Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[marty]

So an interesting thing happened today. As you all know I have not been on Roon for almost 2 years and because of the recent comments by Roon users that the new update brought the SQ to the same or maybe better than TAS. I was listening to music today so I decided to take a chance. I was in TAS. Got into the control panel and turned TAS off and ROON running. I couldn’t figure out why there was no player. Texted Emile who immediately replied even though it was 9 hours later. I had totally forgotten that I had to turn on Roon through the app. DUH

Once I did the update and sat back and listened from my last recollection there was indeed a big improvement. I thought especially the decay, timbre and tonal balance sounded pretty darn good. I spent about 2 hours listening to ROON ( it was good to see my old playlists when I then played one of my demo lists which I also had on TAS.

To switch from Roon to TAS took a minute and some more time to load into memory. There were no changes whatsoever in the gain. It remained constant. The last two songs I played in Roon were immediately queued up on TAS and played. To my ears I can say that TAS remains superior. Interesting the same song on TAS sounded louder and to my ears had better tonality and layering. I also thought that the lower registers in TAS were better than the even bettered Roon

so yes there has been an uptick to Roon. Where I see things (or hear things) is that this reminds me of the Roon I remember when I first got my Extreme and after a few updates Roon suddenly lost its magic. This is where I think Roon is now. Roon seems to be now where I remember it right before that fatal update. As I stated it’s been close to 2 years since I’ve used Roon. The magic is back without question. The interface looks the same but many changes since I used it last. I prefer TAS but you can’t deny the Roon improvement

so I know that all of us TAS users are hoping XDMS shows up soon. There is no question that Roon interface is seductive but SQ is the goal for me. My bet is XDMS will be better even still with a much better interface that will evolve with our input to Emile and his team. I will as before continue to use only TAS

This is what I find really interesting. Remember when Roon SQ went south? I may have been the first person to make that remark on the Roon user web site and was torn to shreds. "How can something that is already bit perfect sound worse from one version to another" was the common cry. Now, with the new Roon 882 build, it's odd that nobody is crying "How can something that's already bit perfect, possibly sound better"!! Ha. The moral of the story is, don't believe anything you hear when it comes to stuff like this. Roon is indeed surprisingly better.The magic is back. But let's not forget Steve's mantra "In Emile, We Trust". (Wasn't that the slogan printed on the back of the Dutch Gilder before their conversion to the Euro?) Looking forward to the XDMS.

 

[K3RMIT]

Same can be said for format I for one can hear flac over aiff
im not alone but get bashed for saying it
even wav to me is not better then aiff. but I do wonder if it’s dac or usb causing it.
i use db power amp to convert
it does not always have a positive effect on all tracks or albums
but when it does it’s a home run. same lol f red book or high res

 

[EuroDriver]

An informative post on Instagram

Audio Therapy on Instagram: "Taiko Audio SGM Extreme demonstration today with the help of Tim from @kogaudio My client was sat laughing with his jaw firmly planted on the floor after about 10 seconds of playing his favourite song, 2 or 3 songs later

57 likes, 1 comments - audiotherapy_uk on December 16, 2021: "Taiko Audio SGM Extreme demonstration today with the help of Tim from @kogaudio My client was sat laughing with his jaw firmly planted on the floor after about 10 seconds of playing his favourite song, 2 or 3 songs later he simply...

www.instagram.com

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I have to say, the all-black casework looks very stealth. I went with the silver for better high-end tonality.

Just kidding...don't repeat the Chord case controversy thread on case-work sonic coloration! Happy Holidays.

 

[adyc]

Let me know if you need another alpha tester. My Christmas to New Year's week is wide open!

JRiver is a coder's delight. So much flexibility with those fields.

Totally agree. It is a must for me to navigate my classical music collection. Also, it helps me to separate classical music from non-classical music.

 

[Christiaan Punter]

For practical reasons I had to move my Extreme from the corner of the room to the top of my media console. Thankfully I had a 500lb hydraulic lift to help

For home tranquility reasons, I’m now researching racks to replace the media console

View attachment 86778

Fantastic, this is a must-have cart for persons who regularly change components, certainly as they are getting heavier and heavier

 

[Christiaan Punter]

This and if u need to remove the cover to add or move cards you want to be on top!

That is an argument that I can certainly get behind

 

[Christiaan Punter]

So an interesting thing happened today. As you all know I have not been on Roon for almost 2 years and because of the recent comments by Roon users that the new update brought the SQ to the same or maybe better than TAS. I was listening to music today so I decided to take a chance. I was in TAS. Got into the control panel and turned TAS off and ROON running. I couldn’t figure out why there was no player. Texted Emile who immediately replied even though it was 9 hours later. I had totally forgotten that I had to turn on Roon through the app. DUH

Once I did the update and sat back and listened from my last recollection there was indeed a big improvement. I thought especially the decay, timbre and tonal balance sounded pretty darn good. I spent about 2 hours listening to ROON ( it was good to see my old playlists when I then played one of my demo lists which I also had on TAS.

