Introducing Olympus & Olympus I/O - A new perspective on modern music playback

[John T]

It’s very good to hear from you again, Emile, in spite of your heavy workload. When you have a bit more time, would you be willing to elaborate on the Olympus “testing and tuning” you mentioned? You have previously described the relentlessly iterative testing you undertook in the design and development of the Olympus, but the work referenced above sounds like part of the final preparation for shipping each individual unit. Can you share what tuning you are giving each server? Are we talking about electronic adjustments or mechanical tweaks like checking the torque of screws, etc.? A bit surprised to learn each unit gets this kind of tune up.

I imagine (Just Guessing) Taiko goes through a series of OS on/off, running the units over a specified time (to monitor heat) just a repeated series of steps to mimic usage...

 

[cykin]

As discussed privately, it turned out your email was misspelled and you never received the updates from Taiko.
#139 is scheduled to go into assembly on 9/29, and your email is now corrected.

We’ve made sure every order has an associated email (either client or dealer or both), but if anyone else with an open order is expecting updates and not receiving them, please reach out to your dealer (for dealer orders) or Taiko Support (for direct orders).

a new update coming soon?

 

[Opabin]

I imagine (Just Guessing) Taiko goes through a series of OS on/off, running the units over a specified time (to monitor heat) just a repeated series of steps to mimic usage...

Yes, that sounds like QA testing, doesn’t it? Would such testing require Emile’s (or Eelco's) presence? And then what about “tuning”? That was the word that got my attention.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Kudos to Emile @Taiko Audio and the Taiko team for one of those truly rare paradigm shifts with the XDMI interface and technology. This is a very impressive technological tour-de-force that has fundamentally changed how I approach and consume digital music. Bravo!

Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. Hearing how the Olympus and XDMI have reshaped your listening experience is incredibly gratifying. When I passed your words along to the team, they brought smiles to everyone’s faces from ear to ear.

Your experience of heightened detail combined with a more relaxed, organic flow is exactly what we’ve aimed for. Another design priority has been getting the balance between impact and decay right, too often one is emphasised at the expense of the other.

Features like scheduled restarts are already on our to‑do list as part of an upcoming major software update. Feedback like yours, which has indeed become rare, fuels our passion to innovate and deliver an even better experience. Thanks again for your support and enthusiasm!

 

[Taiko Audio]

Has anyone used the XDMI interface to MSB? We've gotten lots of great feedback on the Lampi integration, but I don't recall reading anything about MSB. Also, Emile, when the Olympus backlog is cleared and you can collectively breathe a little, do you plan to publish a roadmap for other DAC integrations?

If I recall correctly the following members have provided some feedback on the XDMI MSB interface in this thread, you could perform a search on "MSB", posted by: @Kingsrule , @MarkusBarkus , @gds7368 , @tomas329 , @Erikl , @soarsz , @rau

 

[Taiko Audio]

For anyone interested in Silver Olympus version, be warned!

After 16 months from placing my order I'm currently first in line waiting for a chassis of O + I/O that successfully passes the QA. This sounds great, right?
Except that I"m in this position from the 5th of August, when the last 4 silver units had started on the assembly line.
Since then, not a single silver unit was produced.

I honestly wish Taiko would have picked a coated silver version long ago instead of struggling with the anodisation at this pace.

We still haven’t found a silver‑coated finish that meets our aesthetic and quality standards. On the bright side, the finish line is in sight.

For transparency, here’s what remains in the order queue:

• Silver Olympus: 16 units
• Silver I/O: 12 units
• Black Olympus: 16 units
• Black I/O: 5 units

We’re working hard to clear the backlog and deliver a finish we can all be proud of.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Has anyone used the XDMI interface to MSB? We've gotten lots of great feedback on the Lampi integration, but I don't recall reading anything about MSB. Also, Emile, when the Olympus backlog is cleared and you can collectively breathe a little, do you plan to publish a roadmap for other DAC integrations?

For XDMI the roadmap is (in most likely order of release):

1) A V2 software driver
2) Aries Cerat
3) A V2 analogue output stage
4) Generic I2S
5) 2 custom implementations for brands I cannot disclose till we've come to an official agreement

 

[Taiko Audio]

It’s very good to hear from you again, Emile, in spite of your heavy workload. When you have a bit more time, would you be willing to elaborate on the Olympus “testing and tuning” you mentioned? You have previously described the relentlessly iterative testing you undertook in the design and development of the Olympus, but the work referenced above sounds like part of the final preparation for shipping each individual unit. Can you share what tuning you are giving each server? Are we talking about electronic adjustments or mechanical tweaks like checking the torque of screws, etc.? A bit surprised to learn each unit gets this kind of tune up.

