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 have zero desire to do such

Understood, but if you use the Olympus analog outputs you don’t need an external DAC.

 

Understood, but if you use the Olympus analog outputs you don’t need an external DAC.

Understood.

If I do option 4 then I would likely keep the USB Taiko board and use it as I do now until such time as XDMI can implement i2s and I can then give up the USB board and use the XDMI interface with my Horizon

 

Understood.

If I do option 4 then I would likely keep the USB Taiko board and use it as I do now until such time as XDMI can implement i2s and I can then give up the USB board and use the XDMI interface with my Horizon

I think that will be the most popular approach. If I do anything I may go “all in” and jump to the Olympus plus HDMI/analog out. I like the idea of having one box for all my digital. Of course, the net cost of all this will have a big say.

 

I think that will be the most popular approach. If I do anything I may go “all in” and jump to the Olympus plus HDMI/analog out. I like the idea of having one box for all my digital. Of course, the net cost of all this will have a big say.

I think we are all biting our nails as we await the "big reveal"

 

Quick question. Will the XDMI card be available to buy separately for the DIY community? Will it run on a DIY streamer/server, or only on the Olympus? Thanks for your kind reply.

 

Quick question. Will the XDMI card be available to buy separately for the DIY community? Will it run on a DIY streamer/server, or only on the Olympus? Thanks for your kind reply.

Although that was a consideration when we started designing it it has now become impossible due to the high level of hard- and software integration.

 

AES/EBU does not support DSD.

No native DSD, only DSD over PCM, DoP.

 

No native DSD, only DSD over PCM, DoP.

another deal breaker for me. I prefer all native

 

Although that was a consideration when we started designing it it has now become impossible due to the high level of hard- and software integration.

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

Although that was a consideration when we started designing it it has now become impossible due to the high level of hard- and software integration.

I am in the process of building a DIY Extreme server. I must say, and I’m sure many others are with me, that this is completely heartbreaking.

is there any chance in the future, that you will develop this product for DIY, please?

If I purchase the I/O will I be able to use it with a DIY server?

Thank you

 

I am in the process of building a DIY Extreme server. I must say, and I’m sure many others are with me, that this is completely heartbreaking.

is there any chance in the future, that you will develop this product for DIY, please?

If I purchase the I/O will I be able to use it with a DIY server?

Thank you

Hmm, that might actually work.

 

I am in the process of building a DIY Extreme server. I must say, and I’m sure many others are with me, that this is completely heartbreaking.

is there any chance in the future, that you will develop this product for DIY, please?

If I purchase the I/O will I be able to use it with a DIY server?

Thank you

Do you use Xeon 4210 CPUs?

 

We re compared a few output options with a panel of listeners, with the remark it's much more difficult to rank XDMI versus USB, we settled on the following ratings:

Stock Extreme using the USB interface: 100%
Extreme + Olympus I/O with USB card mounted: 150%
Extreme + Olympus I/O with XDMI mounted: 200%
Olympus with USB card mounted: 175%
Olympus with XDMI mounted: 275%
Olympus with Olympus I/O with XDMI mounted: 300%

We also removed end reinserted the switch and router on Olympus + Olympus I/O, ratings as follows:
Olympus with Olympus I/O: 100%
Olympus with Olympus I/O + switch: 110%
Olympus with Olympus I/O + switch + router: 125%

DC distributor preferences unchanged, switch at Default, router at Alt2, powered by LPS.

Hope that helps.

Simply Amazing.
Extremely helpful

 

XDMI is much more then just the interface to the DAC, it's a combination of software and hardware, AES/EBU does indeed limit it's ultimate potential but it can still take advantage of everything which happens before.

how much of the SQ in your opinion is lost with AES , how much with bnc Spidf in comparison to XDMI module in DAC ?

 

XDMI can absolutely take advantage of more modern / faster hardware, it's up to 2000 times faster then USB depending on which section you're looking at. It makes much more sense to move to an Olympus if you plan on moving to XDMI then if you're sticking to USB. With USB you're about maxed out with an Extreme + Olympus I/O. I would mainly consider an Olympus in that scenario if you prefer to have a single box solution.

I have TotalDAC 24 that will benefit from XDMI with AES module greater than from USB that as we both know is very old in totalDAC .
So I believe Olympus is a must in my case ,
if the pricing will be favorable for MAX version I will go for Olympus + Olympus io

 

Do you use Xeon 4210 CPUs?

Yes, thank you

 

For below comparisons what DAC was used wit USB card tests ?
Also I understand the XDMI was with RCA analog exits
What were the DAC exits ( when used with usb card) ?

Stock Extreme using the USB interface: 100%
Extreme + Olympus I/O with USB card mounted: 150%
Extreme + Olympus I/O with XDMI mounted: 200%
Olympus with USB card mounted: 175%
Olympus with XDMI mounted: 275%
Olympus with Olympus I/O with XDMI mounted: 300%

We also removed end reinserted the switch and router on Olympus + Olympus I/O, ratings as follows:
Olympus with Olympus I/O: 100%
Olympus with Olympus I/O + switch: 110%
Olympus with Olympus I/O + switch + router: 125%

 

For below comparisons what DAC was used wit USB card tests ?
Also I understand the XDMI was with RCA analog exits
What were the DAC exits ( when used with usb card) ?

Stock Extreme using the USB interface: 100%
Extreme + Olympus I/O with USB card mounted: 150%
Extreme + Olympus I/O with XDMI mounted: 200%
Olympus with USB card mounted: 175%
Olympus with XDMI mounted: 275%
Olympus with Olympus I/O with XDMI mounted: 300%

We also removed end reinserted the switch and router on Olympus + Olympus I/O, ratings as follows:
Olympus with Olympus I/O: 100%
Olympus with Olympus I/O + switch: 110%
Olympus with Olympus I/O + switch + router: 125%

Lampizator Horizon with RS1003, Lorenz ITT C3g and Telefunken RGN2504. RCA outputs.

 

I have TotalDAC 24 that will benefit from XDMI with AES module greater than from USB that as we both know is very old in totalDAC .
So I believe Olympus is a must in my case ,
if the pricing will be favorable for MAX version I will go for Olympus + Olympus io

Yes in that case the difference will be larger then with the Horizon which has a more recent JLsounds “i2soverusb” interface.

 

Lampizator Horizon with RS1003, Lorenz ITT C3g and Telefunken RGN2504. RCA outputs.

So the "Extreme + Olympus I/O with XDMI mounted: 200%" utilized the analog outs from XDMI instead of XDMI to the Horizon AES/EBU?