That would actually also be doable, and we do have a fairly large amount of DCS owners amongst our customer base. Added to the list.
Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème
- Thread starter CKKeung
- Start date
That would actually also be doable, and we do have a fairly large amount of DCS owners amongst our customer base. Added to the list.
Christiaan Punter
Well-Known Member
Hi all, here are the latest versions of the Taiko Audio New Product summary PDF documents (Updated 09-02-2023)
- TACDA & TACDD DAC & Interface Summary
- Taiko Network Card & Switch Summary
- Taiko Router Summary
- TACDA & TACDD DAC & Interface Summary
- Taiko Network Card & Switch Summary
- Taiko Router Summary
It’s like waiting for Christmas isn’t it? Except that I personally can be patient because I have no indication that anything needs fixing right now. Of course, I will be delighted to admit that I am wrong if/when that proves to be the case.
I have already deferred purchasing additional storage for my Extreme because I may not need it post Taiko switch, XDMS etc. Now Qobuz is up for renewal and I’m thinking I may just go for streaming only rather than the full fat subscription with discounted downloads - again because I may not need it. The only reason for me to purchase more CD‘s and files is sound quality and if that gets equalised, and it pretty much is already, I may be done. I can’t play everything I have anyway and, since getting Extreme in particular, I have really enjoyed exploring all sorts of new music in Roon/Qobuz. The downside of this is that it has entailed further investment into my headphone rigs because Mrs G doesn’t like lots of new stuff, especially when played at volume. She’s happy with Van Halen through a Naim Mu-so whilst I get everything else through the main system or phones - which seems fair enough to me.
I have already deferred purchasing additional storage for my Extreme because I may not need it post Taiko switch, XDMS etc. Now Qobuz is up for renewal and I’m thinking I may just go for streaming only rather than the full fat subscription with discounted downloads - again because I may not need it. The only reason for me to purchase more CD‘s and files is sound quality and if that gets equalised, and it pretty much is already, I may be done. I can’t play everything I have anyway and, since getting Extreme in particular, I have really enjoyed exploring all sorts of new music in Roon/Qobuz. The downside of this is that it has entailed further investment into my headphone rigs because Mrs G doesn’t like lots of new stuff, especially when played at volume. She’s happy with Van Halen through a Naim Mu-so whilst I get everything else through the main system or phones - which seems fair enough to me.
It really does sound extremely great, the current setup with XDMS!
But if the goal is to match or surpass the best analog sources, it's not there yet... so there is room to improve! Which is great - what would the motivation be to innovate if there is nothing more to be done?!
But if the goal is to match or surpass the best analog sources, it's not there yet... so there is room to improve! Which is great - what would the motivation be to innovate if there is nothing more to be done?!
That has never been goal of mine for several reasons:
1 - I listen to different digital music (mostly live recordings) than analog (mostly studio recordings)
2 - I don’t think anything will sound better than my reel to reel setup
3 - Comparing digital and analog recordings is very complicated since they rarely represent the same mastering.
Having said all that, my digital setup sounds better than it ever has and this is before the switch, router and maybe the BPS. XDMS has taken things to a whole new level.
Mother Earth Radio
Mother Earth Radio is an internet radio station with 4 channels of music in HiRes 24-bit/192kHz Lossless FLAC.
www.hiresaudio.online
Streaming radio station from Germany.
24/96 and sources are mostly vinyl...
Mn
However, just like Netflix, the content on Qobuz and Tidal is not forever. What is carried on the streaming services changes over time and I've already experienced content I linked to or were in streaming playlists I created no longer available.
So if the music in question is very important to you, there is still a place for downloads and owning the music.
Steve Z
And, with downloads, the artists get paid for their efforts. Most artists don't make sh*t from streaming.
Chris
I would like to ask a few questions about the upcoming Taiko TACDA dac:
1. Will the dac work with Euphony Stylus V4?
2. Will the dac work with AMD Zen 3 & Zen 4 processors?
3. To power the dac from the Taiko Dc-Dc atx Sata port, does it require both the 12v & 5v at the same time, or just one or the other?
