Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[John T]

I could be losing my mind but I think this switch gets even better with more hours. I don't have a clue as to how many hours I have on it. A lot. The openness it provides is off the charts. I sat here listening last night and kept saying one more album. That turned into uncorking a 2nd bottle. Such a natural uplifting presentation...

 

[Taiko Audio]

Good afternoon

Emile
Have you any idea if the new case design with bps inside will have the feet in the same positions as existing the Extreme?
Marc

I’m sorry but I really don’t know yet, we still have to evaluate weight distribution and effect on sound.

 

[Golum]

I could be losing my mind but I think this switch gets even better with more hours. I don't have a clue as to how many hours I have on it. A lot. The openness it provides is off the charts. I sat here listening last night and kept saying one more album. That turned into uncorking a 2nd bottle. Such a natural uplifting presentation...

Lets turn the things into correct order
..uncorking a 2nd bottle -> gets even better with more hours -> openness it provides is off the charts -> losing my mind -> kept saying one more bottle

 

[John T]

Lets turn the things into correct order
..uncorking a 2nd bottle -> gets even better with more hours -> openness it provides is off the charts -> losing my mind -> kept saying one more bottle

Its all coming back to me now Goran! Your sequence of events stimulated the little Gray Matter I have left!

 

[Steve Williams]

I could be losing my mind but I think this switch gets even better with more hours. I don't have a clue as to how many hours I have on it. A lot. The openness it provides is off the charts. I sat here listening last night and kept saying one more album. That turned into uncorking a 2nd bottle. Such a natural uplifting presentation...

I agree. I found there was some burn in time for the switch. Took about 5 days for me to get to that point where you simply can't turn it off

 

[aLLeARS]

I could be losing my mind but I think this switch gets even better with more hours. I don't have a clue as to how many hours I have on it. A lot. The openness it provides is off the charts. I sat here listening last night and kept saying one more album. That turned into uncorking a 2nd bottle. Such a natural uplifting presentation...

I've also noticed that the switch SQ kept improving over about a two-week period until finally reaching its peak. Even without the new NIC card, the switch and DAC cable make a nice improvement in SQ. Overall things sound more analog like. The sound is fuller and has more life to it, leading and trailing edges are getting closer to pure analog. At this level, to me the biggest sign that things have improved is that I am listening to and enjoying more music than ever. I look forward to what the new NIC card will bring.
For anyone who thinks it is strange that I mention the sound of analog even though I have no analog front end equipment listed in my signature.
I spent decades making my living aligning, repairing and modifying multitrack analog tape machines. As much as I like analog, I will be happy to never touch a reel of tape again. For me it's too much like work. Digital of this quality is too close now to sweat the difference anyway.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...I was away for nine days and sat down at home just this morning to listen. In this sort of a scenario it really hits you how sweet things really do sound. That gap really is a hard re-set for your brain. Carry on, gents...

 

[John T]

I've also noticed that the switch SQ kept improving over about a two-week period until finally reaching its peak. Even without the new NIC card, the switch and DAC cable make a nice improvement in SQ. Overall things sound more analog like. The sound is fuller and has more life to it, leading and trailing edges are getting closer to pure analog. At this level, to me the biggest sign that things have improved is that I am listening to and enjoying more music than ever. I look forward to what the new NIC card will bring.
For anyone who thinks it is strange that I mention the sound of analog even though I have no analog front end equipment listed in my signature.
I spent decades making my living aligning, repairing and modifying multitrack analog tape machines. As much as I like analog, I will be happy to never touch a reel of tape again. For me it's too much like work. Digital of this quality is too close now to sweat the difference anyway.

"more life to it" That sums it up nicely...I cut my teeth recording vinyl to tape (Revox A77 Swiss Model, Germans made a model too) I don't miss it either. As you mention Digital of this quality is in another realm...Its a beautiful thing...

 

[jbrrp1]

I could be losing my mind but I think this switch gets even better with more hours. I don't have a clue as to how many hours I have on it. A lot. The openness it provides is off the charts. I sat here listening last night and kept saying one more album. That turned into uncorking a 2nd bottle. Such a natural uplifting presentation...

I keep remarking to my wife how this system just keeps sounding better and better, and the only thing that's happened is the switch and card (which has worked flawlessly for me the whole time) have been settling in over a 3+ week period now. It definitely gets better with at least two weeks on it. Remarkable how clear the window to the music is, and how alive the music making has become!

 

[John T]

I keep remarking to my wife how this system just keeps sounding better and better, and the only thing that's happened is the switch and card (which has worked flawlessly for me the whole time) have been settling in over a 3+ week period now. It definitely gets better with at least two weeks on it. Remarkable how clear the window to the music is, and how alive the music making has become!

It appears I'm not the only one that has made this observation. I thought it could have been that 2nd bottle of wine. But then this morning I realized I was not imagining things. Even in my sluggish state of mind, while making coffee, music up and running, the audio angels were present again...We are all involved in exciting times, flaming down the digital audio adventure paths...

 

[jbrrp1]

It appears I'm not the only one that has made this observation. I thought it could have been that 2nd bottle of wine. But then this morning I realized I was not imagining things. Even in my sluggish state of mind, while making coffee, music up and running, the audio angels were present again...We are all involved in exciting times, flaming down the digital audio adventure paths...

Yeah, for me it has resulted in another pour of bourbon and too late of a night after too late of a night.... Album naturally leads to album, in the fine audio nut fashion.

 

[nonesup]

Hi Christian or Emile.
When I install the new network card, do I have to run networkcard.ps1 again?

 

[Taiko Audio]

Hi Christian or Emile.
When I install the new network card, do I have to run networkcard.ps1 again?

Nope!

 

[cat6man]

Nope!

Emile-when do you expect to have all the network cards shipped?

 

[Taiko Audio]

Emile-when do you expect to have all the network cards shipped?

Tuesday, they’re all ready but there’s no pickup tomorrow as it’s an holiday day.

 

[Steve Williams]

FWIW I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve tracking Santa's sleigh. My card is sitting in Los Angeles for a tomorrow morning delivery. I left milk and cookies by the fireplace

 

[Taiko Audio]

A few photos:

 

[SwissTom]

A few photos:

Gorgeous !

At some point I feel it might be a good idea to change the picture of the network card on the Taiko Audio website. The new version of the card with the heat-sink is definitely sexier!

 

[dminches]

A few photos:

That’s a lot of cards!

 

[Rhapsody]

That’s a lot of cards!

It blows me away to think that Taiko researched an issue, diagnosed the problem, confirmed the fix, manufactured parts, tested new cards with new part, packed and shipped to a 100+ customers in two weeks. Come on, that doesn't even sound physically possible, yet that's what they did.