Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[Taiko Audio]

The database update took some time on an EVO but just a few seconds on my Extreme.

Overall an improvement in my opinion. Slightly less “tight/controlled”, but more bloom and better flow, more clarity on piano, more air around voices, dynamics retained, musical connection intact.

Evaluated on Extreme/Lampizator Pacific/Alieno amplifiers/Alsyvox Caravaggio.

 

[Steve williams]

The database update took some time on an EVO but just a few seconds on my Extreme.

Overall an improvement in my opinion. Slightly less “tight/controlled”, but more bloom and better flow, more clarity on piano, more air around voices, dynamics retained, musical connection intact.

Evaluated on Extreme/Lampizator Pacific/Alieno amplifiers/Alsyvox Caravaggio.

so I take that as an affirmative that it is OK to do the upgrade. Is a backup still necessary

 

[Taiko Audio]

so I take that as an affirmative that it is OK to do the upgrade. Is a backup still necessary

No not necessary, well unless you have a lot of customizations in Roon, custom metadata, playlists etc. Then you should take a backup in case the Roon update goes wrong for whatever reason.

 

[oldmustang]

The database update took some time on an EVO but just a few seconds on my Extreme.

Overall an improvement in my opinion. Slightly less “tight/controlled”, but more bloom and better flow, more clarity on piano, more air around voices, dynamics retained, musical connection intact.

Evaluated on Extreme/Lampizator Pacific/Alieno amplifiers/Alsyvox Caravaggio.

You must have a special Extreme, Emile. Mine has never updated in “just a few seconds”.

Steve Z

 

[heebrog]

The database update took some time on an EVO but just a few seconds on my Extreme.

Overall an improvement in my opinion. Slightly less “tight/controlled”, but more bloom and better flow, more clarity on piano, more air around voices, dynamics retained, musical connection intact.

Evaluated on Extreme/Lampizator Pacific/Alieno amplifiers/Alsyvox Caravaggio.

Thanks Emile.

I'm always keen to learn from expert listeners on what they listen for when making changes to one's system so please can you share some of the tracks you tested with some notes when you get a chance.

Cheers,

Geoff

ps. my Extreme also updated in seconds but I have only 1TB of my own music and maybe 50+ albums from Tidal

 

[ctydwn]

Same here @heebrog. a few seconds to update. only 1.4tb on storage and about 3500 songs between qobuz and tidal. The update helped revert my interface commands to instantaneous after some lag was building up. network speed into front end ~950mbps. SQ seems similar. I did hold my breath for those seconds. lol. thanks Emile!

 

[Steve williams]

Same here @heebrog. a few seconds to update. only 1.4tb on storage and about 3500 songs between qobuz and tidal. The update helped revert my interface commands to instantaneous after some lag was building up. network speed into front end ~950mbps. SQ seems similar. I did hold my breath for those seconds. lol. thanks Emile!

I haven’t been brave enough to push the update button yet

 

[nonesup]

It must be really "exciting" to have a server the price of Extreme and be "terrified" of each Roon update.
I remember perfectly when after the famous Roon update that caused the SQ to
crash, how Emile commented on this and said he was going to work to fix it. A few days later, it issued a statement in which it denied that there had been a drop in SQ after the Roon update. I thought he must have received strong pressure and perhaps threats to write what he wrote. In an incredibly short time he announced that you were developing your own software for the Extreme (TAS). The slap was heard from Hengelo to New Zealand. Well done.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Just a little update on my thoughts on the Extreme. I visited Blue58 and few weeks back to audition it for the first time, and returned to hear it today.

Was amazed to hear a very different presentation, based around a core impression set at the first visit.

So, what I heard then, and today...a genuine high resolution sound, detail to rival some of the best analog I've heard, with unlimited dynamics seemingly on tap. Stellar staging and imaging, depth back to front huge on material where it's appropriate, and the side walls of the studio in evidence.

