Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[Taiko Audio]

Well, since my ISP's Router also works for TV services, I guess I'll have to place the Taiko Router after my ISP's Router. In this case, would we make a LAN to LAN connection with the Taiko Router's DHCP services disabled or a LAN to WAN connection creating a second network for audio only?

Creating a second network for audio only would give you the maximum SQ uplift. Think much quieter backgrounds, undisturbed by whatever your family is doing.

BUT, the switch really is the star of the "show". In order of impact as things are today:

1) Switch
2) XDMS
3) Router
4) Networkcard + Interconnect

But it's a tight race between 1) and 2) with my money on 2) for taking the SQ uplift crown come BETA stage.

 

[Rhapsody]

Not exactly.
I have both Ethernet cable and coax coming out from my ONT. The coax goes to my tv tuners and the Ethernet goes to a ubiquity router which replaced the garbage FiOS router. The only thing you lose is video on demand (which I never use)

Edit: I'm also in NJ

Not sure if Fios in the city is different. Besides not having video on demand, which I use occasionally, and most our customers use where I have installed networks, our channel guide would not display properly.

The biggest issue is that Verizon won't talk to you if you have ANY type of service issues if you do not have their router installed.

I will install the Taiko Router after the Fios router for a separate audio/Extreme network.

 

[Taiko Audio]

I will install the Taiko Router after the Fios router for a separate audio/Extreme network.

I suspect that would be the most common usage scenario. We could allow Roon/XDMS communication to pass through exclusively retaining full remote control capabilities while blocking other tablet activity/interference.

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Aha! Makes sense, thank you.

Somewhat off topic but it’s interesting to learn how electrical energy is conducted in a wire. I only recently learned that even DC electrons do not “flow” down a wire. This is essentially why cables make a difference, and “digital is not digital” in any system, as we know:
EDIT: Link provided

Great tip! I stumbled upon this video a while back and can indeed highly recommend it! Very interesting content that you normally do not hear about!

 

[Christiaan Punter]

Does bring back memories, when something resembling music you could download had the .mod extension.

That reminds me of this:

 

[Steve williams]

Hi Steve, do you mean this one?
View attachment 101246
Netgear Orbi AX6000 WiFi-satellite (RBS850)

No. Mine is an older generation

Router is RBR40 and satellites in the house are RBW30 and the satellite in my sound room is RBS50

 

[VPN]

Creating a second network for audio only would give you the maximum SQ uplift. Think much quieter backgrounds, undisturbed by whatever your family is doing.

BUT, the switch really is the star of the "show". In order of impact as things are today:

1) Switch
2) XDMS
3) Router
4) Networkcard + Interconnect

But it's a tight race between 1) and 2) with my money on 2) for taking the SQ uplift crown come BETA stage.

Dear Emile,

In my case I have two ISPs at home, the one with fiber is exclusive for music. I already use a better fiber modem, with a LPS, different from the modem provided by the ISP. The other ISP is for TV wifi and other cel phone wifi.

If the music ISP fiber goes into the Taiko router, it has only one output, to the switch, correct? I suppose the Taiko switch would have to have two outputs, one to the Taiko Extreme and one to the Wifi box (Eero Pro) because the Taiko and the Ipad have to be in the same network, correct? Does the Taiko Switch have a second output port?

Is it possible to have the music flowing through one ISP/Taiko router/Taiko switch/Taiko Extreme, and have a second ISP with the wifi connected to the Taiko (another ethernet input of the Taiko) just for control by ipad? Would this be a better solution?

Cheers,

VPN

 

[Taiko Audio]

Dear Emile,

In my case I have two ISPs at home, the one with fiber is exclusive for music. I already use a better fiber modem, with a LPS, different from the modem provided by the ISP. The other ISP is for TV wifi and other cel phone wifi.

If the music ISP fiber goes into the Taiko router, it has only one output, to the switch, correct? I suppose the Taiko switch would have to have two outputs, one to the Taiko Extreme and one to the Wifi box (Eero Pro) because the Taiko and the Ipad have to be in the same network, correct? Does the Taiko Switch have a second output port?

Is it possible to have the music flowing through one ISP/Taiko router/Taiko switch/Taiko Extreme, and have a second ISP with the wifi connected to the Taiko (another ethernet input of the Taiko) just for control by ipad? Would this be a better solution?

Cheers,

VPN

It has 5 independently configurable ports. Remote control will be hard to get working over 2 seperated ISP networks, for XDMS atleast, Roon has ARC now but I did not look into that yet.

