Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[matthias]

On my other site
www.pitchperfectsound.com
there are FAQ’s which addresses the possible need for a shim.

I have seen it. Thank you.

Matt

 

[Steve Williams]

I have seen it. Thank you.

Matt

One last thing.
if a shim is needed it is placed UNDER the foot rather than on top of the foot as the top of the foot must be in complete contact with the underside of the component above. The shim should be placed under the silver button at the bottom of the footer

 

[howiebrou]

Please read the instructions ONLY 4 feet are to be placed under a component. PERIOD! No more. Again you are overthinking and misthinking a very simple thing.
One set of 4. No more (not a set of 3 but a set of 4)
No plywood
If you got good results with the 0.8, you will get better results with a set of 1.0 and even better with a set of 1.5's

I'm sorry to correct you like this but what you are suggesting is just wrong with respect to the mode of acton of these CS 2 feet

I don't think he had more than one set under each piece of equipment.

 

[hols]

Please read the instructions ONLY 4 feet are to be placed under a component. PERIOD! No more. Again you are overthinking and misthinking a very simple thing.
One set of 4. No more (not a set of 3 but a set of 4)
No plywood
If you got good results with the 0.8, you will get better results with a set of 1.0 and even better with a set of 1.5's

I'm sorry to correct you like this but what you are suggesting is just wrong with respect to the mode of acton of these CS 2 feet

Hi Steve,
I heard you clearly here.
You probably got me wrong on that or maybe I did not write clearly enough. I understand that it should be 4 feet under each equipment and I am doing that too in all my equipment. What I was saying is that the effect of one set of 0.8 under the DAC, another set of 0.8 under the extreme and a third set of 0.8 under my preamp is already very impressive so much so that I am not so sure only one set of 1.5 under the extreme can have greater effect than 3 sets of 0.8?

My other point is that in my listening place a wooden platform is very important for the overall SQ. I have no query on the mechanism or effectiveness of your CS2 footers at all. It is just the reverse. I am very impressed by the CS2 footers. I am only saying that the resonance of the platform beneath the footers also plays an important role in the overall SQ. that is what my experience tells me.

 

[cat6man]

One last thing.
if a shim is needed it is placed UNDER the foot rather than on top of the foot as the top of the foot must be in complete contact with the underside of the component above. The shim should be placed under the silver button at the bottom of the footer

well.............i missed that one and somehow thought that on top was the recommendation.
3 of 8 needed shims here under ayon monoblocks

 

[Steve Williams]

The shims must be under the foot or the foot will not function properly.

as Stated shins are often required if the underside of the component is not flat

finally it is important that the CS footer lifts the stock footer off the underlying shelf. Believe it or not I had one client who put them under the stock feet and another who used CS feet under his Stillpoints

 

[onlychild]

Has anyone been able to get the Monoprice SlimRun Fiber cable to work with the main USB output of the Extreme (3.1 Gen 2)? The fiber cable is only rated for Gen1 and I have not been able to establish a handshake with the DCS Bartok. Tried 3 different USB cables, two power supplies, and 2 different fiber cables.

Finally tried plugging into one of the Gen1 USB outputs and it worked right away. I know the fiber cable is only rated for 5gpbs, and not the 10gpbs that Gen 2 is rated for, but I thought it still would have worked at the 5 gbps rate.

@romaz is using the JCAT Femto USB card which is probably a Gen1 USB output? Not sure.

I remember reading that the Gen2 USB output is the best USB output on the Extreme, so I rather not give that up.

 

[PR13]

So you pay 24k euros for the basic version of the Extreme only to have to spend more on isolators of various descriptions, a platform base (not particulalry expensive but still another 400 euros). Where does this end? For 24k I expect the thing to be perfect out the box, the best it can be. It's an insult, as good as the Extreme potentially is.

 

[spiritofmusic]

PR13, the forum should be remamed:
"Whats Best And What Could Make Gear Even Bester".
Best and bestest of all means 1000 different things to 1000 different audiophiles.

