Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[VPN]

Got my Taiko router and DCD yesterday night. It took less than one hour to set it up tonight. Already sounding great. Looking forward to testing filter combinations. Using a Plixir statement with statement dc cable.

 

[ctydwn]

Raining routers! Back in town and received router and power distributor today in 3 days flat to California. Perfect fit and finish, no customs fees (at least not yet) and identical black matte as the switch. And as others have said, the transport case work and moldings are impeccable. DHL dude impressed. Absolutely exquisite and thanks to this thread and Taiko's FAQs I have a clear idea of what to do next.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Hey! How about a pic of the "little" room with the A5s if not converted to active sound lab condition!

That is now under (re)construction

 

[onlychild]

And one more note from me - I have only spent about 48 hours with my router and DCD, but I really like what I am hearing.

I listened to it the first day when I received it, that was Monday evening. And then I gave it to a friend to try. During the rest of the week, I could not unhear what I heard on Monday night... it would take more than a week to forget that sound and get adjusted. I kept trying to listen to music while the router was out but it was not the same, and I found better things to do. I kept missing that Monday night sound.

I got the router and DCD back yesterday and the sound from Monday was back. Didn't want to comment before I spend enough time with it, but I knew what was missing from my system, and it was very difficult to go back to listening without the router/DCD.

Many people, including me, are wondering why there aren't as many glowing reviews of the Taiko router as we've seen with the Taiko switch. I believe there are 3 reasons for that:
1. There aren't that many routers out there. And the ones that are out are likely still burning-in. Many people are waiting to read more feedback before placing an order. I don't blame them - the Taiko router is not cheap. And a router is not exactly a major product in the common audiophile wisdom book. If you ask me, that needs to change!
2. It is not as easy and quick to switch back and forth like it is with the switch. And the less technical people who got it up and running are hesitant to do A/B comparisons with the router and without. It's expected that the more technical people will jump on this type of A/B rather that people like @Steve Williams let's say (sorry Steve, nothing personal but I know what problems you ran into since I was helping you and I can completely understand why you wouldn't want mess around with A/B comparisons).
3. The router does something different than the switch. The first time you attempt to fix your network, there is a real WOW effect. The Taiko switch did that for a lot of people. As we continue to "fix" our network, the effect is not WOW, but it's fundamental. You just can't go back - just like I could not listen to my system without the Taiko router this week.

Even after only spending 48 hours, I can make the following statement:
For those of you with a Taiko Extreme, Taiko NIC and Taiko Switch wondering whether the Taiko Router is worth the price tag - you will get it sooner or later and you won't regret that decision. It's an essential piece of the Taiko ecosystem that you can't skip.

I got a chance to borrow’s Nenon’s Taiko router (TR) for a few days and was able to do several A-B comparisons against a Ubiquity router it replaced. This was done on my headphone system that’s powered completely off the grid with a Stromtank. The sessions were done with local files only on XDMS and no live internet connection - e.g. no lan cable connected to Ubiquity or TR.

The TR/Ubiquity and the Taiko switch are powered by a Lifo Battery running at 12v ($100 on Amazon). A great alternative to a LPS if you plan on waiting for the Taiko BPS. This also allowed me to keep my entire system off the grid. I live in a congested area with really bad power.

Within the first few notes, the first thing that blew me away was the soundstage . The stage is completely 3-d with increases on all planes. There is so much space between instruments with this big stage. Such a joy to listen to. Going back to the Ubiquity is shocking as the sound now seems to be coming from between my ears, something I did not notice before the TR. It also sounds a lot more congested now.

With the TR, the sound is coming from outside my head making the headphones completely disappear. Very trippy with certain tracks. This is the biggest natural sounding stage I’ve heard on headphones. It’s not artificial like some other headphones portray that push it way left and right. With the TR, the stage is all around you, incredibly 3-d, and very natural.

I also noticed an increase in speed/flow/tempo of the music. Almost like adding a good clock to your system. This was something I was not expecting. Had my toes tapping and fingers snapping. The sound is more coherent yet you can make out individual instruments more clearly. Different instruments just jive together that much better. Going back to the Ubiquity, it now sounded slow, almost as if the artists were being forced to perform. The sound lost that energy that made the TR so engaging.

The bass also was more rhythmic without sounding tight (and lean). Seems as if the sub bass has better rhythm to it. There is a nice increase in dynamics as well but also much more smoother. That last bit of brightness left in my system now seems to be gone. Almost all of my troubling tracks sound amazing. If there is an error in the recording, it does not come off has harsh anymore. There are also all the other benefits you hear when lowering the noise floor. Much more detail, notes linger longer, etc. All welcome changes with no drawbacks.

