Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[John T]

hi John,

Are you making your own DC cable? If so, what type of cable are you using to solder the dc barrel?

Thanks

My LPS is JCAT Optimo which has Speakon Connectors to the LPS. The wire I'm using is 16awg copper...My plan is to go BPS in the future and all of this will end...EDIT: I could modify JCATS DC Cables. Supposedly they are 2.5MM however I have my doubts...I talked with Bob @Rhapsody he's using JCATS DC cable to the switch. He said its not falling out but not as snug as it should be. If the switch is 2.5MM and JCATS DC cable is 2.5MM something is not jiving...

 

[John T]

I guess I started something. Happy that my random post found such receptive ears.

Steve

I was thinking today (dangerous) if that was Steve who put Fink out there...

 

[Kris]

was this true for local files or just streaming from the cloud?

As of today
Good news for the Buffalo / Melco owners.
Tested Buffalo with PinkFaun clock before Taiko switch With OLDER sfp card And DAC cable.
In my system the improvement that Buffalo brings is big.
Buffalo with Pinkfaun + Taiko switch is an excellent combo.
It is definitely not as good when the Buffalo is taken out of system.

Edit ,. This might change when my Taiko netcard will work long so I can test it .

Also this might be totally different with Taiko router.

Additional tests will be done to complete the infulence of the DAC cable.
Ordered extra DAC cable from Taiko to check how much better the 34 Euro cable is in 2 locations
switch to extreme
router to switch.
and both.
I expect further increase of the SQ with use of 2 DAC cables.

 

[steve williams]

So today was day 6 of switch and new card. as many await the new bracket I just had to play some music today anticipating I’ll get about 20 minutes and then it will time out. I queued up several Plano selections as for me a simple test of any system is how good does your system portray piano. Well indeed I got about 20 minutes but what I was able to listen to in that time was truly a big step up The tonality and attack of the keyboard with associated dynamics and decay was the best I’ve heard my system play piano ……ever
There is no coloration. It is neutral and puts you up close ………


if you have a bracket issue
I found a quick work around was to close XDMS
reboot Extreme with double tap on front button
reopen XDMS
Open settings
connect to extreme using fetch and search.
this restores server function for me if I want another 30 minutes of incredible music. Truly a tease. but I love it.

 

[oldmustang]

So today was day 6 of switch and new card. as many await the new bracket I just had to play some music today anticipating I’ll get about 20 minutes and then it will time out. I queued up several Plano selections as for me a simple test of any system is how good does your system portray piano. Well indeed I got about 20 minutes but what I was able to listen to in that time was truly a big step up The tonality and attack of the keyboard with associated dynamics and decay was the best I’ve heard my system play piano ……ever
There is no coloration. It is neutral and puts you up close ………


if you have a bracket issue
I found a quick work around was to close XDMS
reboot Extreme with double tap on front button
reopen XDMS
Open settings
connect to extreme using fetch and search.
this restores server function for me if I want another 30 minutes of incredible music. Truly a tease. but I love it.

This sounds more like a LAN connectivity or XDMS issue rather than the bracket issue, Steve. The bracket can cause loss of physical contact between card and socket. I'm at a loss as to why that would cause a repetitive loss of play every 20-30 minutes.

If it were heating causing the fastened bracket to expand, levering the card out of its socket enough to lose contact I'd expect the cooling time to have the bracket contract enough to allow contact between card and socket again to be about as long (20-30 minutes) and not the short amount of time powered down that a simple restart as you describe would take.

After discovering the bracket problem here I just removed the bracket retaining screw and re-seated the new network card firmly in its socket. I've left the top cover of the Extreme off in case I had to reach in and re-seat the card, but over days of play now I've yet to have the Extreme spontaneously stop playing or lose connectivity with my network and I've not had to physically re-seat the card.

I don't doubt what you're experiencing or that what you are doing to re-establish play is working for you, I just can't see how what you are experiencing is caused by the bracket.

Steve Z

 

[dminches]

What Steve is experiencing is exactly what I experienced until I removed the bracket. The heat inside the case is causing the card to shift, likely due to the bracket.

 

[steve williams]

This sounds more like a LAN connectivity or XDMS issue rather than the bracket issue, Steve. The bracket can cause loss of physical contact between card and socket. I'm at a loss as to why that would cause a repetitive loss of play every 20-30 minutes.

If it were heating causing the fastened bracket to expand, levering the card out of its socket enough to lose contact I'd expect the cooling time to have the bracket contract enough to allow contact between card and socket again to be about as long (20-30 minutes) and not the short amount of time powered down that a simple restart as you describe would take.

After discovering the bracket problem here I just removed the bracket retaining screw and re-seated the new network card firmly in its socket. I've left the top cover of the Extreme off in case I had to reach in and re-seat the card, but over days of play now I've yet to have the Extreme spontaneously stop playing or lose connectivity with my network and I've not had to physically re-seat the card.

I don't doubt what you're experiencing or that what you are doing to re-establish play is working for you, I just can't see how what you are experiencing is caused by the bracket.

Steve Z

What Steve is experiencing is exactly what I experienced until I removed the bracket. The heat inside the case is causing the card to shift, likely due to the bracket.