 

[the sound of Tao]

PR13, the forum should be remamed:
"Whats Best And What Could Make Gear Even Bester".
Best and bestest of all means 1000 different things to 1000 different audiophiles.

The hyperbole po-leece are keen to interview you Marc and perform thorough invasive body searches for no reason except your continued crimes against the vernacular without any regards to the particular. Remember in audio it goes best, bester and most bestial.

 

[heebrog]

So you pay 24k euros for the basic version of the Extreme only to have to spend more on isolators of various descriptions, a platform base (not particulalry expensive but still another 400 euros). Where does this end? For 24k I expect the thing to be perfect out the box, the best it can be. It's an insult, as good as the Extreme potentially is.

Hi PR13.

I don't have an Extreme yet but after following this thread since Christmas, and contacting several kind folk here privately, I have just placed an order.
Like all hi-end gear, I consider these "extra bits" as simply fine tuning to one's own preference; if you care to experiment.
Even at a Michelin* restaurant you may wish to add a little seasoning at the table to suit your taste.
Or you may be completely happy with the dish as the chef has prepared it.
The trouble is in hi-end, "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO) and OCD is very prevalent.
It's a hobby anyway and fun to try different things.
Some may work and some may not.
We all have different preferences.
I don't believe there is a PERFECT system but it seems the Extreme can get you closer than any other server at the moment.

 

[Rhapsody]

So you pay 24k euros for the basic version of the Extreme only to have to spend more on isolators of various descriptions, a platform base (not particulalry expensive but still another 400 euros). Where does this end? For 24k I expect the thing to be perfect out the box, the best it can be. It's an insult, as good as the Extreme potentially is.

Your statement could apply to any single piece of gear, electronics, sources, speakers etc. Btw, if you heard the Extreme with NOTHING added it still would do it's thing.....whch is quite Extreme

 

[Steve Williams]

So you pay 24k euros for the basic version of the Extreme only to have to spend more on isolators of various descriptions, a platform base (not particulalry expensive but still another 400 euros). Where does this end? For 24k I expect the thing to be perfect out the box, the best it can be. It's an insult, as good as the Extreme potentially is.

Your statement could apply to any single piece of gear, electronics, sources, speakers etc. Btw, if you heard the Extreme with NOTHING added it still would do it's thing.....whch is quite Extreme

The Extreme is Extreme and is perfect right out of the box. Don't blame Emile for all of these DIYers suggestions to make it better

Emile has said many times all one needs is
1. A good power cord
2. a good USB cable
3.a good set of footers

I took this advice seriously and built my digital front end around the Extreme without any of the fou-frou that is also mentioned here.

To me all of these things take you down an unnecessary rabbit hole with so many twists and turns that you begin to forget what the Extreme is-----Extreme

PR13 prior to the Extreme I was resistant to streaming unless I could avoid all of these switches and optical fiber and different routers and modems etc. Caveat emptor. Use at your own risk. I did and as I have said here so many times, "the Extreme has changed the way I listen to music"

I have done none of this and am eternally happy with my Extreme. You would be as well

 

[nonesup]

Steve, I don't think using a switch designed for audio is a fou-frou. His argument then could be to take a Router (the louder, the better) and then with a good power cable a quality USB cable and good feet, the noise of the ethernet line will disappear.

 

[Steve Williams]

Steve, I don't think using a switch designed for audio is a fou-frou. His argument then could be to take a Router (the louder, the better) and then with a good power cable a quality USB cable and good feet, the noise of the ethernet line will disappear.

To each our own. I am merely saying that the Extreme is quite capable of standing on its own laurels

I had zero noise on my network with my ethernet cable. BTW Emile also suggested a good ethernet cable.

I don't use any switches or optical cables, haven't changed my router etc and to my ears I have darn good music.