Good catch! I’m happy to elaborate. Each Olympus is unique because of component tolerances, and in the case of the Olympus/XDMI, CPU performance is especially critical.

Even though the Olympus uses one of the fastest CPUs available for what is, on paper, a negligible playback task, our approach to data transport makes that speed matter. XDMI intentionally packages data into very small blocks to avoid the typical “burst” behaviour you see with USB or network audio. USB, for instance, sends a burst every 125 µs (an 8 kHz cycle), which you can measure, and even hear as a faint 8 kHz tone if you run a cable near a tube amp. Smaller blocks increase latency overhead but create a far more continuous data stream, reducing RF/EMI artefacts. Think of the constant current draw of a Class A amp or the stable rotation of a turntable: technically different, but sonically similar in effect.

To achieve that continuous stream, we need the CPU’s core speed to be as consistent and fast as possible. That’s why we chose the AMD Threadripper and why we cherry‑pick and tune each CPU. Even among the best chips, there’s enough variance that two units won’t perform identically across different resolutions and temperatures without adjustment.

Every Olympus therefore undergoes extensive testing: we test and pre‑tune components before assembly and then retune after assembly (cooling performance differs in the chassis versus on a bench). We run stress tests, safety and compliance checks, take measurements, log data for future reference and upgrades, and of course listen to music. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes, but that’s what it takes to deliver consistent performance across all units.

 

[joet]

Thank you for taking the time to share such detailed feedback. Hearing how the Olympus and XDMI have reshaped your listening experience is incredibly gratifying. When I passed your words along to the team, they brought smiles to everyone’s faces from ear to ear.

Your experience of heightened detail combined with a more relaxed, organic flow is exactly what we’ve aimed for. Another design priority has been getting the balance between impact and decay right, too often one is emphasised at the expense of the other.

Features like scheduled restarts are already on our to‑do list as part of an upcoming major software update. Feedback like yours, which has indeed become rare, fuels our passion to innovate and deliver an even better experience. Thanks again for your support and enthusiasm!

Hi Emile, first of all, thank you for the detailed responses to my queries. I, for one, recognize the effort and care the team is putting into finishing the backlog and want to thank you all. Reading between the lines of your comment about infrequent positive feedback, it's true, these days a large number of posts are from users voicing frustration. To some degree, I have been guilty of that in the past, as well. It must be very difficult absorbing that negativity. I'm sorry for any role I've played in that. While it's hard to blame customers for feeling the way they do, I believe the vast majority simultaneously believe that you're doing everything you can to finish the backlog and retain the esthetic and aural qualities that make the products so fantastic. When you read frustrated posts recognize they're a byproduct of how wonderful the Olympus is, and how well you treat customers. Otherwise people would have bailed. They stick around because they believe in you. I don't have any data to back this up, but my intuition tells me the Olympus backlog makes it one of the most successful, if not the most successful, audio products at this large price point. That should speak loudest. My Olympus is held up with customs in Indiana and FedEx is slow to respond. However, when it's released and received, I promise to offer detailed feedback that, in all likelihood, will express my love of what you've built. Thank you and the team for your work and dedication. For one, I have endured the wait due to how well you've treated me/customers in the past, and how much I believe in your talents and products.

 

[Opabin]

Good catch! I’m happy to elaborate. Each Olympus is unique because of component tolerances, and in the case of the Olympus/XDMI, CPU performance is especially critical.

Even though the Olympus uses one of the fastest CPUs available for what is, on paper, a negligible playback task, our approach to data transport makes that speed matter. XDMI intentionally packages data into very small blocks to avoid the typical “burst” behaviour you see with USB or network audio. USB, for instance, sends a burst every 125 µs (an 8 kHz cycle), which you can measure, and even hear as a faint 8 kHz tone if you run a cable near a tube amp. Smaller blocks increase latency overhead but create a far more continuous data stream, reducing RF/EMI artefacts. Think of the constant current draw of a Class A amp or the stable rotation of a turntable: technically different, but sonically similar in effect.