What was notably missing today was what jarred me on the first visit...notably that hot sound, decidedly metallic in places. It helped that we didn't play poor Qobuz remasters, but it was not perceptible on any material, where it was certainly first time around. This removes my major caveat in positive impression I was left with before.

What was especially welcome today was a much greater sense of rhythmic freedom, a kind of elasticity that I feel is rarely evident in digital playback. A huge plus point for a component I'm fast concluding is the premier source component in digital, and one of the best full stop.

The difference today? Barry has replaced his FMCs with a different brand and moved the LPSs to these and his router off the grid that supplies his other audio gear.

 

[Rhapsody]

It must be really "exciting" to have a server the price of Extreme and be "terrified" of each Roon update.
I remember perfectly when after the famous Roon update that caused the SQ to
crash, how Emile commented on this and said he was going to work to fix it. A few days later, it issued a statement in which it denied that there had been a drop in SQ after the Roon update. I thought he must have received strong pressure and perhaps threats to write what he wrote. In an incredibly short time he announced that you were developing your own software for the Extreme (TAS). The slap was heard from Hengelo to New Zealand. Well done.

Francisco,

I personally find your post rude and obnoxious.

Reminds me of when I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade and all the kids were having fun playing a game. For some reason some kid was not included, so he went over in the corner and pouted mean things about all the kids that were having fun.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

the other night i had a friend over for a listening session. he was looking at some of my room treatments and we were speaking about how i use digital to check for the validity of changes, then vinyl to confirm it. i told him that digital lives a bit on the edge and differences are easy to hear; with vinyl it's way more subtle, musical content has more headroom, and you hear more differences than clear better or worse. i've done as much room and system tweaking as anyone, and this is my personal experience. maybe others see it differently.

which speaks to the relative knife edge of digital network synergy. there are so many pieces to the puzzle that it's hard to predict how a software update will go. so it's perfectly logical to hold off doing an update to Roon until you check with the server designer. with the degree of involvement Emile has had in optimizing the digital performance it's to be expected.

 

[nonesup]

Francisco,

I personally find your post rude and obnoxious.

Reminds me of when I was in the 2nd or 3rd grade and all the kids were having fun playing a game. For some reason some kid was not included, so he went over in the corner and pouted mean things about all the kids that were having fun.

Well, I don't know if the problem is that with Google Translate I have not been able to express what I thought or the problem is on your side.
If what you indicate is that by not having an Extreme I am criticizing it out of envy, it is that you have not understood anything. I am not criticizing Extreme, I am criticizing Roon, a software that every time it is updated causes the sound of Extreme to change.
In no way do I criticize Emile, quite the contrary. I guess he came under pressure from Roon and acted in an incredible way, deciding to develop his own software for Extrem and in an incredibly short time.
Where is my rudeness?

 

[tsaett]

Well, I don't know if the problem is that with Google Translate I have not been able to express what I thought or the problem is on your side.
If what you indicate is that by not having an Extreme I am criticizing it out of envy, it is that you have not understood anything. I am not criticizing Extreme, I am criticizing Roon, a software that every time it is updated causes the sound of Extreme to change.
In no way do I criticize Emile, quite the contrary. I guess he came under pressure from Roon and acted in an incredible way, deciding to develop his own software for Extrem and in an incredibly short time.
Where is my rudeness?

I won't comment on the content, but - to me personally - the post didn't come across as rude or offensive at all. Classic misunderstanding I would say.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Rhapsody]

Well, I don't know if the problem is that with Google Translate I have not been able to express what I thought or the problem is on your side.
If what you indicate is that by not having an Extreme I am criticizing it out of envy, it is that you have not understood anything. I am not criticizing Extreme, I am criticizing Roon, a software that every time it is updated causes the sound of Extreme to change.
In no way do I criticize Emile, quite the contrary. I guess he came under pressure from Roon and acted in an incredible way, deciding to develop his own software for Extrem and in an incredibly short time.
Where is my rudeness?

It must have been Google translate. When you said -

"It must be really "exciting" to have a server the price of Extreme and be "terrified" of each Roon update."