I really was not planning on getting the router since I don’t stream and I thought I had a very optimized network already for local playback (just a Ubiquity router to Taiko Switch to Extreme - no network traffic, no live internet connection, no wifi). But all the different changes I’m hearing with the TR, are just too big to pass up. I have yet to try any piece of equipment or cable in my system that has increased the soundstage this much, along with increases in flow, speed, and dynamics.

In my opinion, the router is a must have if you have the switch already. Overall, the router is bringing totally different improvements than the Taiko switch did. In my system, I feel as if the TR brought bigger improvements than the Taiko switch. Not sure if a big reason for that was finally getting rid of that last noise generating piece of equipment, the Ubiquity, in my chain. Which also happens to be the first piece of equipment in the chain, so any noise generated there was probably getting passed on to other equipment? Not sure, but I am glad I was able to get a chance to listen to the router before ruling it out completely. Still scratching my head on how it made a difference on a closed network and for local playback.

I also enjoy finally having a wireless way for my iPad to control the music on the Extreme. Been using a wired ethernet to an iPad from the Ubiquity for years now and I got use to how much it sucks.

Hats off to the Taiko Team! The router is fantastic!

 

[VPN]

Dear Emile, if using a fiber modem Huawei OptiXstar HG8245W5-6T-V2 (12V 1.5A), should I plug the 12V cable modem to a spare output of the Taiko DCD? Or this would degrade the sound?

Other options would be to connect to the second output of the Plixir Statement, or connect to a completely separate 12V linear power supply. Which should be the best option?

 

[Taiko Audio]

Dear Emile, if using a fiber modem Huawei OptiXstar HG8245W5-6T-V2 (12V 1.5A), should I plug the 12V cable modem to a spare output of the Taiko DCD? Or this would degrade the sound?

Other options would be to connect to the second output of the Plixir Statement, or connect to a completely separate 12V linear power supply. Which should be the best option?

I would compare:
1) plugged into the DCD on a filtered output
2) on a completely separate linear powersupply

the second output option I would expect to be the least desirable.

 

[Kris]

Just installed ios 17.1 in my ipad,
very good improvement In my system..
Did not expect that .
Is there a reason or just fresh system like in old days of DIY servers?

 

[Taiko Audio]

In my opinion, the router is a must have if you have the switch already. Overall, the router is bringing totally different improvements than the Taiko switch did. In my system, I feel as if the TR brought bigger improvements than the Taiko switch.

Happy you enjoyed it so much. I do personally agree with you now that the Router makes a bigger difference then the switch + networkcard due the impact it has on some important fundamental aspects of music reproduction. Especially the sound staging, airiness and fully stable 3D imaging, is something I cannot do without anymore. It just creates a much more believable “you are there” experience.

 

[cat6man]

I got a chance to borrow’s Nenon’s Taiko router (TR) for a few days and was able to do several A-B comparisons against a Ubiquity router it replaced. This was done on my headphone system that’s powered completely off the grid with a Stromtank. The sessions were done with local files only on XDMS and no live internet connection - e.g. no lan cable connected to Ubiquity or TR.

The TR/Ubiquity and the Taiko switch are powered by a Lifo Battery running at 12v ($100 on Amazon). A great alternative to a LPS if you plan on waiting for the Taiko BPS. This also allowed me to keep my entire system off the grid. I live in a congested area with really bad power.

Great feedback. Thank you.

A couple of questions:
1. Which lifo battery are you using? I'm in the same boat re: waiting for BPS.
2. If you haven't had to return the router yet, would you be able to try putting the taiko router after the ubiquiti. This would help us understand how much of the benefit is cleaning up the old router versus eliminating it.

Cheers

 

[onlychild]

Happy you enjoyed it so much. I do personally agree with you now that the Router makes a bigger difference then the switch + networkcard due the impact it has on some important fundamental aspects of music reproduction. Especially the sound staging, airiness and fully stable 3D imaging, is something I cannot do without anymore. It just creates a much more believable “you are there” experience.

I totally agree, Emile, that what the router does is something I cannot do without anymore.

That “you are there” experience is like nothing I’ve heard before from my system.

 

[engadin]

I would compare:
1) plugged into the DCD on a filtered output
2) on a completely separate linear powersupply

the second output option I would expect to be the least desirable.