 

[VPN]

Dear Emile,

Is there any sonic advantage to have the router and the switch in separate boxes? If not, could you possibly offer a one-box router-switch so we eliminate one cable and possibly one external power supply?
Cheers,

VPN

 

[Taiko Audio]

Dear Emile,

Is there any sonic advantage to have the router and the switch in separate boxes? If not, could you possibly offer a one-box router-switch so we eliminate one cable and possibly one external power supply?
Cheers,

VPN

Unfortunately yes there is, if you want just one box I’d pick the switch.

 

[cat6man]

BUT, the switch really is the star of the "show". In order of impact as things are today:

1) Switch
2) XDMS
3) Router
4) Networkcard + Interconnect

But it's a tight race between 1) and 2) with my money on 2) for taking the SQ uplift crown come BETA stage.

If the switch is in the same league as xdms, this will be huge

 

[Taiko Audio]

If the switch is in the same league as xdms, this will be huge

Right now it’s bigger I’d say, Roon + switch sounds better then XDMS w/o. But I suspect XDMS will takeover the delta crown in the near future, the most recent update in all honesty caught me off guard, much bigger then it should’ve been, leaves me wondering where we’ll end up! Quite exciting actually!

 

[dminches]

Quite exciting actually!

If you are excited then we are definitely excited.

 

[RUIN*ish]

Speaking to a fellow WBF member today...
I said to him the uptick in sound quality is so good it's crazy!..
He suggested I post my observations on WBF...
My response to him was, i'm to emotional to be objective... He said, post that...

Emile,
I've, like so many others have been on this personal hifi mission to reach that floor, that minimum level that reaches out and tears into your heart.. Simply, the emotional connection to the performer and performance..

Let me just say after 45 years in my search, today - you've turned this 62 year old into a crybaby.

Marc

 

[Taiko Audio]

Let me just say after 45 years in my search, today - you've turned this 62 year old into a crybaby.

Marc

I don’t know what else to say then thank you! But several people on the team put in more effort then me at this stage!

 

[nonesup]

Right now it’s bigger I’d say, Roon + switch sounds better then XDMS w/o. But I suspect XDMS will takeover the delta crown in the near future, the most recent update in all honesty caught me off guard, much bigger then it should’ve been, leaves me wondering where we’ll end up! Quite exciting actually!

I love your comment, because if you already had a roadmap for the XDMS SQ increase and you tell us that you were surprised by the SQ increase in the last patch, which you thought shouldn't have been that big, then it opens up a new path for the development of the XDMS Back End. Great !!!

 

[Rhapsody]

I just got a strange text addressed from my audio system. It said please be informed that the musicians are moving into your listening room.

 

[Kris]

I don’t know what else to say then thank you! But several people on the team put in more effort then me at this stage!

Someone hired all this talented and enthusiastic people !

 

[takacs75]

Hi Emile, will the switch and the router have a chassis ground binding post?

 

[MarkusBarkus]

This morning, Ed installed XDMS on my server, but with dog walking and World Cup games, I couldn't get a good chunk of ear-time until late afternoon.

It sounded very good immediately, but I really like TAS on my system, so I was uncertain about my preference, although I could hear a difference.

Later, as I was still in shock from the Portugal/Switzerland game, I figured I just needed to depressurize, so I went back to XDMS.

To me, XDMS sounded more holographic in nature this afternoon. Very detailed, and somehow "lighter" than TAS. Not lacking gravitas, but perhaps more nimble?

I returned to XDMS this evening while Sweetie was walking the dog, and I worked my way through several tracks. To me, the vocals I tried sounded similar to TAS, albeit perhaps a wee bit airier.

But once you start driving more complex music/arrangements, things take shape and you really get the pot boiling. I would say DXD/DSD files sound the best they ever have here. I'm not a big fan, but these sound terrific. 1x, 2x, 4x. Wow.

Actually, everything sounds terrific. Good drive/forward momentum. Detail. And snap. Startling at times, in the best possible way.

So after Sweetie returns with the dog (relax, this is not one of those my wife heard the difference while mowing the neighbor's lawn comments), she (the dog) always runs down to see what I'm up too. Cute dog, BTW.

This time, she sits on the floor, stares into space, moving her head from speaker to speaker. It's a live track and there is human back-ground sounds. After the bass solo, people talk in the back ground...and the dog starts barking, looking confused...and runs upstairs. That's new...and she has heard all these tracks before. Highly entertaining, unadvertised XDMS effect!

So, don't just take my word for it: XDMS has been approved by the best ears in the house: Jacky! the dog.

Truly worth the wait. And FWIW the interface is fine. I waited a while for a later version to avoid too much bugginess, but this is really a looonnng way toward covering my needs. Maybe all-the-way sonically, albeit with more to come?

Ed, thanks a mil for the help. Team Taiko...keep it on the good foot. Thanks! Sounds terrific.