Introducing Olympus & Olympus I/O - A new perspective on modern music playback
- Thread starter Taiko Audio
- Start date
Beautiful. Also makes me think of Florence, an entrancing place. The day in September I planned to climb the Brunelleschi Dome it was raining, so I need to go back.
Squisto Simone!! Have you considered the Olympus on the top shelf? Perhaps logistics prevent this. Beautiful setup...
Thank you both for the heads up ;-)
Actually this setup is temporary. I could not use the the top shelf as I need it for some amp reviews I will be doing over the next several months...
On the other hand I wanted the Olympus to be accessible in the short term for opening it as I will try (?) the analog board to compare it with the H360 via XDMI.
In the long run I plan to place the Olympus on the bottom shelf where I have 100mm of clearance between the Olympus top and the next shelf bottom face.
I used the thumb drive method to restore my Roon settings from the Extreme to the Olympus. Worked great.
What is the best way to safely remove a thumb drive from the Olympus?
What is the best way to safely remove a thumb drive from the Olympus?
That didn't take long -- let the imitations begin!
(From Upscale Audio's daily sales e-mail)
Steve Z
(From Upscale Audio's daily sales e-mail)
Steve Z
It is perhaps time for @Taiko Audio to showcase the Olympus, the Olympus I/O, and, above all, the groundbreaking new XDMI interface on its website.
Unless, of course, an alternative strategy has been deliberately planned
Cheers,
Thomas
Finally installed the XDMI Analog DAC card on the Olympus-I/O on Thursday.
I’ve been in a virtual heaven listening to the Olympus-I/O XDMI digital (AES) break-in over the last three weeks, but especially the last week.
It’s been a delightful progression of musical engagement above any past system configurations I’ve ever heard before in my room.
On Thursday, I felt that the performance of the XDMI digital card had stabilized sufficiently to try the XDMI analog card.
After a number of self-inflicted unforced errors (including blown fuses and incorrect cable connections), I was finally able to get music through the XDMI analog card on Friday evening - due in no short measure to the patient, timely, and expert help of the usual suspects at Taiko.
Thank you kindly Gents!
However, what became immediately and abundantly clear after just a couple of hours of listening was that the XDMI analog card performance exceeded the XDMI digital card in no uncertain terms.
And what’s become clearer now, after just a little over 36 hours of break-in, that rather than being in heaven as I thought when listening to the digital XDMI card, that I was just in the lower basement - about to ascend in the opposite direction of Dante’s nine circles of hell.
Every few hours, the performance leaps forward.
All along, Emile has been modest and downplayed the expectations of the XDMI Analog DAC.
After less than 48 hours, and given previous reports that the XDMI analog card would take weeks to stabilize, I can only imagine where the performance will end up.
Emile and the Taiko team have pulled a lion out of their collective hat!
Bottom line, all that’s need now is a couple of more inputs to the XDMI DAC for flexibility, the potential addition of XLR outputs, and which when combined with I’m sure a couple of additional treats up Emile’s sleeve - and it’s GAME OVER!
Well at least for Steve Z, myself, and a couple of other crazies!
I’ve been in a virtual heaven listening to the Olympus-I/O XDMI digital (AES) break-in over the last three weeks, but especially the last week.
It’s been a delightful progression of musical engagement above any past system configurations I’ve ever heard before in my room.
On Thursday, I felt that the performance of the XDMI digital card had stabilized sufficiently to try the XDMI analog card.
After a number of self-inflicted unforced errors (including blown fuses and incorrect cable connections), I was finally able to get music through the XDMI analog card on Friday evening - due in no short measure to the patient, timely, and expert help of the usual suspects at Taiko.
Thank you kindly Gents!
However, what became immediately and abundantly clear after just a couple of hours of listening was that the XDMI analog card performance exceeded the XDMI digital card in no uncertain terms.
And what’s become clearer now, after just a little over 36 hours of break-in, that rather than being in heaven as I thought when listening to the digital XDMI card, that I was just in the lower basement - about to ascend in the opposite direction of Dante’s nine circles of hell.
Every few hours, the performance leaps forward.
All along, Emile has been modest and downplayed the expectations of the XDMI Analog DAC.
After less than 48 hours, and given previous reports that the XDMI analog card would take weeks to stabilize, I can only imagine where the performance will end up.
Emile and the Taiko team have pulled a lion out of their collective hat!
Bottom line, all that’s need now is a couple of more inputs to the XDMI DAC for flexibility, the potential addition of XLR outputs, and which when combined with I’m sure a couple of additional treats up Emile’s sleeve - and it’s GAME OVER!
Well at least for Steve Z, myself, and a couple of other crazies!
