Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[simorag]

Adding to the excellent recommendations from @oldmustang and @kennyb123 another pair of HDTT albums that I enjoy very much ...




They really do great productions, and the possibility to download 24/96 samples before buying (although the magic of higher resolutions is slightly diminished) is a big plus of their website.

Also, with several downloads you are given the option of getting all resolutions if you purchase the DSD256. With my Rossini I am limited to DSD128. Roon would decimate the DSD256, but XDMS does not do it and I feel DSD128 over XDMS sound better (more raw, transparent, organic) than Roon DSD256 -> DSD128, even more starkly after the last XDMS upgrade.

Thanks to the suggestions above, I just spent another 200Euro of downloads

 

[Rhapsody]

Than, for free if you have Qobuz, next listen to the two last tracks of this recording played at realistic levels and experience what can be done with modern top digital recording technique:

https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/l...inuo-hesperion-xxi-jordi-savall/0191018773304

I wrote about it six years ago https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/my-curent-reference-les-routes-de-l´esclavage-jordi-savall.23072/ and it was before having the Taiko Extreme!

Cool. Thx. Amazing sonics. I was not saying that the Digital recordings do not sound AMAZING when done right, I was just saying that the old analog jazz recordings of the 60's when transferred direct from tape to DSD can also sound AMAZING as well.

Sonically one might say that that the digital recordings played on a great digital set up are second to none, BUT the music from the 60's that is mesmerizing in it's own right when transferred direct from tape into digital even trump the better sonics of the all digital to digital BECAUSE of the music which for me is much more important than the sonics alone.

 

[Rhapsody]

Here are some more HDTT releases that I enjoy quite a bit. Not all are DSD256 and please take the caveat to heart that for me music trumps sound quality. But all of these are excellent sound quality (note: the Dolphy is a mono recording):
View attachment 108586View attachment 108587View attachment 108588View attachment 108589View attachment 108590View attachment 108591View attachment 108592View attachment 108593View attachment 108594View attachment 108595

If you see the reply I just made to Microstrip, I said the same thing before reading your post here. MUSIC TRUMPS SONICS, especially if the sonics are really good, which they are on a LOT of these albums, even if not direct tape transfers or even DSD. The recordings were so good to begin with and the music is so good (to me) and that is what is important.

 

[Rhapsody]

Adding to the excellent recommendations from @oldmustang and @kennyb123 another pair of HDTT albums that I enjoy very much ...

View attachment 108607
View attachment 108608

They really do great productions, and the possibility to download 24/96 samples before buying (although the magic of higher resolutions is slightly diminished) is a big plus of their website.

Also, with several downloads you are given the option of getting all resolutions if you purchase the DSD256. With my Rossini I am limited to DSD128. Roon would decimate the DSD256, but XDMS does not do it and I feel DSD128 over XDMS sound better (more raw, transparent, organic) than Roon DSD256 -> DSD128, even more starkly after the last XDMS upgrade.

Thanks to the suggestions above, I just spent another 200Euro of downloads

Just downloaded both of these. Looking forward to listening to them. Thank you!

 

[John T]

Pretty cool getting the insight as to what floats our boat musically. I find it interesting how similar some of our tastes are. @oldmustang shared some real Gems. Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue can realign you no matter what is going on...

 

[dminches]

Have you compared it to the HDTT version? I think the HDTT reissue is one of those rare ones where I can say that the search is over. I am pretty sure that I have this on 1) Classic Records 33 RPM & 45 RPM, 2) AP 45 RPM, 3) Music Matters 33 RPM (my previous favorite), 4) Columbia SACD, 5) Classic HDAD, 6) HDTracks 24/192. I may have imagined a few of those but I am just glad I took a gamble on the HDTT version.

My only issue with these digital downloads (not the music / sound) is that they are light or absent on the mastering and source information. I wish digital music started to apply the same standards of information as analog does. There are a lot of gaps in analog as well but they still provide more information than their digital counterparts.

 

[Zeotrope]

Have you compared it to the HDTT version? I think the HDTT reissue is one of those rare ones where I can say that the search is over. I am pretty sure that I have this on 1) Classic Records 33 RPM & 45 RPM, 2) AP 45 RPM, 3) Music Matters 33 RPM (my previous favorite), 4) Columbia SACD, 5) Classic HDAD, 6) HDTracks 24/192. I may have imagined a few of those but I am just glad I took a gamble on the HDTT version.

I haven’t. I know René LaFlamme, who masters all of the 2XHD labels, and he is an audiophile and purist. So I believe he’s got the best recordings off the master tapes.
@dminches - you’ll find that 2XHD provides all the details of how the tracks were recorded and converted to digital. I usually buy the digital tracks from NativeDSD.

