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

For those who just started reading up on Olympus, Olympus I/O, and XDMI, please note that all information in this thread has been summarized in a single PDF document that can be downloaded from the Taiko Website.

https://taikoaudio.com/taiko-2020/taiko-audio-downloads

The document is frequently updated.

Scroll down to the 'XDMI, Olympus Music Server, Olympus I/O' section and click 'XDMI, Olympus, Olympus I/O Product Introduction & FAQ' to download the latest version.

Good morning WBF!​

We are introducing the culmination of close to 4 years of research and development. As a bona fide IT/tech nerd with a passion for music, I have always been intrigued by the potential of leveraging the most modern of technologies in order to create a better music playback experience. This, amongst others, led to the creation of our popular, perhaps even revolutionary, Extreme music server 5 years ago, which we have been steadily improving and updating with new technologies throughout its life cycle. Today I feel we can safely claim it's holding its ground against the onslaught of new server releases from other companies, and we are committed to keep improving it for years to come.

We are introducing a new server model called the Olympus. Hierarchically, it positions itself above the Extreme. It does provide quite a different music experience than the Extreme, or any other server I've heard, for that matter. Conventional audiophile descriptions such as sound staging, dynamics, color palette, etc, fall short to describe this difference. It does not sound digital or analog, I would be inclined to describe it as coming closer to the intended (or unintended) performance of the recording engineer.

Committed to keeping the Extreme as current as possible, we are introducing a second product called the Olympus I/O. This is an external upgrade to the Extreme containing a significant part of the Olympus technology, allowing it to come near, though not entirely at, Olympus performance levels. The Olympus I/O can even be added to the Olympus itself to elevate its performance even further, though not as dramatic an uplift as adding it to the Extreme. Consider it the proverbial "cherry on top".

 

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to give you all a quick update before the weekend rolls in! I think it's only fair to keep you in the loop.

We’ve just received a fresh batch from our new anodiser. I haven’t had the chance to inspect everything fully yet, but so far, it looks like a solid batch. We’ll be shipping out some servers to our dangerous goods specialist on Monday (Silver and Black), and then they'll head out for delivery. The Monday after, we’ll also be shipping at least 5 more, or more depending on how the rest of the batch checks out.

The reason I’m posting now is that I previously mentioned we were testing powder-coated versions of the Olympus model. Well, the first test run has come in, and it’s looking really promising! You can see the photos below. So far, we’ve only been able to test black, as we’re waiting for a specific type of coating to arrive for the silver version. That should be in after the weekend, and we’ll test it right away.

Personally (and I know Emile agrees), we’re really happy with how the test turned out. We actually prefer the coated version!

The best part about switching to powder coating is that it significantly boosts our yield, from about 50% to around 95%. I’d really appreciate your thoughts, especially from those of you waiting for a black Olympus. Let me know what you think based on the pictures (and feel free to share your personal preferences).

I totally understand if some of you prefer the anodised look, but if not, we’re open to moving forward with the coated version to speed up the process. This would shorten the wait for anodised versions since we’d have more options available.

I’m testing out different approaches to streamline things, but I’m not an audiophile (yet—Emile keeps teasing me), so I don’t have all the fine-tuned knowledge of what audiophiles might prefer. As a musician, my setup is a bit of a mix-and-match of what sounds best, with a splash of all the colours that exist. So, your input is super valuable, and with it, I can continue working to get everyone’s Olympus out as quickly as possible.

Right now, we’re able to build about 10–15 units a week (if the yield allows it), and we still have about 94 orders to go. So, my goal is to have everything shipped out within the next 10–15 weeks (I tend to be on the cautious side with these predictions).

I don’t usually check the forum (nothing personal, Steve! I’m just focused on the project at the moment), but I’ll make an effort to read your replies this weekend.

Thanks so much, everyone!

View attachment 146207View attachment 146208View attachment 146209View attachment 146210View attachment 146211View attachment 146212

Julien--

Thank you very much for the update! Is the unit on the left in the first photo (with more holes on the top face) powder coated, and the one on the right anodized? The anodized unit has that characteristic look to it the way Space Gray/Space Black MacBooks/iPads do.

While I love the way my black anodized Extreme looks--when clean--even when using a lint free cloth and a supposedly good cleaning solution, it is never streak-free. It seems that matte anodized finishes are more difficult to clean if they are not also clear coated.

I am most definitely rooting for the powder coating but I have another motive as well--the powder coat will match my all-black Horizon 360 perfectly. The powder coated Horizon is remarkably easy to clean and the finish is very durable as long as you don't abuse it.

Just my 2c and don't mean to offend anyone who loves the anodized look--I can see how others would prefer it due it its being less shiny and perhaps if their other gear is also anodized.

