Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème
- Thread starter CKKeung
- Start date
I tried it using Finite Elemente Cerapucs (second from the left in the below photo). While they do enhance the sound, they are a little "bombastic" and a little dark and rough compared to the subtler, more refined, and more differentiated Darkz. For very little money, however, Ceraball Universal (third from the left) is quite good and arguably better balanced than the Cerapuc (for this application).You can also try putting FE footers under your switch directly (but still on top of the platform). My whole system is wired with FE including footers on every component and multiple carbon fibre boards
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Taiko Audio Extreme Network Switch and Extreme Network Card - Part 3
Tested on Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference Platform
The other day, a friend dropped by with a Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference (MR) Platform which presented the perfect opportunity to try together with the Taiko Audio Extreme Switch.
This will be Part 3 in my coverage of the Extreme Switch.
Click here for Part 1
Click here for Part 2
Coming from Part 2, my favorite support was the Artesania Aire rack with Carbon linear Arms and KSH2 Krion shelf, with Ansuz T2S Darkz footers under the Switch, as shown below.
View attachment 113226
The above configuration achieved the cleanest, tightest, most articulate, and most transparent sonic rendition so far. When visually comparing the Artesania rack with the Finite Elemente, one can't help but feel the latter must surely sound relatively colored with all the wood compared to the Artesania's Metal and Carbon. I know I sure had my expectations.
As the Ansuz Darkz T2S footers had already been selected as the "winners", I refrained from further experiments and applied the same footers with the Pagode again.
The platform is fitted with four Finite Elemente Cerabases which according to Finite (and many users) are the optional ideal footers.
View attachment 113227
As it turned out, the Pagode platform is actually very well-balanced. When you rap it with your knuckles it certainly sounds resonant and wooden but the Finite team has taken counter-measures using advanced measuring techniques and implementing 4 anti-resonance rods. As a result, any resonances are dampened very quickly, making for a much cleaner and more linear sound than I expected.
When placed on the Pagode, the platform provides the Switch with a slightly more robust upper bass and a midrange that at first seems just the tiniest bit forward and wooden (or maybe the Artesania combo is slightly restrained in that area) but within minutes, the new presentation grows on you and makes you forget about the technicalities while enjoying the music. Timbrally, I would say the Pagode platform can at times seem more realistic or convincing but I can't really make up my mind as to whether the platform adds some coloration or the Artesania combo is missing something. In any event, going back and forth between the two, I feel emotionally more drawn to the presentation with the Pagode while my conscious mind feels the Artesania is just a little bit cleaner, high-res, and transparent, but comparatively also a tad cooler and arguably slightly more technical. Finally, I should add that these latter aspects are to be attributed to the KSH2 Krion shelf as the Aire platform itself is actually very organic. It's just that the Aire's footers are not ideal for use with small components such as the Switch and are impossible to use with multiple smaller components (such as the upcoming Router and DC Distributor.
View attachment 113228
How about that? I did not expect it but must admit that the Pagode poses a solution that I would place at the same high sonic level as the Artesania solution. They provide different renditions but they both work very well.
Now, I know what some of you might be thinking... "How would the Extreme server sound on the Pagode platform?!" Well, with some help, I hope to test that next.
There’s always a lot to learn from Christiaan's posts so I’m happy he’s drawing attention to support options for the Extreme Switch. (BTW, if Emile gives us morning Pearls, what should we call Christiaan's posts? …Map of the Oyster Beds, maybe?) I’ve run out of component shelf space and had to resort to a floor platform, Marigo Audio Lab's Orpheus L2. Initially, I tried the Switch on a Taiko Daiza platform alongside my AC power distributor with unconvincing results, confirming the poor match of copper components and panzerholz.
But when I moved the Switch to the Marigo Audio platform, everything fell into place: music had more energy, immediacy and spatial definition for a start. The Orpheus L2 is a 1.2-inch-thick (30mm) isolation platform fabricated with constrained layer damping and available in a variety of sizes. It features 32 thin and stiff layers of a proprietary (fibre?) composite, sandwiched by a heat cured resonance damping material. The edges are chamfered to disperse any residual vibrations and the whole surface is finished with several coats of organic lacquer.
I have no idea how the Marigo Audio L2 compares with rival platforms, but I will claim it is a very effective option and not too spendy. Recommended.
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I'm biased in my response as I represent the product however my Extreme and switch and soon to be router all sit on Center Stage Ultra TT footers which all stand on Critical Mass System platforms. I would suggest Christiaan at least throw the footers into the mix. You just might be surprised at what you hear
All the footers from FE are rated for different weights, but my personal favourite is the cerabase slim if your component height is low enough. That's what I'm using for my Taiko Switch.
