Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[MarcelNL]

tinkering a new input in a DAC should IMO be feasible for local tech's with some help from the DAC manufacturer.
USB is just another output format, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[John T]

My hope is that a local tech could remove XMOS and install the new Taiko interface. When I had my Pacific it was using the outdated interface and all new Lampi DAC's were coming installed with XMOS. I could only use XDMS in a limited fashion and could only avail myself of its full function by switching to XMOS . Fred had a board shipped to me with a schematic as to how it was installed. I found a local technician who swapped it out in under an hour of work. I would hope for the same and have the work done locally.

That Would Be A Great Alternative!!

 

[dminches]

I know and never bet against Emile so to come back to the initial question it is my understanding that the new card replaces the USB card BUT Lukasz, MSB, dCS and TotalDac will need to change from XMOS to the new interface.My one concern is that the new interface provides me with the exact same ability to play all the formats that I can now. I can play to 768 and DSD 512 without issues using XDMS

Steve, until Lukasz says that the horizon can be retrofitted with the new interface there is nothing to think about.

 

[marty]

All too confusing for me.

Mind-numbingly confusing to me as well.
So many questions.To begin:

Next, I thought fiber was the preferred way to go from Switch to Server, not RJ45. What am I missing?

Paul Simon said "there are 50 ways to leave your lover", but Christiaan's post #14933 makes those 50 ways trivial by comparison. Frankly, I'm lost.

 

[steve williams]

Steve, until Lukasz says that the horizon can be retrofitted with the new interface there is nothing to think about.

I thought Lukasz was committed . Also would it be a safe assumption that if existing Extreme users are ordering the new Extreme that it would be fitted with the new interface but having said that I would expect those committed DAC mfrs to provide a standard Usb XMOS interface or similar and the new interface would be a special order. It is safe to say that not all USB DAC owners also own an Extreme so I would have to infer that there would have tote a special order for the new interface until it truly becomes an industry standard and then the mfrs will all hopefully (for Taiko) jump on the band wagon

 

[steve williams]

Mind-numbingly confusing to me as well.
So many questions.To begin:
View attachment 104902
Next, I thought fiber was the preferred way to go from Switch to Server, not RJ45? What am I missing?

Paul Simon said "there are 50 ways to leave your lover", but Christiaan's post #14933 makes those 50 ways trivial by comparison. Frankly, I'm lost.

I think Christiaan is referring to the new Taiko cable for ethernet card using "DAC"

With the new Taiko switch Emile has said RJ45 from switch to server

 

[ticktock]

Mind-numbingly confusing to me as well.
So many questions.To begin:
View attachment 104902
Next, I thought fiber was the preferred way to go from Switch to Server, not RJ45? What am I missing?

Paul Simon said "there are 50 ways to leave your lover", but Christiaan's post #14933 makes those 50 ways trivial by comparison. Frankly, I'm lost.

Hi Marty, the acronyms are indeed confusing, but in this case, the DAC cable is a Direct Attach Copper cable, and does not refer to a Digital to Analog Converter.

 

[steve williams]

Hi Marty, the acronyms are indeed confusing, but in this case, the DAC cable is a Direct Attach Copper cable, and does not refer to a Digital to Analog Converter.

Emile has also given guidelines that the DAC be as short as possible for best results. My switch will be on the platform under my extreme so I ordered the shortest DAC

 

[Tuckia]

Are we fast approaching a 500lb. Gen 2 Extreme that looks like it was designed by Homer Simpson? Trying to be everything to everyone? Maybe just own several Extremes configured for different courses Instead.

 

[steve williams]

Are we fast approaching a 500lb. Gen 2 Extreme that looks like it was designed by Homer Simpson? Trying to be everything to everyone? Maybe just own several Extremes configured for different courses Instead.

