Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[Christiaan Punter]

The Taiko Audio SGM Extreme has been elected the 2021 Award Winner by HiFi+ magazine!

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Below is the article describing the magazine's motivation for awarding the Taiko Audio SGM Extreme the HiFi+ 2021 Award

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Below is the article describing the magazine's motivation for awarding the Taiko Audio SGM Extreme the HiFi+ 2021 Award

View attachment 85648

Excellent review.

 

[Taiko Audio]

My conclusion is that the Extreme is a very capable unit, yes, and new network cards and drivers are important, as are cables, but the support on which the Extreme rests has to be top quality as well for the Extreme to perform at 100% of its capability.

That mirrors our experience, adequate support is not to be underestimated.

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Below is the full Taiko Audio SGM Extreme HiFi+ Review that led to the aforementioned 2021 Award.

 

[Taiko Audio]

A few photos of a, imho, particularly good looking system in Vietnam:

 

[ctydwn]

Congratulations to the Taiko team for the well deserved recognition as digital server of the year! Glad a broader audience will get to hear about what we follow so closely here.
And welcome Christiaan!

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Congratulations to the Taiko team for the well deserved recognition as digital server of the year! Glad a broader audience will get to hear about what we follow so closely here.
And welcome Christiaan!

Indeed! And thanks, Ctydwn!

 

[Steve Williams]

Christiaan

A big welcome to WBF and thank you for providing those reviews. Well deserved accolades for Emile and his team however I’m expecting even bigger things as Emile releases the new goodies in the coming year as those reviews I bet will be even better

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Christiaan

A big welcome to WBF and thank you for providing those reviews. Well deserved accolades for Emile and his team however I’m expecting even bigger things as Emile releases the new goodies in the coming year as those reviews I bet will be even better

Thanks Steve! Oh yes, big things to come! I guess I joined the team at exactly the right time, didn't I? ;-)

 

[Steve Williams]

Thanks Steve! Oh yes, big things to come! I guess I joined the team at exactly the right time, didn't I? ;-)

I believe next year will be a huge break out year for Taiko

 

[dminches]

I believe next year will be a huge break out year for Taiko

I am still hoping that XDMS comes before the end of the year.

 

[Steve Williams]

I am still hoping that XDMS comes before the end of the year.

All good things come to he who waits

 

[Stereophonic]

The Taiko Audio SGM Extreme has been elected the 2021 Award Winner by HiFi+ magazine!

View attachment 85645

Congratulations to Taiko’s team…

 

[seatrope]

Just replaced the Finite Elemente carbon fiber platform (resting on Cerabase Classic feet) under my Taiko Extreme with the TAD ZZ-0014-WN Finnish birch laminate board (two boards with a suspension system in between, probably TAD works with Japanese company Wellfloat, which uses a similar concept, but uses MDF instead of hardwood laminate).

Effectively, the Extreme is now "floating". The sound is now much more relaxed, natural, and organic, with significant improvements across the entire frequency spectrum. Counter-intuitively (especially for those used to spikes and other fixed "grounding" elements), the massive improvement in the bass is especially noticeable. Just make sure you remove the foam insert between the two boards, or the suspension system doesn't work properly (yes, I initially made this mistake, as the foam insert is black, and hard to see!).

As a result of the above experience I have also replaced the Finite Elemente carbon fiber platforms under my TAD M700 mono amplifers with the similar TAD ZZ-0015-WN (just oversized to match the amps). Same result, but less evident, probably because the amps already have a built in and sophisticated support system.

Finally, in view of all of the above, also considering "floating" my speakers as well on the Townshend seismic isolation podiums early next year.

My conclusion is that the Extreme is a very capable unit, yes, and new network cards and drivers are important, as are cables, but the support on which the Extreme rests has to be top quality as well for the Extreme to perform at 100% of its capability.

Great insights. I love my Townshend seismic podiums beneath my Westminsters. One of the first things I did after I bought the speakers and boy did it clarify the bass and imaging.

 

[Reality Audio]

Emile, just wondered do you disable the Spread Spectrum Clocking on the motherboard?

 

[Bobvin]

Just a brief note to say I’m hopping on the bandwagon… ordered my Extreme early this week.

 

[seatrope]

Excellent review encapsulating why the Extreme is so good. Hope it did not give way too much of your internal philosophy. Congratulations to Emile and team on this award, well deserved indeed!!!

 

[Taiko Audio]

Emile, just wondered do you disable the Spread Spectrum Clocking on the motherboard?

Good morning Jon, how is the availability of restored apogees in the UK nowadays? Unobtanium aswell?

I prefer off, but that’s not universal, I preferred on in our previous generation, perhaps the better chassis shielding has something to do with that but i’m just guessing there, it could also simply be motherboard / system specific.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Just a brief note to say I’m hopping on the bandwagon… ordered my Extreme early this week.

Welcome on board