XDMI is much more then just the interface to the DAC, it's a combination of software and hardware, AES/EBU does indeed limit it's ultimate potential but it can still take advantage of everything which happens before.
Introducing Olympus & Olympus I/O - A new perspective on modern music playback
- Thread starter Taiko Audio
- Start date
XDMI is much more then just the interface to the DAC, it's a combination of software and hardware, AES/EBU does indeed limit it's ultimate potential but it can still take advantage of everything which happens before.
ReplyIng to my own post: thinking about it further - I can see the desire to keep BOTH the Extreme and Olympus, since, as Emil, described - the Olympus is in a separate category other than digital or analog. Perhaps that means for certain content, the Extreme will be preferable, at least to some ears in some systems.
XDMI can absolutely take advantage of more modern / faster hardware, it's up to 2000 times faster then USB depending on which section you're looking at. It makes much more sense to move to an Olympus if you plan on moving to XDMI then if you're sticking to USB. With USB you're about maxed out with an Extreme + Olympus I/O. I would mainly consider an Olympus in that scenario if you prefer to have a single box solution.
I see. So the battery power in the I/O is powering the cards, not the server. Thanks.
Yes, 1 battery supply for the network card, 1 battery supply for the output device (USB or XDMI).
Does that limitation still not apply to totaldac's implementation of aes/ebu?
I may be getting lost here. Is there still an xdmi card (formerly tacdd) option for the extreme or is xdmi only available for Olympus and Olympus io?
Totaldac is designed around AES/EBU, it's all AES/EBU internally and uses AES/EBU to connect the reclocker to the DACs etc. So AES/EBU limitations don't really apply to Totaldac.
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
so how does XDMI connect to my Horizon? Is it via i2s and if so is there a cable recommendation and a defined maximum cable length
Here's an attempt at making the Olympus I/O configuration as clear as possible using photos:
On the left side we have a Switch, then a BPS which powers the Olympus "I" module, this is then connected to our new PCIe interface card by means of a QFSP cable, this card is then plugged into the Extreme replacing the internal network card.
On the right side we have an Olympus "O" module containing the XDMI interface with an analogue output module fitted, this connects to another PCIE interface card by means of another QFSP cable, this card is plugged into the Extreme replacing the USB card:
Olympus "I" module, you can see the QFSP DAC cable being substantially "beefier" then the SFP DAC cable:
And the Olympus "O" module with XDMI interface:
The Interface cards:
On the left side we have a Switch, then a BPS which powers the Olympus "I" module, this is then connected to our new PCIe interface card by means of a QFSP cable, this card is then plugged into the Extreme replacing the internal network card.
On the right side we have an Olympus "O" module containing the XDMI interface with an analogue output module fitted, this connects to another PCIE interface card by means of another QFSP cable, this card is plugged into the Extreme replacing the USB card:
Olympus "I" module, you can see the QFSP DAC cable being substantially "beefier" then the SFP DAC cable:
And the Olympus "O" module with XDMI interface:
The Interface cards:
For now that would be over AES/EBU, I2S will follow later, so that would mean you'd be stuck with a 24/192 maximum sample rate limitation for a while.
ok, so that definitely changes my upgrade path options as i had assumed that the xdmi card with daughter boards could start in the current extreme. this may move any possible upgrade for me out to 2025.
boy am i glad that NSM has reached a level that i can happily live with for a long time!
Would the future connection from XDMI to I2S on Horizon be the most optimal connection method possible or would it be even better if the DAC could have a native XDMI input somehow?
Future applications we're completely open to working on, so is Lukasz, we've been in touch on that already. We have one full time engineer fully dedicated to designing more output options and/or work on integration into other manufacturer DACs. We've also been in touch with Stavros of Aries Cerat and Jonathan of MSB. These 3 we'll be working on first. We've also been in contact with Vincent of Totaldac and agreed that in this case AES/EBU would be the way to go so we don't need to take further action there. In more general terms Dual AES/EBU and various I2S output options are on the agenda.
While at it, a raw unfinished Olympus prototype chassis:
Similar threads
- Sticky
 | Steve Williams Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator |  | Ron Resnick Site Owner | Administrator |  | Julian (The Fixer) Website Build | Marketing Managersing |