To achieve that continuous stream, we need the CPU’s core speed to be as consistent and fast as possible. That’s why we chose the AMD Threadripper and why we cherry‑pick and tune each CPU. Even among the best chips, there’s enough variance that two units won’t perform identically across different resolutions and temperatures without adjustment.

Every Olympus therefore undergoes extensive testing: we test and pre‑tune components before assembly and then retune after assembly (cooling performance differs in the chassis versus on a bench). We run stress tests, safety and compliance checks, take measurements, log data for future reference and upgrades, and of course listen to music. There’s a lot of work behind the scenes, but that’s what it takes to deliver consistent performance across all units.

[A “bits-are-bits” pundit, blinking rapidly:] Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more…


Thank you, Emile. Most interesting!

 

[MarkusBarkus]

Thank you, Emile. Most interesting!

...I think we all miss the technical info releases we have enjoyed so much here, and which no-doubt fueled the large wave of Olympus purchases. That's the stuff that really helps folks "keeps the faith" in my view. Thanks @Taiko Audio

 

[Steve Williams]

It's good to see Emile finding some breathing room that. he can post again here. When he does one can quickly feel the change in mood here to an upbeat nature that this thread typically has.

 

[Steve Williams]

Hi Emile, first of all, thank you for the detailed responses to my queries. I, for one, recognize the effort and care the team is putting into finishing the backlog and want to thank you all. Reading between the lines of your comment about infrequent positive feedback, it's true, these days a large number of posts are from users voicing frustration. To some degree, I have been guilty of that in the past, as well. It must be very difficult absorbing that negativity. I'm sorry for any role I've played in that. While it's hard to blame customers for feeling the way they do, I believe the vast majority simultaneously believe that you're doing everything you can to finish the backlog and retain the esthetic and aural qualities that make the products so fantastic. When you read frustrated posts recognize they're a byproduct of how wonderful the Olympus is, and how well you treat customers. Otherwise people would have bailed. They stick around because they believe in you. I don't have any data to back this up, but my intuition tells me the Olympus backlog makes it one of the most successful, if not the most successful, audio products at this large price point. That should speak loudest. My Olympus is held up with customs in Indiana and FedEx is slow to respond. However, when it's released and received, I promise to offer detailed feedback that, in all likelihood, will express my love of what you've built. Thank you and the team for your work and dedication. For one, I have endured the wait due to how well you've treated me/customers in the past, and how much I believe in your talents and products.

@joet

your posts are inspirational and soon you will be at the end of the rainbow to find the pot of gold awaiting you.

I know you wont be disappointed from the very first file you play as it only gets better. Enjoy the ride. Its a tough pill to swallow but the wait will have been worth it

 

[Steve Williams]

...I think we all miss the technical info releases we have enjoyed so much here, and which no-doubt fueled the large wave of Olympus purchases. That's the stuff that really helps folks "keeps the faith" in my view. Thanks @Taiko Audio

I agree. it used to be a daily pearl I would award to Emile for the enlightening fact of the day. It's good to see that for him and his tireless team, the end of the rainbow is also near

 

[joet]

While I wait to learn why customs is holding my Olympus, has anyone in the US who received the Olympus been charged duties or taxes? I know tariffs don't apply, but I understand duties are separate, and not part of any new edicts.

 

[dminches]

I know of some people who have been charged tariffs. Why do you think they don’t apply?

 

[joet]

I've been told by Taiko, and confirmed online, that computer equipment is excluded from tariffs. But perhaps it's changed recently. However, duties, which aren't tariffs, might be applicable

 

[dminches]

Unfortunately, the carriers are not adept at applying all the tariff rules. There have been a number of incidences in which tariffs have been charged where they seem they may not be. Computers seems to be on the exempt list but that isn't always the case.

Hopefully you won't have any issues.

 

[cat6man]

For XDMI the roadmap is (in most likely order of release):

1) A V2 software driver
2) Aries Cerat
3) A V2 analogue output stage
4) Generic I2S
5) 2 custom implementations for brands I cannot disclose till we've come to an official agreement

can you please tell us where the extreme is on this xdmi roadmap?

 

[nonesup]

Well, I remember Emile saying a year ago that during the development of XDMI, they realized that the Extreme was too noisy for that technology, and that led to the development of Olympus. I don't know if that's changed since then.