Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

matthias

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2019
1,226
545
213
Germany
Music storage access is time limited and happens very quickly when it is PCIe connected and the noise signature is less than when connected over SATA.

Would it makes sense to optimise a special version of the Extreme without internal storage for streaming only from Qobuz?

Thanks

Matt
 

sbo6

VIP/Donor
May 18, 2014
1,660
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480
Round Rock, TX
The audible noise in a playback system coming from RF emissions transmitted by operating SSD's is a well known phenomena. Multi Level Cell are worse sounding than Single Level Cell.

I would be possible to measure the RF coming off Optane storage, and compare that to the RF emissions coming from MLC and SLC SSD's. It also explains why better shielded SATA cables result in better sounding systems. The emissions coming off a SSD are in the Gigahertz band and very difficult to attenuate effectively

Can you please point me to any white papers on SSD RF emission adversely affecting audio system's sound and the benefits via RF shielding on SATA cables?
 

Taiko Audio

Industry Expert
Feb 10, 2017
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taikoaudio.com
Would it makes sense to optimise a special version of the Extreme without internal storage for streaming only from Qobuz?

Thanks

Matt

Hi Matt,

Well that would really just be an Extreme without internal storage, which is available :)
There wouldn't be a change of configuration otherwise though you could remove some networking functionality used for filesharing for example, though it will all be quite minimal in impact, if at all.
 
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Esotar

VIP/Donor
Mar 27, 2016
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www.digituslabs.kr
My system~!!

Ha Ha


I have a schedule to change speakers to Goebel High End [Divin Noblesse].

When I change my speakers, I'll update the movies. (SGM Extreme + Divin Noblesse)
 

Esotar

VIP/Donor
Mar 27, 2016
411
361
340
South Korea
www.digituslabs.kr
Extreme plus Divin Noblesse. Now that is something I would like to hear!

I'm making the money for ordering Divin Noblesse.

But it is too difficult in Korea.

If test result about Divin Noblesse with SGM Extreme is awesome, I'll recommend Oliver to use SGM Extreme.

Ha Ha

Because two products are perfect, the result will be much more than my anticipation.

^^
 
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kimurastanley

Well-Known Member
Mar 16, 2019
256
291
150
Singapore
Thanks to my local dealer James (also founder of Plixir power products), manage to get hold of both Telegartner M12 Gold and Melco S100 for home trial.

Will power both products using Plixir Elite LPS with customized DC cables to ensure clean power supply. LAN cables are telegartner Gold LAN cables to minimize variability which may affect the sounds.

All these cables and switches are brand new.
Will spend the next few days to run in and evaluate with SGM extreme server.

Impression will follow

DSCF2694_polarr.jpg DSCF2695_polarr.jpg DSCF2702_polarr.jpg
 

EuroDriver

Well-Known Member
Sep 16, 2015
926
2,479
450
Monaco
Can you please point me to any white papers on SSD RF emission adversely affecting audio system's sound and the benefits via RF shielding on SATA cables?

Here is a quote from Romaz post 2745 earlier on

Over the years, I have tested various SSDs (SATA II vs SATA III, SLC vs MLC), storage transmission buses (SATA vs PCIe) and even SATA cables and have found that they each have a particular sonic signature that is audible. The fastest SSDs have the lowest latencies but also generate a high frequency noise that I find fatiguing with long term listening and cannot be completely ameliorated with SATA filters or by cleanly powering the SSD. Just because you power an SSD with a high quality linear power supply doesn't prevent that SSD from generating high frequency noise. This is apparently not noticeable by all given how commonly SSDs are used in music servers today but I have purposely avoided using an SSD as an OS drive (which is incessantly being accessed by the OS even during music playback) in any of my builds since late 2018. I have even gone so far as to use a compact flash as an OS drive but as these are very high latency storage devices, they create as many problems as they fix and proved to be a less than ideal solution. In late 2018, through the reporting of others, I began using Optane drives for the operating system and these drives have proven to be the ideal solution. Optane drives have very low "RAM like" latencies but also have a noise spectrum that is more like RAM than an SSD which is to say they do not cause the same fatiguing HF noise. It was quite refreshing to find that the Extreme uses an Optane drive for its OS.
 

seeteeyou

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2015
67
43
248
It would be interesting to compare this 1TB hybrid Optane H10 to other NVMe drives

https://www.amazon.com/Solid-State-Drive-Internal-Express/dp/B07RL812DW

If Asus WS C621E SAGE were actually able to support Optane DCPMM, we might also "sacrifice" some DIMM slots to give them a try while replacing 10-core Xeon Silver 4114 with 8-core 4215. Though having fewer cores might not be such a good idea.

Alternatively, a completely diskless SGM Extreme (w/ RAMdisk) that's able to access NVMe-oF storage remotely could be another avenue

http://jplay.eu/forum/index.php?/to...-windows-server-20162019-configuration-guide/
 

Blackmorec

Well-Known Member
Feb 1, 2019
747
1,271
213
I have a general question for you Emile.

