Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I wanted to also add a further comment as I am often asked what I heard or didn't hear when I felt there were issues with Roon. The best analogy would be in reply to someone who posted here a few weeks ago that 'surely all of us have used our sound systems in a passive way' For me I have never used my system for passive listening because when my butt is in the sweet spot I always want to hear the best music. And that is what I lost. To me my system was only good when listening to Roon passively. IOW all of the sizzle and more is in this new Roon mod by Emile.
 

QSA-LANEDRI

Industry Expert
Dec 17, 2018
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Order Has Been Restored To The Streaming Universe :cool:

As most of you are aware , I have had installed on my lap top a pre beta version of TAS and with what I heard with SQ improvement my plans was to follow the best SQ. I just found that over the past few Roon updates the sparkle to what I heard previously was gone. I was uninvolved and sessions were short. Emile gave me the privilege of giving some feedback in this prebeta version and my impression was" thumb's up, way up" It was my thought that the sound I heard from TAS was as good or better than what I heard when I got Roon and my Extreme in October not just by a small amount but by a very large margin. With the soon to be released remote app not available yet to me, Emile had to disable my Roon in order to enable TAS. In the future we will al be able to do this with the remote app. In my install, Emile discovered a few things which would not transfer across during my TAS install. For reasons beyond my pay grade Qobuz transferred perfectly but not so Tidal and there was also an issue with DSD 256 and DSD512 so that became known to Emile and his team and they were working to fix before the beta version is released

Yesterday I was exchanging messages with Emile and he stated that his team was still working day and night to get things smoothed out and it might be a few more days or even weeks. To mitigate my disappointment ;) Emile went on to say that with the knowledge he and his team have learned in the course of the development of the TAS, he has found a way to create a major improvement to Roon which he offered to install on my system. He wanted to get my input as well as tiding me over until the final beta version of TAS is released. How could I refuse, as this, if successful, will provide what most members wanted, to wit better SQ and Roon metadata all in one.

Emile did the install last night and I only had a chance to listen mid morning today. As the saying goes "I was not prepared for this" because what I heard IMHO was as good or almost as good as Emile's TAS. I have said that the things what I consider most important are timbre, tone, dynamics, decay, ambience, all of which brings with (for me at least) the feeling of "presence", or a "you are there" feeling which is lacking if the above attributes are absent. This new version of Roon to my ears is so good that if Emile was to never develop the TAS, we the listener would be forever satiated

When I discussed what I heard with Emile he agreed that this was almost as good as TAS lacking only slightly in detail and transparency !!!!!

The even better news was that as good as Roon is now, it still lacks a bit that TAS has. TAS is only a start for Emile who values everyone's feedback and is determined to continuously deliver to his clients the very best SQ. So my bet is he will continue to make TAS better and better in every way

What i heard today was totally engaging, so much so, that time became a non issue, as this was my longest listening session in many weeksThe dynamics, timbre, decay and tone was all there. So much more detail to hear yet never bloated or colored. Roon for me was back to not only be able to use its metadata and play music without having to use TAS, which is what many Extreme users preferred. So, in summary TAS beta is a little delayed but in the interim Emile has learned from TAS development some tricks to improve Roon and if I'm not mistaken won't be affected in the future by other Roon updates (maybe Ed or Emile can correct me if necessary). Unfortunately I could not do an A/B with TAS as we will in the future but TBH what Emile delivered to my system in Roon is so good that it might be difficult for me to distinguish one from the other in blind testing

The other thing I learned is that this Roon modification made by Emile to my Extreme could be operable to non Extreme but Roon users so stay tuned

AFAIK this Roon upgrade is not only so good but stable that Emile from my understanding will make this available tomorrow to all Extreme users

So excited, as I believe is everyone who goes through your feedback , to to get this roon update while waiting for the TAS to be ready.


Enjoy!
Anas
 
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Taiko Audio

Industry Expert
Feb 10, 2017
4,233
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taikoaudio.com
Good morning WBF readers,

While developing our own software playback environment (TAS), we found a way to "immunize" the Extreme to processing activity taking place on the "core" part of playback software. This applies not only to TAS, but also to other playback software employing a server / endpoint architecture like Roon. We have tested this on a few different Roon builds, several TAS iterations and they all perform nearly identical from a sound quality perspective.

Christoph is setting up a scheduler application right now in order to update all Extremes, starting today with people employing copper networking while I will work on ironing out the last details for those using fiber networking. Christoph will post details on the procedure shortly.

I will leave sound quality descriptions to our active user base on this forum and just comment that in my own personal view, this fully restores what you were accustomed to be getting from the Extreme, with a cherry on top.

Development on TAS will continue as scheduled with a brief delay as me, Edward and Christoph will be allocating all our currently available time to implement this latest change.