We go back to the A to D conversion as the weakest link in the digital chain. Taiko should consider making a ‘Extreme for digital encoding’, as there’s nothing remotely close to an Extreme for recording engineers. The challenge is economic, as it would be difficult to sell to studios.

 

[Taiko Audio]

I haven’t. I know René LaFlamme, who masters all of the 2XHD labels, and he is an audiophile and purist. So I believe he’s got the best recordings off the master tapes.
@dminches - you’ll find that 2XHD provides all the details of how the tracks were recorded and converted to digital. I usually buy the digital tracks from NativeDSD.

We go back to the A to D conversion as the weakest link in the digital chain. Taiko should consider making a ‘Extreme for digital encoding’, as there’s nothing remotely close to an Extreme for recording engineers. The challenge is economic, as it would be difficult to sell to studios.

Mark Conese of Ambient recording uses an Extreme for mastering:

https://www.markconesedesign.com/

 

[Zeotrope]

Mark Conese of Ambient recording uses an Extreme for mastering:

https://www.markconesedesign.com/

Interesting. But that doesn’t solve the A to D conversion not being at the “Extreme level”.

 

[oldmustang]

My only issue with these digital downloads (not the music / sound) is that they are light or absent on the mastering and source information. I wish digital music started to apply the same standards of information as analog does. There are a lot of gaps in analog as well but they still provide more information than their digital counterparts.

If you look at the sidebar under the HDTT album picture for each selection you will find the provenance of most (though not all, particularly the earliest HDTT releases) source material. Elsewhere on the website is a brief description of the equipment used by HDTT.

For the actual original recordings of much of the 60s material there is a lot of information about the recording sessions out there on the internet and in print. Literally, books have been written about the golden age Decca, RCA Living Stereo, Mercury Living Presence recordings and quite a bit has been published about historical and contemporary jazz sessions.

Steve

 

[dminches]

If you look at the sidebar under the HDTT album picture for each selection you will find the provenance of most (though not all, particularly the earliest HDTT releases) source material. Elsewhere on the website is a brief description of the equipment used by HDTT.

For the actual original recordings of much of the 60s material there is a lot of information about the recording sessions out there on the internet and in print. Literally, books have been written about the golden age Decca, RCA Living Stereo, Mercury Living Presence recordings and quite a bit has been published about historical and contemporary jazz sessions.

Steve

I saw some of that.

The information on original recordings doesn’t help me understand what tape was used for HDTT’s transfer. The same is true for any LPs that are cut from these. For example, almost all Blue Note recordings from the golden era of jazz were originally mastered by RVG, but that doesn’t mean a particular LP or digital file set used the master. King Records in Japan released a lot of these recordings on vinyl but they were not from the master.

I am sure they are sound great, though. Just trying to understand what I am buying.

 

[Emorante]

This new version of xdms takes my setup to the next class level, the music is very natural and emotional. Thanks to Ed for his support, see you in Munich

 

[Steve Williams]

This new version of xdms takes my setup to the next class level, the music is very natural and emotional. Thanks to Ed for his support, see you in Munich

I have blisters on my butt as I haven’t budged from my chair in 3 days.

 

[seatrope]

I have blisters on my butt as I haven’t budged from my chair in 3 days.

You need to change that diaper once in a while Steve

 

[microstrip]

Cool. Thx. Amazing sonics. I was not saying that the Digital recordings do not sound AMAZING when done right, I was just saying that the old analog jazz recordings of the 60's when transferred direct from tape to DSD can also AMAZING as well.

Sonically one might say that that the digital recordings played on a great digital set up are second to none, BUT the music from the 60's that is mesmerizing in it's own right when transferred direct from tape into digital even trump the better sonics of the all digital to digital BECAUSE of the music which for me is much more important than the sonics alone.

Well, although I appreciate a lot some of the music of the 60's, I find the music of the 2000's mesmerizing. The fact that music is much more important that sonics pushes becomes a blessing for me - probably because my music preferences evolved along time and the type cf music I listen mostly is well served by modern performances.

 

[Rhapsody]

Well, although I appreciate a lot some of the music of the 60's, I find the music of the 2000's mesmerizing. The fact that music is much more important that sonics pushes becomes a blessing for me - probably because my music preferences evolved along time and the type cf music I listen mostly is well served by modern performances.

Sure, everyone's musical tastes varies. I personally don't gravitate to the jazz music of the 60's for the music normally. I have a varied appetite for classical, jazz, rock, folk, you name it and the years don't really matter. I just happen to like something and then I listen to it.