I am surprised. Is this so only in a set up without another non Taiko router doing other non audio internet things?
I had supposed the modem to be on the “dirty” side, with all things including and after the Taiko router being the “clean” side.

I plan using a fiber modem including fritzbox router, feeding an Ediscreation silent switch extreme - as “dirty” side before the Taiko router.
I had planned to use a completely separate lps, a Ferrum Hypsos, for the Fritzbox.
Should I use a filtered output of the Taiko dc distributor instead?
Lps for the “clean” side is a SJ mini arc6dc4.

 

[aLLeARS]

I totally agree, Emile, that what the router does is something I cannot do without anymore.

That “you are there” experience is like nothing I’ve heard before from my system.

Comments like this make me REALY happy that I ordered the router and DCD. I can't wait to hear them in my system!

 

[onlychild]

Great feedback. Thank you.

A couple of questions:
1. Which lifo battery are you using? I'm in the same boat re: waiting for BPS.
2. If you haven't had to return the router yet, would you be able to try putting the taiko router after the ubiquiti. This would help us understand how much of the benefit is cleaning up the old router versus eliminating it.

Cheers

Here is the battery.

Volessence 50000mAh Laptop Power... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RNZZXRM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Nenon had a chance to listen to this battery as well and came away impressed, especially for the price.

One of these batteries powers the dcd which can power both the switch and router. I don’t have the dcd so I’m using two, one on the router and one on switch. On the rare occasions I do stream, I also power the ATT fiber ONT with one of these.

I no longer have the router but I’m not sure if I can have two routers in series without having to reconfigure the Ubiquity settings. The Ubiquity has been configured to be my ATT fibber modem and router in one so I don’t want to mess with that setup again. It was painful.

 

[Taiko Audio]

I am surprised. Is this so only in a set up without another non Taiko router doing other non audio internet things?
I had supposed the modem to be on the “dirty” side, with all things including and after the Taiko router being the “clean” side.

I plan using a fiber modem including fritzbox router, feeding an Ediscreation silent switch extreme - as “dirty” side before the Taiko router.
I had planned to use a completely separate lps, a Ferrum Hypsos, for the Fritzbox.
Should I use a filtered output of the Taiko dc distributor instead?
Lps for the “clean” side is a SJ mini arc6dc4.

Give it a try and see what happens, the DCD filters are pretty effective. Your powersupply should be able to provide ample current though, that Fritzbox might draw considerable power.

 

[wil]

I have my Router and DCD up and running. Limited listening time, but so far so good! I have done a bit of comparing wifi-to-iPad and wired-to- iPad. So far, the first impression is they sound the same in my system.

If I want to disable the Router's WIFI, where in the Router settings do I go to do so? I've searched all the different menus but have not found the "Disable Wireless Network" button.

And, if I do disable, is it just as straightforward to later re-enable the Wifi?

Thanks

 

[MarkusBarkus]

Hey @wil it looks like it's this screen. Ck Taiko FAQ page for a few screens grabs. I have not done this myself, fyi, but looks right. Good Luck.

https://taikoaudio.com/taiko-2020/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Extreme-Router-FAQ_v29.x22069.pdf?v=7516fd43adaa

 

[wil]

Hey @wil it looks like it's this screen. Ck Taiko FAQ page for a few screens grabs. I have not done this myself, fyi, but looks right. Good Luck.

https://taikoaudio.com/taiko-2020/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Extreme-Router-FAQ_v29.x22069.pdf?v=7516fd43adaa

I just found the above window. I'll wait for confirmation from someone Taiko before doing anything I might regret!

 

[oldmustang]

@wil, or anyone else looking for the button to turn off or on the Taiko wireless broadcast:

Log into the Taiko router admin control panel.



Across the top of most pages are pull-down tabs, "Status", "System", "Services", etc. Click on the pull-down tab "Network"



Click on "Wireless" on the pull-down menu. On the window that opens, Click on "Edit" (circled in red):



The button to toggle the wireless broadcast on and off is in red:



Hope this helps.

Steve Z

 

[wil]

Just installed ios 17.1 in my ipad,
very good improvement In my system..
Did not expect that .
Is there a reason or just fresh system like in old days of DIY servers?

Is there a post anywhere that suggests best settings when using iPad as Audio Remote only?

 

[MarkusBarkus]

@wil do you mean settings for the iPad itself? Generally, I think the guidance was to remove unused apps, and there was a post about Low Power Mode setting, as I recall. Is that what you mean?