Thanks
1. Will the dac work with Euphony Stylus V4?
2. Will the dac work with AMD Zen 3 & Zen 4 processors?
3. To power the dac from the Taiko Dc-Dc atx Sata port, does it require both the 12v & 5v at the same time, or just one or the other?
Thanks
Mother Earth Radio
Mother Earth Radio is an internet radio station with 4 channels of music in HiRes 24-bit/192kHz Lossless FLAC.
Streaming radio station from Germany.
24/96 and sources are mostly vinyl...
Mn
i'd really like to have a way to utilize internet radio stations, both hirez (like mother earth radio) and lower quality (like news or podcasts)
i don't want to divert effort from xdms and the new hardware, but perhaps a future feature?
Again, this is an preposterous statement - how can apples match or surpass oranges in a broad sense? At best we can compare some specific features of analog sources with digital in recordings, but the chosen overall "best" will strongly depend on specific recordings and listener preferences.
IMHO the real reason to innovate is pleasing the subjective preference of a significant group of audiophiles, I do not see it as a race to a transparent process.
i don't want to enter a digital vs. analog discussion but i will point out that i know the digital side still has a way to go, as good as it sounds now.
[blasphemy warning]
a number of years ago, i had digital that in some ways surpassed even xdms today. i'd say it was superior in having an even lower noise floor and more detail and depth that continually surprised me and brought smiles to my face.
i have to admit it was pure random luck on my part, as after i tried to make it better i lost the 'magic' and have been on a quest to regain it. i was using WAV streaming to HQPlayer with no processing, streaming to a microRendu in NAA mode running off of batteries. best sound ever here, though xdms is catching up. i believe that i couldn't recreate it because the software kept changing (hqp and rendu) and back then both of those entities did not believe software degraded sound. i tried numerous schemes and software options, following rajiv and other diy'ers down paths that incrementally improved sound but was still far behind what i had lucked onto years ago. once your hear it, you cannot go back!
the reason i chose the Taiko path is my gut feeling (and the reports of people whose opinions i trust align basically with mine) that Emile & Co. understand what they are doing at a depth not matched by others and were on a mission to carry it to its limits and particularly to hunt down and kill each source of degradation methodically. i believe i lucked onto my 'magic' sound due to a confluence of minimizing activity that generates noise (i.e. NAA feeding the DAC), using battery power on key digital circuitry and managing the flow control of data from source to endpoint.
i am truly excited about the path Taiko is on and hope this year to get back to and exceed the 'magic' i had heard years ago.
i have absolutely no doubt that the sound can further improve dramatically. how that compares to top flight analog is outside my current state of knowledge.
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Christiaan
Can you help me understand what is meant by this:
The router includes a new type of “problem-solving” power supply. The Router may also be powered by our new to be released Taiko Audio BPS (to be detailed in a separate document), but if the Router is not placed close to the system, it may need its own power supply.
I'm confused. The router has a power supply but may need another one depending upon where it is placed?? And when you say "if it is not placed close to the system...", what part of the system exactly are you referring to?
Here’s my translation:
1 - The router has its own power supply.
2 - If you get the battery power supply and the router is close to the Extreme and BPS then you can power the router with the BPS as well.
1 - The router has its own power supply.
2 - If you get the battery power supply and the router is close to the Extreme and BPS then you can power the router with the BPS as well.
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Thats my plan. I will have the switch and router side by side sitting on a CMS platform directly under where the Extreme and BPS will be sitting so I am using a very short length of cable from the switch to the new Ethernet card in the Extreme
Yes, everything still has a way to go in stereo. Sometimes people forget the high-end is an hobby ruled by preference, not a formal exact science.
Completely disagree. The end goal is to recreate live music, at least for most of us. It’s actually not that subjective, although it will differ from one person to another.
Thanks for passing judgement on my comment though!