I am fascinated by the 60's jazz recordings because the music is interesting and for me the sound of these HDTT/DSD files sound quite amazing and bring these recordings to life. If the recordings were not that great and the files OR VINYL didn't sound great I probably would never listen to the 60's jazz recordings.

When I'm not strolling down this 60's jazz avenue, I'm usually listening to certain 60's/70's rock and then a LOT of new music mostly softer type rock from 2000 to current. I like eclectic type music that I get introduced to via Spotify from Choral music, which I listen to in the early mornings, and from there I am all over the board.

I have visitors from all over the planet and I am always being introduced to music that I never imagined that existed. A lot of times I hear something and fall in love with it and listen to only that for weeks at a time. Fink did that to me lately.

 

[CKKeung]

I can’t tell the exact tipping point but now my digital sounds so much better than analog. It’s not even comparable ...

Here is the thing, though. I’ve tweaked my system for digital playback. And I know what I need to do to raise the bar on my analog again. I can’t explain how, because it will take me the entire day to put my thoughts together. But I am confident I know how I can make my analog much more enjoyable again and will do that in the coming months. But I doubt it will surpass my digital ever again.

Let me finish my long post by quoting myself: “When I started building my own servers I had one goal only - to make my digital sound as good as my analog” - this goal was overachieved by a big margin!

Hi Nenon,
Thank you so much for sharing with WBF brothers the fascinating Part I&II summary of your quest for a better digital/CAS system.

Now you have to have plans so that your analaog system can "Strike Back"!
Not easy I would say. Why?

On one hand there are the coming Taiko Extreme Router and BPS.

On the other hand, here comes gadgets from the QSA-Lanedris Cables.

This photo was taken at a gathering with Anas Lanedris in Hong Kong last night.
Anas brought some prototype cables for my friends & I to listen and comment.


Two of the winners are :
1. A QSA-treated DAC cable 7m in length.
2. A QSA-Lanedris dc cable.
(I won't post their photos now because they are near-final prototypes.)

Both were applied to an Extreme Switch+Network Card/Extreme Server/Holo Audio May system.
The sonic improvement was astonishing!
I guess most, if not all of the Extreme Switch users will buy them in a heartbeat!

Nenon : I guess you have to work very very hard to improve your analog system in the coming months.

 

[Rhapsody]

Hi Nenon,
Thank you so much for sharing with WBF brothers the fascinating Part I&II summary of your quest for a better digital/CAS system.

Now you have to have plans so that your analaog system can "Strike Back"!
Not easy I would say. Why?

On one hand there are the coming Taiko Extreme Router and BPS.

On the other hand, here comes gadgets from the QSA-Lanedris Cables.

This photo was taken at a gathering with Anas Lanedris in Hong Kong last night.
Anas brought some prototype cables for my friends & I to listen and comment.
View attachment 108649

Two of the winners are :
1. A QSA-treated DAC cable 7m in length.
2. A QSA-Lanedris dc cable.
(I won't post their photos now because they are near-final prototypes.)

Both were applied to an Extreme Switch+Network Card/Extreme Server/Holo Audio May system.
The sonic improvement was astonishing!
I guess most, if not all of the Extreme Switch users will buy them in a heartbeat!

Nenon : I guess you have to work very very hard to improve your analog system in the coming months.

Maybe we can do a "group buy"

 

[Alex G]

I just did a comparison of various configurations using the QSA Lanedri Gamma Infinity Power Cable, DAC cable and LAN cable on the new Taiko Switch.

For comparison, non-QSA cabling was Inakustik 4004 Reference power cable, standard Taiko DAC cable, and a 30’ Blue Jeans CAT6 LAN. I listened to every conceivable combo to assess impact of the new QSA Lanedri DAC cable which was great overall. I‘m not going to share detailed notes but I came away with a lot of impressions on the PC and LAN as well.

Re my system level of QSA: I have Gamma Infinity Power cords on all components and QSA Standard Silver fuses in Extreme, Network LPS, and Power Amp. Another data point: I don’t have any QSA outlets installed nor do I have any QSA interconnects or speaker cables yet although that will change soon! Last, of maybe particular interest to my test vs others: my Gamma Infinity LAN is a custom order of 110’ so lots of copper there. True to Anas’ usual mantra of QSA having no diminishing returns, I found that true here as well.

Here is a rank order of combos from best on down:

1. All three QSA Lanedri cables
2. DAC + LAN
3. DAC + PC
4. DAC only

To echo others’ findings, the DAC cable had the highest impact of any of these cables to me and the most impact if buying only 1 QSA Lanedri cable, which is awesome. It’s a very simple solution and a no brainer. Sounds like the DC cables are really promising as well.

 

[CKKeung]

Hi Alex,
You must try the QSA-Lanedris dc cable asap.
Your ranking above will have a revision.