Regards,
Alexey

 

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all doing well! I wanted to check in and provide an update. I had planned to go through all your comments over the weekend and respond, but unfortunately, I had to attend a family funeral, which threw off my schedule. Now that I’ve caught up, I’d like to address some of the questions that came up:

Just want to make sure that I confirm that there is no expected difference in lifespan between anodized and coated units. Both processes meet the highest quality standards, and both our anodizing and coating partners have confirmed that neither version is in any way inferior in terms of life expectancy.

On the pictures I sent last time, the server (with the most holes on top) is the anodised version and the I/O is our coated test.

That being said, I will be setting up a mailing list for everyone who has an Olympus in the queue. This will allow me to keep you updated with more detailed progress and expected batch timelines. It’ll also make the information more accessible to me and more tailored to you as customers waiting in the queue. You can expect the first email to go out on Monday with an update.

Thanks for your patience and understanding!

 

This is what I have been waiting for, Julien: a mailing list for those in the queue with "detailed progress and expected batch timelines." I am #104 and feel like I've been in the dark on when I might expect to get an email notifying me that the unit is being worked on and payment info. I'm also in the dark as to how and when I should send my Extreme back and how that is paid for. So individualized information for each person in the queue would be a very welcome change.

Also good news on durability of anodized vs coated finishes. I have ordered black and would be fine with a coated finish. I do not have the Taiko network stack yet but would want to make sure that the finishes with the Olympus and the Router, Switch, and DCD are exactly the same. Thanks for your hard work!

 

Taiko Olympus + I/O at the Florida Audio Expo.

View attachment 146173

View attachment 146174

(Stay away from glass shelves under the Olympus)

Hi nenon,
How did it go? Are you happy with the feedback that listeners gave about the Olympus?
If you would like to share, of course.

 

Hi nenon,
How did it go? Are you happy with the feedback that listeners gave about the Olympus?
If you would like to share, of course.

Vassil was great!
He was busy shaking babies and kissing hands... (Answering a whole bunch of questions from old men.
As Vassil said, don't use glass under the Olympus.
He was very creative on how he minimized the effect of the glass.
Taiko must be proud of this man representing the brand.. me, @audio42, and my wife were.
It was my first time hearing the IO.
On order... Can't wait!!
Marc
Ps
The Extreme in another room was wonderful!

 

What about the different footers under Olympus?

 

What about the different footers under Olympus?

This is why I am in agreement with you regarding not stacking, if you can. With stacking one would need some impressive footers. I have an idea for concrete discs with steel mesh inside and Sorbothane pads. I may make a quad for Marc @RUIN*ish to try when he gets his IO. I would use some kind of concrete dye to make the discs more attractive...

 

@Taiko Audio

Good evening Emile,

Quick question : how do we switch off the Olympus Server?

My goal is to restart the operating system and relaunch RAAT.

I couldn’t find instructions in the documentation on how to actually "shut down" the computer.

On page 24, the information isn’t very clear.
It explains how to put the Olympus Server into "sleep mode" but not how to actually switch it off.



# I’m having an issue with Roon :

Playback randomly stops after a while (and the “while” is random as well, can be an hour or a few hours). I tried playing music from my NAS and the Olympus' local drive. Same issue.

I’ll send an email to support@ with a detailed bug report, but before that, I’d like to restart the server (so the OS and Roon) and do some additional tests.


Cheers

Thomas

PS : Btw, the Olympus + I/O XDMI is jaw-dropping , honestly I wasn't expecting that !!!

 

...after front/bottom switch is off (sleep), I put batteries into "ship" mode. Wait until things turn off, and toggle-off rear switch.

 

Actually the entire Olympus manual is written from the perspective of knowledge rather than from a new user.
It could use a complete re-due....and that is long overdue

 

@Taiko Audio

Good evening Emile,

Quick question : how do we switch off the Olympus Server?

My goal is to restart the operating system and relaunch RAAT.

I couldn’t find instructions in the documentation on how to actually "shut down" the computer.

On page 24, the information isn’t very clear.
It explains how to put the Olympus Server into "sleep mode" but not how to actually switch it off.

View attachment 146570

# I’m having an issue with Roon :

Playback randomly stops after a while (and the “while” is random as well, can be an hour or a few hours). I tried playing music from my NAS and the Olympus' local drive. Same issue.

I’ll send an email to support@ with a detailed bug report, but before that, I’d like to restart the server (so the OS and Roon) and do some additional tests.


Cheers

Thomas

PS : Btw, the Olympus + I/O XDMI is jaw-dropping , honestly I wasn't expecting that !!!

I'm having the same start stop issues, just in the last few days...