To switch from Roon to TAS took a minute and some more time to load into memory. There were no changes whatsoever in the gain. It remained constant. The last two songs I played in Roon were immediately queued up on TAS and played. To my ears I can say that TAS remains superior. Interesting the same song on TAS sounded louder and to my ears had better tonality and layering. I also thought that the lower registers in TAS were better than the even bettered Roon

so yes there has been an uptick to Roon. Where I see things (or hear things) is that this reminds me of the Roon I remember when I first got my Extreme and after a few updates Roon suddenly lost its magic. This is where I think Roon is now. Roon seems to be now where I remember it right before that fatal update. As I stated it’s been close to 2 years since I’ve used Roon. The magic is back without question. The interface looks the same but many changes since I used it last. I prefer TAS but you can’t deny the Roon improvement

so I know that all of us TAS users are hoping XDMS shows up soon. There is no question that Roon interface is seductive but SQ is the goal for me. My bet is XDMS will be better even still with a much better interface that will evolve with our input to Emile and his team. I will as before continue to use only TAS

Interesting feedback! I've also witnessed the reduction in Roon SQ and have found that the software always has a certain signature. This was already the case when I first started beta testing the software and it has never fully gone away. On all the servers/streamers that allowed selecting between multiple formats, Roon always sounded rounded, smoothed, and a little thicker than UPnP, MPD, or Squeeze. Some people find the added warmth pleasant, others hear it as a veil or coloration. I belong to the latter group.

 

[steve williams]

What exactly do you disagree with, Steve? The inability to let go of aesthetical matters or the looks of the server placement either on top or within the rack? Both matters, IMHO, are in the eye of the beholder. But to be clear, I also don't promote hiding anything, certainly not a server as worthy as the Extreme

I disagree with the postulate that the Extreme should be mounted on the bottom rack. I DO agree about concerns about opening the top but I am probably shorter than all of you and I had no problems inserting the new TAS USB card. I love the look of the Extreme and as stated I feel it worthy of top spot on my rack for aesthetics. There are no issues of load intolerance with my CMS platforms

An finally here are a few pictures from when Emile visited me in Southern California with Ted. Emile is standing right beside his baby. I couldn't have gotten as good a picture if he were squatting on the ground beside the Extreme if it were on the bottom of my rack The photo was taken just before I got my Lampi Pacific which is now beside the Extreme. I keep all of my best components on my top shelves (Extreme, Lampi Pacific, Studer and Tech Das TT)

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...when I added the MSB Ref dac with the ProISL/USB option, I considered moving the Extreme from the audio room, and into an adjacent room, easy connected via fiber. Possibly a benefit from a vibration POV, but aesthetically, not having the Extreme's glowing rectangular "eye" looking back at me in that certain coquettish way she has...would be...well it just wouldn't be right!

 

[bryans]

Are people really discussing having the Extreme on the top rack? I mean talk about 1st world problems. Come on people is this really an issue?

 

[nenon]

It's an issue with some racks as components placed on the bottom shelf sound better than the same components on the top shelf. It's all about the rack design. And just to be clear, I am not referring to the CMS platforms.

 

[bryans]

It's an issue with some racks as components placed on the bottom shelf sound better than the same components on the top shelf. It's all about the rack design. And just to be clear, I am not referring to the CMS platforms.

I guess I will chalk this up to another "Audiophile" tweak.

 

[Taiko Audio]

That was a fun visit @Steve Williams , looking forward to return in 2022

 

[Taiko Audio]

Are people really discussing having the Extreme on the top rack? I mean talk about 1st world problems. Come on people is this really an issue?

Not as long as it’s a stable rack, the Extreme does weigh in at 99lbs.

 

[steve williams]

Not as long as it’s a stable rack, the Extreme does weigh in at 99lbs.

Not a problem for my CMS platforms which are horizontal and attached.

 

[steve williams]

That was a fun visit @Steve Williams , looking forward to return in 2022

I have you on my calendar

 

[microstrip]

Not as long as it’s a stable rack, the Extreme does weigh in at 99lbs.

Yes, I only learned about it when taking it out of the box ...

Immediately doomed to live in a bottom shelve, independently of the opinion of the WBF experts! My back first!

 

[bryans]

Any of you guru Taiko owners do a home demo of your unit prior to purchase? I'm hearing people are ordering the server without listening to it in their system.

 

[Zeotrope]

Any of you guru Taiko owners do a home demo of your unit prior to purchase? I'm hearing people are ordering the server without listening to it in their system.

Yup - I ordered without listening to it anywhere.
Nothing can touch it if you trust the reviews and look at the components and philosophy that have been employed. So there was no need to demo.
Do you test drive a Bugatti Chiron?
(Kidding aside, I can understand why you would want to demo it - it is expensive... but I "get it" and didn't feel the need.) I bought most of my gear this way: tons of research - both in the science and reviews from trusted sources - and then buy and hold for the long term.