Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

matthias

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Mar 14, 2019
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Can’t everyone see that Emile has become overwhelmed with customer service requiring hiring three new people.

What is the reason for this rising demand?
I think when TAS is fully established the demand will be lower.

Matt
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
What is the reason for this rising demand?
I think when TAS is fully established the demand will be lower.

Matt
I am certain that this will lighten the load however many calls I’m betting involve things other than the Extreme such as cables , power cords , switches, routers and modems etc etc etc
if an annual license is bothersome to get complete support then I would amend my suggestion to state that after 3 months of free tech support there should be a charge incurred by the caller
 

matthias

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Mar 14, 2019
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I am certain that this will lighten the load however many calls I’m betting involve things other than the Extreme such as cables , power cords , switches, routers and modems etc etc etc

I think most of this queries can be addressed with advice from the FAQs section of the TA HP.
Another great source for getting help is this thread where not only Emile and his team but also other members can offer advice.
The demand for upgrades by TeamViewer sessions will certainly decrease with TAS too.

Matt
 

cat6man

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Feb 6, 2013
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Those options are on the table. A potential issue is these are not individual parts you can just throw in a box and assume good performance. Every part influences everything else, change one part, a single hardware component, or a single software setting, and the equation changes.

that would seem to be the crux of the issue and it is not clear to me that the inherent 'extreme' value proposition remains without the magic mojo of how the parts (h/w, s/w, power) are combined in a maximally synergistic manner...............got to start saving those pennies here
 
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matthias

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that would seem to be the crux of the issue and it is not clear to me that the inherent 'extreme' value proposition remains without the magic mojo of how the parts (h/w, s/w, power) are combined in a maximally synergistic manner...............got to start saving those pennies here

Yes, if one can afford a DIY server with Taiko parts for say 10k or an Extreme Mini for 14k, then he/she can afford as well an Extreme after some more time saving.
A very prominent guy on AS said some time ago he can never afford an Extreme, now he has got one, it is just a matter of time :)

Matt
 
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Exocer

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Apr 23, 2020
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Yes, if one can afford a DIY server with Taiko parts for say 10k of an Extreme Mini for 14k, then he/she can afford as well an Extreme after some more time saving.
A very prominent guy on AS said some time ago he can never afford an Extreme, now he has got one, it is just a matter of time :)

Matt

Totally agree.

It would still be great to have a proven "recipe" or foundation (of parts/sw configs) to work with though, allowing the DIYer to determine how far down the Taiko path they may want to go...There is peace of mind in knowing that you have a solid trustworthy baseline to work with. Of course it would also have to come across as "suggestions" and with heavy community support where necessary.
 
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matthias

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Totally agree.

It would still be great to have a proven "recipe" or foundation (of parts/sw configs) to work with though, allowing the DIYer to determine how far down the Taiko path they may want to go...There is peace of mind in knowing that you have a solid trustworthy baseline to work with. Of course it would also have to come across as "suggestions" and with heavy community support where necessary.

I completely understand your POV, it would be indeed very nice for DIYers to work with these parts.
However, I am not sure if it is the right move for Taiko Audio as manufacturer.

Matt
 

ASRMichael

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Feb 20, 2020
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I completely understand your POV, it would be indeed very nice for DIYers to work with these parts.
However, I am not sure if it is the right move for Taiko Audio as manufacturer.

Matt

Can you elaborate? What are you basing this on? What would make it not the right move?
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Can you elaborate? What are you basing this on? What would make it not the right move?
If SME made available a whole bunch of their parts in a box...platter, motor, O-rings, armboard, arm...and allowed end users to lash them up in any which way, leading to any number of different SQ outcomes, would this reflect badly on the company?
 
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matthias

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ASRMichael

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If SME made available a whole bunch of their parts in a box...platter, motor, O-rings, armboard, arm...and allowed end users to lash them up in any which way, leading to any number of different SQ outcomes, would this reflect badly on the company?

I agree if Taiko was planning on selling everything, but doesn’t sound like it. Sounds like MB, Passive CPU cooling & RAM. These parts are only a small % of what the extreme is. DIYers would not be buying an Extreme. Regarding SME they sell arms, platters, o rings individually now.

Important when businesses are scaling up they have other sources of revenue to maximise their R&D & overhead costs. This is just one way of doing it I suppose, but I do appreciate should be done with existing customers in mind.

If I was one of the fortunate ones to have an Extreme, I would be thinking; diyers are getting parts, & I know it’s not an Extreme, so I’ll be supportive on what Taiko decides. The only way you can continue to be No1 is continue with R&D, & these costs will increase. As costs increase you can put the Extreme price up, not what the customer wants or create more revenue elsewhere.

Anyway that’s just my business view, clearly a decision for Emile & the team to decide.
 
