By the way, we did another install of DMS today, and it took less than 10 minutes
so much faster than TAS install
I can attest to that, as I've had a functioning version of XDMS on my Extreme and XDMS control app on my iPad for a couple of days. Much quicker install than TAS/LMS and I know one of the functionalities Emile, Ed, Wilson and the rest of the team are working toward is an Update button that will automate the installation of new versions, bug fixes and system OS tuning updates. When that comes to fruition it will lift a large support burden off the shoulders of the Taiko staff so they can continue to pursue other advances, both software and hardware.
Steve W. gave a wonderful review of what XDMS player looks like now, so I won't repeat that here. And his comments on sound quality are right on the mark. He wasn't exaggerating -- the improvement in SQ over Roon and TAS are both significant and immediately obvious. From the first track we played after Ed performed the installation, even at lower than normal listening levels (my wife was upstairs watching a movie so I had to keep the volume down) the sense of vibrancy, energy, and most importantly, emotional involvement were and continue to be profound.
One of the most striking attributes of XDMS that I am hearing at any listening level is the sense of clarity and transparency. This, coupled with a palpable shiver of musical energy in the room combine to give well-recorded tracks an almost "lit from within" kiss of realism. This transparency is not purchased at the cost of tilted up frequency response or lack of body -- there is plenty of texture, tonal saturation and weight. Bass lines are wonderfully deep and articulate with plenty of power when the music calls for it.
Perhaps because Taiko have found new ways to minimize the impact of digital noise, a wealth of musically relevant low-level detail and ambience is brought to familiar tracks. Familiar voices sound more realistic and in-the-room than I've ever heard and phenomenon such as reverberation tails and light cymbal taps fade out longer into a natural silence rather than being truncated by an artificially dead digital-zero signal level.
All of this adds up to a very emotionally involving experience, very gratifying and very, very addictive. Over the last couple of days it would be no exaggeration to say I've been living on a couple hours sleep in-between listening sessions. I can't wait to put on my favorite music and revel in the emotional connection.
It is worth bearing in mind that as it exists now, the User Interface is still very much a work in progress with much code-writing to be done to bring functionality to all the buttons. But the potential is definitely there for XDMS not only to surpass TAS and Roon from a sound quality standpoint -- which it has already emphatically done -- but to also far outstrip TAS/LMS and rival Roon in terms of look, function and feel. That is something Ed and team are addressing seemingly 24/7 as they complete the various modules and bug reports are addressed via TestFlight.
Given what I've seen and heard XDMS will prove itself well worth the wait when they finally have the UI smoothed out enough for a general release.
To give a sense of the magnitude of improved sound quality I'm hearing, I'd liken it to a major and expensive component-level upgrade. For the amount of emotional involvement it engenders in my music, it's beyond putting a price tag on. And yet amazingly enough it is going to be free to Taiko Extreme owners.
Hats off to Emile, Ed, Wilson and all the Taiko team!
Steve Z