IIRC the one box weighs 168 pounds

Emile did say that he made a very heavy prototype that would be priced in the ozone layer and has experimented with 3 options
1. Exiting chassis with the BPS in it
2. A new one box which is easier to mill and also will contain the BPS and weigh 168 pounds but have a footprint which is only 1" deeper
3. Two box. Extreme with separate external BPS

 

[John T]

Its a good thing I'm off of the OXY'S!!

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...you had to choose how to connect your switch from the drop-down menus when you ordered the switch (and card).

 

[ticktock]

Thanks but I'm still confused.
1) Didn't most of us order a fiber cable from switch to server because the fiber connection supposedly has a lower noise floor, which is why it was recommended for best SQ?
2) I don't think I've ever seen a direct attach copper cable but if this is now the preferred connection between switch and server, I don't recall ever having the opportunity to order it with the switch and the new network board.

As for 1), I believe that is outdated information and RJ45 had surpassed fiber by the time Emile recommended everyone try an inexpensive unshielded ethernet cable many months ago.

As for 2), the SFP output options for the new switch are all DAC cables of varying lengths.

 

[marty]

...you had to choose how to connect your switch from the drop-down menus when you ordered the switch (and card).

Ah, got it. Thanks for the clarification. I guess i did order a DAC cable after all. I incorrectly assumed the SFP cable was fiber.

 

[Tuckia]

Its a good thing I'm off of the OXY'S!!

You can ship them to me. My problems haven’t gone away yet

 

[John T]

You can ship them to me. My problems haven’t gone away yet

I thought you were my sponsor?

 

[Tuckia]

I thought you were my sponsor?

Sponsor. Enabler. Just semantics.
I can save you from your wine cellar too if you give me a chance, lol.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...the DAC vs. DAC nomenclature did spawn a confusion bubble, for sure. And don't even go to the TACDA/WACDA/Neil Sedaka card naming puzzle. Hey, when are these switches and DACadoodles shipping anyway, since we're on the subject?

 

[nonesup]

Hi all, it is often said that a picture says more than a thousand words... certainly, in the case of our upcoming TACD Modular PCIe interface card, I think this will be true!

Shown below is the modular TACD PCIe main board with a daughterboard on top of it. In this case, the daughter board is the analog version with onboard DAC and stereo RCA outputs.

View attachment 104874

We have decided on a modular build for the TACD PCIe card to be able to accommodate a wide range of interface options at a reasonable price level. Going modular protects the value of the investment into the interface/controller technology which is by far the costliest part of the design.

To change the output interface of the TACD card, all it takes is to attach a different version daughterboard, each of which will cater to one specific function from an array of options such as:

• A DAC with Analog output (as shown above)
• Generic S/PDIF, AES/EBU, I2s, or other digital formats
• Custom output like MSB Pro ISL
• New Taiko proprietary interface

USB will not be added, and as such, the TACD cards will not substitute the Taiko Enhanced USB card.

An updated and further clarified version of the Summary doc can be found below.

Two questions for Emile or Christian.

If I have understood correctly, the new TACD card is a card that, using the PCI bus, directly accesses the CPU to transmit the bits from this CPU to the output that we have chosen on the daughter card, let's say AES/EBU.



1st As the data is currently transmitted (without TACD card) from the CPU to an AES/EBU output, which would have been requested as an option in the Extreme.



2nd The USB card that was sold as an improvement of the standard USB outputs of the Motherboard, does it already have the Direct PCI technology to the CPU?

 

[Taiko Audio]

I thought Lukasz was committed . Also would it be a safe assumption that if existing Extreme users are ordering the new Extreme that it would be fitted with the new interface but having said that I would expect those committed DAC mfrs to provide a standard Usb XMOS interface or similar and the new interface would be a special order. It is safe to say that not all USB DAC owners also own an Extreme so I would have to infer that there would have tote a special order for the new interface until it truly becomes an industry standard and then the mfrs will all hopefully (for Taiko) jump on the band wagon

We’d make this is either a “drop in” replacement for the jlsounds USB board or use I2S of which the Horizon has 2 inputs fitted as a factory default.