It seemed to me you were criticizing the Extreme at it's price and users being "terrified" at each Roon update.

Then when you said-

I remember perfectly when after the famous Roon update that caused the SQ to
crash, how Emile commented on this and said he was going to work to fix it. A few days later, it issued a statement in which it denied that there had been a drop in SQ after the Roon update. I thought he must have received strong pressure and perhaps threats to write what he wrote. In an incredibly short time he announced that you were developing your own software for the Extreme (TAS). The slap was heard from Hengelo to New Zealand. Well done

I did not find this flattering to Emile. I also did not experience the SQ to CRASH. It just wasn't as good as it was prior to the update.

So, if you were being flattering to the Extreme and Emile, then I humbly apologize.

 

[nonesup]

Surely I have not been able to express myself correctly, but I think that Emile's work is really extraordinary and I do not want it to seem that I have said otherwise. My relationship with him is reduced to the purchase of humble Daiza platforms, but communication has been excellent at all times.

 

[QSA-LANEDRI]

I did my Roon backup on the Extreme and it was quick and the Roon update is resulting in an improved SQ on my setup.

I have moved to a tube preamp and a tube amp connecting the Chord Dave/Mscaler to the Focal Maestro and the the SQ is more suitable for my taste. As result I am letting go my loved Dan D'Agostino Preamp and Stereo Amp with which I have had some amazing listening times.

 

[Rhapsody]

Surely I have not been able to express myself correctly, but I think that Emile's work is really extraordinary and I do not want it to seem that I have said otherwise. My relationship with him is reduced to the purchase of humble Daiza platforms, but communication has been excellent at all times.

Francisco,

Understood. I read your post and misunderstood what you were saying. I thought you were digging at the Extreme and Emile.

Again, I just misunderstood what you were saying and again apologize. All good.

 

[Blue58]

Just a little update on my thoughts on the Extreme. I visited Blue58 and few weeks back to audition it for the first time, and returned to hear it today.

Was amazed to hear a very different presentation, based around a core impression set at the first visit.

So, what I heard then, and today...a genuine high resolution sound, detail to rival some of the best analog I've heard, with unlimited dynamics seemingly on tap. Stellar staging and imaging, depth back to front huge on material where it's appropriate, and the side walls of the studio in evidence.

What was notably missing today was what jarred me on the first visit...notably that hot sound, decidedly metallic in places. It helped that we didn't play poor Qobuz remasters, but it was not perceptible on any material, where it was certainly first time around. This removes my major caveat in positive impression I was left with before.

What was especially welcome today was a much greater sense of rhythmic freedom, a kind of elasticity that I feel is rarely evident in digital playback. A huge plus point for a component I'm fast concluding is the premier source component in digital, and one of the best full stop.

The difference today? Barry has replaced his FMCs with a different brand and moved the LPSs to these and his router off the grid that supplies his other audio gear.

thanks Marc, glad you’re now liking the sound but as you said “it will never be analogue”. It did help that we didn’t play poorly produced recordings from the 70/80s but surprisingly you really liked a compressed track from Fontaines D.C.

Some more changes to the system planned for September so stay tuned folks.

cheers
Blue58

 

[Blackmorec]

The Extreme is designed, built and optimised around Windows and Roon. As neither Roon nor Microsoft test any of their revisions for SQ, it makes sense for Emile to check and optimise all revisions before they are installed. The release of TAS puts Taiko entirely in charge of SQ for SW, so then its only Windows OS revisions that need QC checks before installation.

 

[spiritofmusic]

thanks Marc, glad you’re now liking the sound but as you said “it will never be analogue”. It did help that we didn’t play poorly produced recordings from the 70/80s but surprisingly you really liked a compressed track from Fontaines D.C.

Some more changes to the system planned for September so stay tuned folks.

cheers
Blue58

Well, the Extreme really can do the silk purse/sow's ear trick. Maybe there's "bad" compressed...and "good" compressed.