Component break-in. I have noticed that in my system even the most mundane of items like a DC cable greatly affects the sound during its break-in period. Do you find a similar thing, that replacing pretty much any item in your system then requires time to settle in and stabilise before sounding its best.
If so, how long on average do items take to burn in; which items are the worst in terms of time required, which are the fastest and how long do they take?

Do you fully condition items before evaluation? Given how many items you’ve obviously evaluated in building the Extreme, I wonder if you have developed any special way to handle the break-in phenomena, or maybe it’s simply not as intrusive in your system as it is in mine.

In my experience, commercial networking products seem to stabilise quite quickly.....a few days at most, while most audiophile products, and especially the low voltage DC stuff takes ages....weeks and weeks

Thanks
 
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Scatterbrain99

Well-Known Member
Aug 18, 2016
34
8
138
@Taiko Audio I also have a question for Emily. Given that no DIY'ers can attain the holy grail set by SGM extreme, is there any tips/tricks you'd like to share with the community that would help us to improve our sound, till we can afford to buy a SGM that is (doesn't hurt to dream)!

I understand that a lot of optimization/engineering/tweaking that went to SGM may not always be as beneficial stand alone in a DIY server. But some pointers would be really helpful for the rest of the us to try something.

To start with I was thinking of OS. High powered DIY server these days are using - Windows Server (with AO), AudioLinux and Euphony. There has been a big exodus from WS to Euphony in recent months. However, I'm still sticking with Windows so far. I use Windows Server 2016 (I found it better than WS2019) with the latest AudiophileOptimizer.

Can you shed some light what windows user can do to optimize it -
a) Is Windows 10 better than Windows Server?
b) AO is no longer necessary?
c) How to install only the required service and what services?
d) What utility (for example Process Lasso) to use etc?
 

2ndLiner

Well-Known Member
Dec 16, 2015
285
591
335
Thanks to my local dealer James (also founder of Plixir power products), manage to get hold of both Telegartner M12 Gold and Melco S100 for home trial.

Will power both products using Plixir Elite LPS with customized DC cables to ensure clean power supply. LAN cables are telegartner Gold LAN cables to minimize variability which may affect the sounds.

All these cables and switches are brand new.
Will spend the next few days to run in and evaluate with SGM extreme server.

Impression will follow




For kimurastanley, Christmas in February!!!
 

Esotar

VIP/Donor
Mar 27, 2016
411
361
340
South Korea
www.digituslabs.kr
@Taiko Audio I also have a question for Emily. Given that no DIY'ers can attain the holy grail set by SGM extreme, is there any tips/tricks you'd like to share with the community that would help us to improve our sound, till we can afford to buy a SGM that is (doesn't hurt to dream)!

I understand that a lot of optimization/engineering/tweaking that went to SGM may not always be as beneficial stand alone in a DIY server. But some pointers would be really helpful for the rest of the us to try something.

To start with I was thinking of OS. High powered DIY server these days are using - Windows Server (with AO), AudioLinux and Euphony. There has been a big exodus from WS to Euphony in recent months. However, I'm still sticking with Windows so far. I use Windows Server 2016 (I found it better than WS2019) with the latest AudiophileOptimizer.

Can you shed some light what windows user can do to optimize it -
a) Is Windows 10 better than Windows Server?
b) AO is no longer necessary?
c) How to install only the required service and what services?
d) What utility (for example Process Lasso) to use etc?


I don't have knowledge about digital source technologies.

According to Emile's explain....

a) Extreme's Win 10 has more off services than Win Server.

b) Extreme is not used by AO.

c) Emile's Win 10 setting must not be changed.

d) Process Lasso is used. Roon and JPLAY Femto.


SGM Extreme great quality is not the result of software, but the result of software and Hardware.

I think Hardware that all parts was customized is larger part of SGM Extreme's quality.
 
Last edited:

dminches

Well-Known Member
Oct 22, 2011
3,409
2,794
1,410
According to Emile's explain....

a) Extreme's Win 10 has more off services than Win Server.

b) Extreme is used by AO.

c) Emile's Win 10 setting must not be changed.

d) Process Lasso is used. Roon and JPLAY Femto.

Some of these answers don't make sense to me. What does b) mean? AO is software. Also, regarding a), in most instances people use Win 10 and Win Server with services turned off. But that's now how the OS comes out of the box.

Hopefully Emile will respond if he is comfortable sharing this information.
 

Mike Lavigne

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 25, 2010
12,471
11,366
4,410
...the Extreme has landed, sitting comfortably on the double plywood platforms while resting on the minus-k...

...sounds pretty sweet starting the warmup and breaking in phase...

A big shoutout to Emile and Bob@Rhapsody, thanks to you two!!

Congrats Alan, you will love it.
 

Ackcheng

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2011
119
108
950
digitalroomcorrection.hk
Some of these answers don't make sense to me. What does b) mean? AO is software. Also, regarding a), in most instances people use Win 10 and Win Server with services turned off. But that's now how the OS comes out of the box.

Hopefully Emile will respond if he is comfortable sharing this information.
There are software like https://www.ntlite.com/ that allows you to install win 10 without unnecessary process. These processes are not just turned off but not installed in the first place
 
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