Cerat DAC?

 

How is the Olympus connected to the Aries Cerat DAC?

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/introducing-olympus-olympus-i-o-a-new-perspective-on-modern-music-playback.37939/page-85#post-966913

 

I thought I was crazy... but Stavros redefines the whole concept of crazy. They weren't joking about the 50 crates speaker for Munich.
Love the time aligned bass horns!

 

Living vicariously through you, Bob, have a great time! I know that will not be difficult How is the Olympus connected to the Aries Cerat DAC?

I only listened briefly so hard to give a real opinion, but as I said earlier the AC room blew me away in an overall manner. Including the sound via the Olympus/AC DAC.

I SHOULD ADD THAT ANY OF MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE OLYMPUS/XDMI WITH THE ANALOG OUTPUTS IN THE ALSYVOX ROOM IS PLAYING ROON-QOBUZ/TIDAL, NO FILES.

 

 

 

 

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This is the GMTOne TT from WB, yes?
Finally it's ready?

 

...say, what are the footers on that Olympus @Taiko Audio (in the Alsyvox room)?

 

...say, what are the footers on that Olympus @Taiko Audio (in the Alsyvox room)?

I don’t know, will check, we needed something to get the equipment off the glass shelves

 

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Please introduce us to the Taiko team . I recognize some but not all.. Who is the woman third from the right

 

From left to right:

Ed @EuroDriver , Christoph @tsaett , Me, Enrico/Vyda cables, Daniele & Paula / Alsyvox, Bob @Rhapsody , Mirko of Audiomass

 

...say, what are the footers on that Olympus @Taiko Audio (in the Alsyvox room)?

O2 levellers

 

O2 levellers

The O2 levelers are available as an option on the ALSYVOX speakers and are available to be used for components through Alsyvox dealers.