Steve

That was my big concern as I spent hours changing RJ45 cables as well as ports from my router to the switch trying to establish that because when I VNC in and checked network there were 2 red X's beside 2 of the 3 networks and said cable unplugged. There were no cables unplugged. BTW, my luck ran out today after my first attempt to reestablish server connection as it did take 20-30 minutes to reestablish contact. I also got back under the hood today to do what you said trying one last time to seat the card properly .It played great for 20 minutes and stopped

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...it appeared to me that any card movement I saw was actually lateral, not vertical. I gave up and have been running the new switch and DAC into the old card.

Normally, I wouldn't think heat would be an issue not accounted for, but if the fit requires a twist or bend in the copper plate, perhaps it wouldn't take much to cause a lateral deflection and subsequent disconnection, since, unknowingly, it may be barely connected for the length of the contact segment between card and socket.

The USB card also has a copper connection plate, but that design "snaps" into the socket for a very firm fit.

In any case, the replacement will soon arrive and we can see how it goes.

 

[oldmustang]

I thought I’d throw this group and this album out there for consideration. The band can flat out rock a groove. Give “Mr. Clean” a try if you want to dip your toes.



Hope you like It!

Steve Z

 

[onlychild]

Anyone with HRS shelves try these under the Extreme in place of the stock footers? Thoughts?

 

[dminches]

I think those would make sense for people with HRS racks.

I am going to ask my local HRS dealer about them.

 

[SwissTom]

All packed and ready but not collected by Fedex yet.

When you open the package you’ll find the bracket taped in between 2 wooden blocks. We packed them this way to prevent them from bending if something heavy is dropped on top.

That's attention to detail

And it's arriving tomorrow.

I am impressed !

Cheers,

Thomas

 

[steve williams]

I thought I’d throw this group and this album out there for consideration. The band can flat out rock a groove. Give “Mr. Clean” a try if you want to dip your toes.

View attachment 106073

Hope you like It!

Steve Z

I ve been spending the past week playing all of my demo discs as well. as you Steve as we wait for the new bracket to arrive. Ive tested male voice and female voices recently and here are 2 of my favorites to ascertain female and male voice definition.

For female voice........

For male voice.......

 

[oldmustang]

I ve been spending the past week playing all of my demo discs as well. as you Steve as we wait for the new bracket to arrive. Ive tested male voice and female voices recently and here are 2 of my favorites to ascertain female and male voice definition.

For female voice........

For male voice.......

Two great albums. I particularly like the Leonard Cohen, but then I've been an LC fan for fifty years. Man, that makes me feel old to type that!

Steve Z

 

[steve williams]

Two great albums. I particularly like the Leonard Cohen, but then I've been an LC fan for fifty years. Man, that makes me feel old to type that!

Steve Z

Leonard cohen's voice is IMO very difficult to get right. The YouTube video is way off as how I hear it with the switch and new card.

 

[jbrrp1]

Two great albums. I particularly like the Leonard Cohen, but then I've been an LC fan for fifty years. Man, that makes me feel old to type that!

Steve Z

50 years for me, too, on LC. That said, and as much as I like his music and that album, I have a hard time seeing his voice as a great differentiator for SQ evaluation, given the very strong electronic affect that they've imbued it with since ~1977. I just find it too "unnatural" to be of value for SQ thoughts. As an alternative, here's a great male voice, recorded simply and naturally (and with Grimaud as a acompaniast!):


Just an exquisite performance and recording!

 

[Nils]

This sounds more like a LAN connectivity or XDMS issue rather than the bracket issue, Steve. The bracket can cause loss of physical contact between card and socket. I'm at a loss as to why that would cause a repetitive loss of play every 20-30 minutes.

If it were heating causing the fastened bracket to expand, levering the card out of its socket enough to lose contact I'd expect the cooling time to have the bracket contract enough to allow contact between card and socket again to be about as long (20-30 minutes) and not the short amount of time powered down that a simple restart as you describe would take.

After discovering the bracket problem here I just removed the bracket retaining screw and re-seated the new network card firmly in its socket. I've left the top cover of the Extreme off in case I had to reach in and re-seat the card, but over days of play now I've yet to have the Extreme spontaneously stop playing or lose connectivity with my network and I've not had to physically re-seat the card.

I don't doubt what you're experiencing or that what you are doing to re-establish play is working for you, I just can't see how what you are experiencing is caused by the bracket.

Steve Z

Windows OS keep an error count on each network interface, once it crosses a certain threshold the OS disables the network interface.

This is likely what happens - the flawed bracket yields a non perfect seating -> causing some network errors -> over time the threshold is crossed -> lost contact with xdms.

The restart resets the OS error counter.

 

[Nils]

Question for @Taiko Audio are you shipping using FedEx in Europe also?

I have not received any shipping notice yet?

 

[John T]

I ve been spending the past week playing all of my demo discs as well. as you Steve as we wait for the new bracket to arrive. Ive tested male voice and female voices recently and here are 2 of my favorites to ascertain female and male voice definition.

For female voice........

For male voice.......

Traveling Light, what a great track!

 

[Taiko Audio]

Question for @Taiko Audio are you shipping using FedEx in Europe also?

I have not received any shipping notice yet?

Yes, all brackets shipped with Fedex Priority. You should receive an e-mail from Fedex.