PS previously I was using CMS Centerstage 2, Stillpoints Ultra 5 V2 (the huge ones) and Stillpoints Ultra SS, and am still using Tungsten Grooves (which cost an arm and a leg) under my Taiko Extreme and Chord Dave. The CMS Centerstage sounds extremely dynamic, the Stillpoints sounds very airy, and the Tungsten Grooves are second to none at reducing the noise floor and getting a component to have pitch black background.
But the Finite Elementes sound the most neutral to me- which is both a good and bad thing.
FWIW try the new Center Stage UltraTT. IMO it’s the best product Joe has brought to market
Looking for some confirmation on my switch/NIC install. I've checked/rechecked card install, connections, script download, etc. and still cannot figure out if I'm missing something or have a hardware issue.
1) Have insured correct input/output on switch (output next to 12V power) connecting to NIC via new Taiko SFP cable.
2) On new splitter cable appears there's no diff on which leg goes to which card (the pin outs ring out the same).
3) Insured NIC seated correctly.
4) When I disconnect Ethernet cable from input on back of Switch and connect back to Extreme Server via LAN input, everything works as normal. Can detect Extreme via VNC, etc. Use XMDS as normal. but when I plug Ethernet back into Switch input, cannot connect via VNC or connect with XMDS.
Am I missing something? Anyone else have similar issue with new Switch/NIC install.. what was it? Hopefully it's just something small I'm overlooking. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Jay M.
1) Have insured correct input/output on switch (output next to 12V power) connecting to NIC via new Taiko SFP cable.
2) On new splitter cable appears there's no diff on which leg goes to which card (the pin outs ring out the same).
3) Insured NIC seated correctly.
4) When I disconnect Ethernet cable from input on back of Switch and connect back to Extreme Server via LAN input, everything works as normal. Can detect Extreme via VNC, etc. Use XMDS as normal. but when I plug Ethernet back into Switch input, cannot connect via VNC or connect with XMDS.
Am I missing something? Anyone else have similar issue with new Switch/NIC install.. what was it? Hopefully it's just something small I'm overlooking. Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Jay M.
The NIC and the motherboard ethernet will have different IP addresses. Do you know the IP address of the NIC? @JM1221
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If you have ethernet from your LAN to Taiko switch, then DAC from switch to NIC, then the IP address of the NIC should be showing up in Fing. If not, you might want to check that both ends of the DAC are seated fully -- it takes a bit more force than you might have thought. There should be a distinct feel of a click of the SFP ends snapping into place.
You can see if the Taiko NIC is powered up by moving your ethernet cable back to the LAN port on the back of the Extreme, VNC into the Extreme desktop, and then from the lower left hand Windows pop-up menu select Settings> Network and Internet > Status > View Your Network Properties (you may have to scroll down a bit to see this item). This will give you a list of network devices. You should be able to see the Taiko NIC.
Good luck,
Steve Z
Restart Extreme and with Fing see which IP address is now set. Update it at XDMS. Do you have any switch upstream the Taiko switch which is only 100Mb capable?
Thanks everyone for pitching in to help.
With a second LAN connection to LAN 1, we could quickly see that the NIC had a good data connection.
I renamed the adapter from "Ethernet" to "Taiko NIC" to make the adapter screen easier to follow
Disconnecting LAN1, rebooting the Extreme, and the XDMS App was able to fetch the new IP Address being used by the NIC, and connect to it
Yes, appreciate everyone's help and especially to Ed! Nice to have the Switch/NIC up and running.
Hopefully Ed's description of the fix will help someone else with similar issue in the future. Thanks again!
-Jay M.
Hopefully Ed's description of the fix will help someone else with similar issue in the future. Thanks again!
-Jay M.
IMHO the biggest changes occur in the first week with further smaller refinements for up to a month, but I actually recently switched a 4 month old switch for a 1 month old switch and the 4 month old switch is even a bit more sophisticated/agile sounding with clearly noticeable better micro dynamics. But to put things in perspective something like the “NSM” upgrade of XDMS trounces these differences.
I'd be happy to test these feet if I found them on my path. Alas, they seem to be non-existent in the Netherlands.
Indeed. Cerabase may be too much for the Switch. I have more tests on the to-do list using the Extreme Music Server on the Pagode using standard Spikes, Cerapucs, and then Cerabase (as already done with the Switch).
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