 

Actually the entire Olympus manual is written from the perspective of knowledge rather than from a new user.
It could use a complete re-due....and that is long overdue

starting to get the impetus behind your username handle

 

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all doing well! I wanted to check in and provide an update. I had planned to go through all your comments over the weekend and respond, but unfortunately, I had to attend a family funeral, which threw off my schedule. Now that I’ve caught up, I’d like to address some of the questions that came up:

Just want to make sure that I confirm that there is no expected difference in lifespan between anodized and coated units. Both processes meet the highest quality standards, and both our anodizing and coating partners have confirmed that neither version is in any way inferior in terms of life expectancy.

On the pictures I sent last time, the server (with the most holes on top) is the anodised version and the I/O is our coated test.

That being said, I will be setting up a mailing list for everyone who has an Olympus in the queue. This will allow me to keep you updated with more detailed progress and expected batch timelines. It’ll also make the information more accessible to me and more tailored to you as customers waiting in the queue. You can expect the first email to go out on Monday with an update.

Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Thank you for confirming Julien, looks like I just can't count holes very well. The one on the left (powder coated) is the one with fewer holes.
Could you please put my unit #148 on the powder coated line? Thank you!

 

@Taiko Audio

Good evening Emile,

Quick question : how do we switch off the Olympus Server?

My goal is to restart the operating system and relaunch RAAT.

I couldn’t find instructions in the documentation on how to actually "shut down" the computer.

On page 24, the information isn’t very clear.
It explains how to put the Olympus Server into "sleep mode" but not how to actually switch it off.

View attachment 146570

# I’m having an issue with Roon :

Playback randomly stops after a while (and the “while” is random as well, can be an hour or a few hours). I tried playing music from my NAS and the Olympus' local drive. Same issue.

I’ll send an email to support@ with a detailed bug report, but before that, I’d like to restart the server (so the OS and Roon) and do some additional tests.


Cheers

Thomas

PS : Btw, the Olympus + I/O XDMI is jaw-dropping , honestly I wasn't expecting that !!!

Sleep mode is actually shut down, @Christiaan Punter , can you change that?

Yes please send in a report, we still “only” have 5 registered cases with differing playback issues which doesn’t help much in pinning it down.

 

I'm having the same start stop issues, just in the last few days...

Is it possible this started occurring after updating to 2.47 build 1510, which was released 7 days ago?

That one actually is causing me some issues I’ve never seen before, I managed to capture it before disappearing (after a relaunch the “unavailable” entries are gone).

 

Hi Emile
In thinking about it I think you are spot on, my start stop issue started with the 1510 update

 

There has been an increased amount of communication from the Taiko team recently about what's going on inside the building and it is greatly appreciated. What hasn't really been answered is "how many units are being shipped each week?" Can someone give us a sense of how many units were shipped last week and this week and what is expected for next?

 

There has been an increased amount of communication from the Taiko team recently about what's going on inside the building and it is greatly appreciated. What hasn't really been answered is "how many units are being shipped each week?" Can someone give us a sense of how many units were shipped last week and this week and what is expected for next?

I am trying to increase communication to the outside world along with the rest of the team, so I am glad it's noticed and appreciated.
What is very hard to do is say a concrete number on what we are shipping currently. With the anodising yield being flaky at best, it is hard to say. Today I shipped 6 units but until I know what comes in early next week, I can't for example give a concrete answer.

But not to worry, the e-mails I mentioned for everyone who has an Olympus will have more detailed information about matters like this. And the first one will go out on Monday! These updates will be much more detailed than what I have posted here.

 

Thank you for confirming Julien, looks like I just can't count holes very well. The one on the left (powder coated) is the one with fewer holes.
Could you please put my unit #148 on the powder coated line? Thank you!

As I read Julien’s post, the anodized pictures are of the chassis with holes across the entire top. And powder coat is the chassis with a small group of holes? But there’s no way to distinguish the surface of the two in the pictures. I’m assuming they both look very good.

 

I am trying to increase communication to the outside world along with the rest of the team, so I am glad it's noticed and appreciated.
What is very hard to do is say a concrete number on what we are shipping currently. With the anodising yield being flaky at best, it is hard to say. Today I shipped 6 units but until I know what comes in early next week, I can't for example give a concrete answer.

But not to worry, the e-mails I mentioned for everyone who has an Olympus will have more detailed information about matters like this. And the first one will go out on Monday! These updates will be much more detailed than what I have posted here.

@Taiko Audio
I was told by Ted in his email dated 6th Feb that you have received my chassis (#87) and working on it as soon as possible, I cut short my holidays to prepare for the delivery and now, 3 weeks later I was notified that I still have to wait for the next batch of chassis that coming in the next 10 days! I did not only cut short my holidays but also postpone all my oversea business trips to the second half of March onward. Look like I have to re-schedule my trips again. I really hope you can communicate better with me. Otherwise it is difficult for me and I really hope you can understand my situation. Thanks