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Exocer

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Please have a look here:

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/thre...-crème-de-la-crème.27433/page-236#post-667628

Maybe an additional point is that some firms might copy the know-how of Taiko with reverse engineering.

Matt
Good points.

But as with any product available to purchase, this could be happening as we speak, reverse engineering. I would hate to see this happen to the TAIKO brand. I also wouldn't expect TAIKO to give away ALL of the secret sauce or provide a percentage guarantee of peformance "equivalence" to the full TAE. Nor should or would TAIKO be liable for the same level of support.
 
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ASRMichael

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ASRMichael

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Good points.

But as with any product available to purchase, this could be happening as we speak, reverse engineering. I would hate to see his happen to the TAIKO brand. I also wouldn't expect TAIKO to give away ALL of the secret sauce or provide a percentage guarantee of peformance "equivalence" to the full TAE. Nor should or would TAIKO be liable for the same level of support.

I made a point in my first post, Taiko will always be in control with what they sell. Just don’t sell everything & all the R&D/know how. You keep your Brand as No1 as part of the decision making.
 
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ASRMichael

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Good points.

But as with any product available to purchase, this could be happening as we speak, reverse engineering. I would hate to see this happen to the TAIKO brand. I also wouldn't expect TAIKO to give away ALL of the secret sauce or provide a percentage guarantee of peformance "equivalence" to the full TAE. Nor should or would TAIKO be liable for the same level of support.
If was my business, I certainly would not sell the Case, PSU, or software (windows & TAS).

But certainly would sell MB/CPU/RAM & Passive cooling. As a package. Buyer to register warranty on parts above. So effectively no after sales required. Is what I’m saying is an Extreme? No, probably 20% if lucky. No special Emile sauce. If the revenue generated here, pays for great customer service & future R&D for Extreme users it’s a win win! I don’t see any con’s here, but that’s just my business view.
 
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matthias

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If was my business, I certainly would not sell the Case, PSU, or software (windows & TAS).

But certainly would sell MB/CPU/RAM & Passive cooling.

For the first point I agree.

Second, AFAIK the MB, CPU are no special Taiko parts. The RAM is industrial, I can not imagine that they have interests to sell this. The cooling is made machined from pure copper and part of the case, very expensive, no interests in my view, too expensive for diy.

So what is left?

The question is if Emile wants to sell his new USB board and the switch.

Matt
 
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ASRMichael

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Feb 20, 2020
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I
For the first point I agree.

Second, AFAIK the MB, CPU are no special Taiko parts. The RAM is industrial, I can not imagine that they have interests to sell this. The cooling is made machined from pure copper and part of the case, very expensive, no interests in my view, too expensive for diy.

So what is left?

The question is if Emile wants to sell his new USB board and the switch.

Matt
think the question should be why would you not want to sell the USB & Switch? Outside Extreme users.

Steve Jobs did not want iTunes to be on windows platform. He said, it will never happen. History tells the rest of the story. Why? Because it made commercial sense.,

Great discussion btw
 
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oldmustang

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I agree if Taiko was planning on selling everything, but doesn’t sound like it. Sounds like MB, Passive CPU cooling & RAM. These parts are only a small % of what the extreme is. DIYers would not be buying an Extreme. Regarding SME they sell arms, platters, o rings individually now.

Important when businesses are scaling up they have other sources of revenue to maximise their R&D & overhead costs. This is just one way of doing it I suppose, but I do appreciate should be done with existing customers in mind.

If I was one of the fortunate ones to have an Extreme, I would be thinking; diyers are getting parts, & I know it’s not an Extreme, so I’ll be supportive on what Taiko decides. The only way you can continue to be No1 is continue with R&D, & these costs will increase. As costs increase you can put the Extreme price up, not what the customer wants or create more revenue elsewhere.

Anyway that’s just my business view, clearly a decision for Emile & the team to decide.

I agree that it is good to diversify and have more than one or two products to base a company on. So long as the after-sales costs of supporting those additional products don't eat up all the time and/or all the profits.

One of the problems that can seriously damage a small business is the perception that the business is over-promising and under-delivering, be it excessively long delivery times, products that don't meet user-expections (realistic or unrealistic), difficulties getting questions answered, etc.

Steve Z
 

dminches

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Oct 22, 2011
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For the first point I agree.

Second, AFAIK the MB, CPU are no special Taiko parts. The RAM is industrial, I can not imagine that they have interests to sell this. The cooling is made machined from pure copper and part of the case, very expensive, no interests in my view, too expensive for diy.

So what is left?

The question is if Emile wants to sell his new USB board and the switch.

Matt

The most salable items are the switch, USB card and TAS. I wouldn’t sell TAS since maintaining software sucks and I would only do it for people who bought an Extreme.
 

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