Just my $0.02 and of course the proverbial YMMV

I am of the opinion that one can overthink the Extreme and go down the rabbit hole which will take you in so many different directions

 

[howiebrou]

The shims must be under the foot or the foot will not function properly.

as Stated shins are often required if the underside of the component is not flat

finally it is important that the CS footer lifts the stock footer off the underlying shelf. Believe it or not I had one client who put them under the stock feet and another who used CS feet under his Stillpoints

Has anyone been able to get the Monoprice SlimRun Fiber cable to work with the main USB output of the Extreme (3.1 Gen 2)? The fiber cable is only rated for Gen1 and I have not been able to establish a handshake with the DCS Bartok. Tried 3 different USB cables, two power supplies, and 2 different fiber cables.

Finally tried plugging into one of the Gen1 USB outputs and it worked right away. I know the fiber cable is only rated for 5gpbs, and not the 10gpbs that Gen 2 is rated for, but I thought it still would have worked at the 5 gbps rate.

@romaz is using the JCAT Femto USB card which is probably a Gen1 USB output? Not sure.

I remember reading that the Gen2 USB output is the best USB output on the Extreme, so I rather not give that up.

my Gen 2 USB on the extreme also won’t handshake with my Lampi Pacific so I am using a Gen 1 USB port which is a shame. Didn’t work with an Intona or Goebel USB cable. The gen 2 port does, however, work with a Nagra Classic Dac...

 

[Taiko Audio]

my Gen 2 USB on the extreme also won’t handshake with my Lampi Pacific so I am using a Gen 1 USB port which is a shame. Didn’t work with an Intona or Goebel USB cable. The gen 2 port does, however, work with a Nagra Classic Dac...

Your Pacific is a bit of an oddball, afaik it's the only one refusing to handshake with the USB 3.1gen2 controller assuming the use of a proper impedance controlled USB cable (the intona sure qualifies). Furthermore it uses an Amanero USB interface which is also utilised in the Nagra Classic you mentioned.

Although the Extreme is the first to use a USB3.1gen2 controller, again afaik, it's highly likely other future streamers will be using this interface, with USB 4.0 lurking on the horizon.

Although these controllers are backwards compatible with, and do scale down to, USB 2.0 speeds, they require proper impedance control meeting USB specifications. The lower speed USB1.1/2.0/3.0 interfaces are more tolerant to severe deviations from the USB specification.

 

[howiebrou]

Your Pacific is a bit of an oddball, afaik it's the only one refusing to handshake with the USB 3.1gen2 controller assuming the use of a proper impedance controlled USB cable (the intona sure qualifies). Furthermore it uses an Amanero USB interface which is also utilised in the Nagra Classic you mentioned.

Although the Extreme is the first to use a USB3.1gen2 controller, again afaik, it's highly likely other future streamers will be using this interface, with USB 4.0 lurking on the horizon.

Although these controllers are backwards compatible with, and do scale down to, USB 2.0 speeds, they require proper impedance control meeting USB specifications. The lower speed USB1.1/2.0/3.0 interfaces are more tolerant to severe deviations from the USB specification.

Given all the above. I have to say, the Extreme and Pacific combo is quite the ticket. My digital has never sounded so good and I must state for the record that Emile's customer service is, as has been said by many, second to none.

 

[christoph]

Your Pacific is a bit of an oddball, afaik it's the only one refusing to handshake with the USB 3.1gen2 controller assuming the use of a proper impedance controlled USB cable (the intona sure qualifies). Furthermore it uses an Amanero USB interface which is also utilised in the Nagra Classic you mentioned.

Although the Extreme is the first to use a USB3.1gen2 controller, again afaik, it's highly likely other future streamers will be using this interface, with USB 4.0 lurking on the horizon.

Although these controllers are backwards compatible with, and do scale down to, USB 2.0 speeds, they require proper impedance control meeting USB specifications. The lower speed USB1.1/2.0/3.0 interfaces are more tolerant to severe deviations from the USB specification.

What Amanero Firmware is on Howie's Pacific?
Maybe it is a Linux OS optimised one instead of Windows optimised?

 

[matthias]

@Taiko Audio

Hi Emile,
after cancellation of HE Munich do you and Alsyvox have plans to attend HIFIDELUXE this year?
Thanks

Matt