In case you are wondering why we are continuing development on TAS I'll supply a list of reasons:

1) It allows us to explore the relationship between code and perceived sound quality and discover new ways to improve it.
2) It will provide more software playback functionality like alternative music browsing modes and support for more streaming / metadata / music discovery service providers.
3) Support for alternative streaming protocols, like UPNP, Openhome, LMS, Chromecast, Airplay.
3) Added functionality like a customer support system by means of a click on a button.
4) Integrated functionality for applying software updates yourself.
5) Removing the need to purchase a Roon lifetime subscription to be able to use the Extreme.
6) Being able to provide a different perspective on sound quality.
 

howiebrou

Well-Known Member
Jun 29, 2012
2,789
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Roon: "Knock Knock"
Emile: "Who's there?"
Roon: "ARI"
Emile: "ARI who?"
Roon: "ARI You for sale?"
 

CKKeung

Well-Known Member
Jun 17, 2011
3,053
3,172
1,410
Hong Kong
Roon must have a whole team of inhouse elite engineers.
If the smallish Taiko Audio can make it, Roon should be able to make one much much faster.

It's all about their belief (or arrogance?) and business priorities.
:rolleyes:
 

christoph

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2015
4,659
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Principality of Liechtenstein
Don’t worry Steve, I didn’t miss the point, I just couldn’t be bothered to repeat what has been said so eloquently by you and others, in that Sq is core to what we want. On that I agree, but I also put a lot of importance on the GUI, is all I meant. if Emile can do both fantastic but I hope I don’t have to give up a great GUI. I’m not sure switching back and forth between softwares is something I look forward to doing.
Isn't it possible to continue to use roon as GUI and to have TAS as "output-device"?
Like it is already possible with HQP?
 
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tsaett

Well-Known Member
May 20, 2014
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Cologne
Dear all,

please use the following link to book your appointment for the update:

https://taiko-audio.appointlet.com

Some notes:
- Please remember to mail your TeamViewer ID + PW to backoffice@taikoaudio.com before the appointment.
- Users of fiber network are advised to wait till further notice, as the update will be tweaked during today to further enhance it

Thanks in advance!

Christoph
 
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jonaiken

VIP/Donor
Jan 22, 2017
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Rhapsody

VIP/Donor
Jan 16, 2013
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Rhapsody.Audio
Emile just did the update on my Extreme to enhance Roon performance. I do NOT have TAS loaded, this is just using Roon on the Extreme.

The 5 minute update is not subtle in sonic result. Instantly the word that came to mind was VIBRANT. Every note and the entire soundstage is more "alive" sounding. Micro dynamics "pop" out. Bravo!!!
 

christoph

Well-Known Member
Dec 11, 2015
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Last edited:

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Emile just did the update on my Extreme to enhance Roon performance. I do NOT have TAS loaded, this is just using Roon on the Extreme.

The 5 minute update is not subtle in sonic result. Instantly the word that came to mind was VIBRANT. Every note and the entire soundstage is more "alive" sounding. Micro dynamics "pop" out. Bravo!!!

My wife couldn't pry me out of my room yesterday.

The changes to Roon made by Emile simply have to be heard to believe. It is that good. And this Roon change is but a glimpse of what's to come from TAS. As I said yesterday, I would be hard pressed to distinguish Roon from TAS now in a blinded test.. The caveat is that TAS is only going to get better than what we hear from Roon now
 

Rhapsody

VIP/Donor
Jan 16, 2013
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Rhapsody.Audio
But then why go for the all-out effort to replicate/replace roon?

Control of your own destiny. And in this case you can have your cake and eat it too:)
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Control of your own destiny. And in this case you can have your cake and eat it too:)


That's the key for Emile.....to be able to control the software rather than be dependent on Roon errors
 

Jpowell

Well-Known Member
Dec 23, 2011
46
48
923
Dear all,

please use the following link to book your appointment for the update:

https://taiko-audio.appointlet.com

Some notes:
- Please remember to mail your TeamViewer ID + PW to backoffice@taikoaudio.com before the appointment.
- Users of fiber network are advised to wait till further notice, as the update will be tweaked during today to further enhance it

Thanks in advance!

Christoph
Holding off for now, Christoph, because I assume that means if one has fiber optic running in any part of one's network, correct? I still have copper running through pieces of the network, but fiber runs the last leg into the Extreme. Thanks.
 
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BMCG

VIP/Donor
Oct 1, 2016
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United Kingdom
i love this army of beta testers.....as am running fiber...will just let the envy anticipation rise a little more....paitience is a virtue ...i think.

maybe.
 

tsaett

Well-Known Member
May 20, 2014
126
178
348
Cologne
Holding off for now, Christoph, because I assume that means if one has fiber optic running in any part of one's network, correct? I still have copper running through pieces of the network, but fiber runs the last leg into the Extreme. Thanks.
We have implemented the fiber settings on one Extreme so far and are waiting for feedback. If positive we will roll it out to all, watch this space!

Christoph
 

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