Last edited:
Game over until the full size xdmi analog card...Finally installed the XDMI Analog DAC card on the Olympus-I/O on Thursday.
I’ve been in a virtual heaven listening to the Olympus-I/O XDMI digital (AES) break-in over the last three weeks, but especially the last week.
It’s been a delightful progression of musical engagement above any past system configurations I’ve ever heard before in my room.
On Thursday, I felt that the performance of the XDMI digital card had stabilized sufficiently to try the XDMI analog card.
After a number of self-inflicted unforced errors (including blown fuses and incorrect cable connections), I was finally able to get music through the XDMI analog card on Friday evening - due in no short measure to the patient, timely, and expert help of the usual suspects at Taiko.
Thank you kindly Gents!
However, what became immediately and abundantly clear after just a couple of hours of listening was that the XDMI analog card performance exceeded the XDMI digital card in no uncertain terms.
And what’s become clearer now, after just a little over 36 hours of break-in, that rather than being in heaven as I thought when listening to the digital XDMI card, that I was just in the lower basement - about to ascend in the opposite direction of Dante’s nine circles of hell.
Every few hours, the performance leaps forward.
All along, Emile has been modest and downplayed the expectations of the XDMI Analog DAC.
After less than 48 hours, and given previous reports that the XDMI analog card would take weeks to stabilize, I can only imagine where the performance will end up.
Emile and the Taiko team have pulled a lion out of their collective hat!
Bottom line, all that’s need now is a couple of more inputs to the XDMI DAC for flexibility, the potential addition of XLR outputs, and which when combined with I’m sure a couple of additional treats up Emile’s sleeve - and it’s GAME OVER!
Well at least for Steve Z, myself, and a couple of other crazies!
I wrote about this in my long write up, but the amazing thing to me is that even with a very vanilla DAC on the v1 XDMI analog card, XDMI is already a giant killer.
We’re only in the gentle foothills of Mt Olympus today, and already way beyond all the mountains that surround us. Incredible.
Olympus + BPS + XDMI is by far and away the most revealing DAC research and development environment in the world, whether for existing DAC topologies or future to be invented ones.
Where next generation DAC R&D is going with XDMI is the most exciting thing in audio for me since the CD 40 years ago.
We’re only in the gentle foothills of Mt Olympus today, and already way beyond all the mountains that surround us. Incredible.
Olympus + BPS + XDMI is by far and away the most revealing DAC research and development environment in the world, whether for existing DAC topologies or future to be invented ones.
Where next generation DAC R&D is going with XDMI is the most exciting thing in audio for me since the CD 40 years ago.
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Well now I'm really looking forward to hearing the analogue card in my system and truly hope I can still put together the much awaited visit from Emile
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Carlos, what DAC are you usingFinally installed the XDMI Analog DAC card on the Olympus-I/O on Thursday.
I’ve been in a virtual heaven listening to the Olympus-I/O XDMI digital (AES) break-in over the last three weeks, but especially the last week.
It’s been a delightful progression of musical engagement above any past system configurations I’ve ever heard before in my room.
On Thursday, I felt that the performance of the XDMI digital card had stabilized sufficiently to try the XDMI analog card.
After a number of self-inflicted unforced errors (including blown fuses and incorrect cable connections), I was finally able to get music through the XDMI analog card on Friday evening - due in no short measure to the patient, timely, and expert help of the usual suspects at Taiko.
Thank you kindly Gents!
However, what became immediately and abundantly clear after just a couple of hours of listening was that the XDMI analog card performance exceeded the XDMI digital card in no uncertain terms.
And what’s become clearer now, after just a little over 36 hours of break-in, that rather than being in heaven as I thought when listening to the digital XDMI card, that I was just in the lower basement - about to ascend in the opposite direction of Dante’s nine circles of hell.
Every few hours, the performance leaps forward.
All along, Emile has been modest and downplayed the expectations of the XDMI Analog DAC.
After less than 48 hours, and given previous reports that the XDMI analog card would take weeks to stabilize, I can only imagine where the performance will end up.
Emile and the Taiko team have pulled a lion out of their collective hat!
Bottom line, all that’s need now is a couple of more inputs to the XDMI DAC for flexibility, the potential addition of XLR outputs, and which when combined with I’m sure a couple of additional treats up Emile’s sleeve - and it’s GAME OVER!
Well at least for Steve Z, myself, and a couple of other crazies!
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Im interested that 100% of XDMI AES/EBU users seem to favor the analogue board. I made the comment a few days ago that Im still sensing that all Lampi and likely all MSB users will favor the digital board and AES users will prefer the analogue.
Very enlightening indeed. I had been waiting for someone with a top of the range Total DAC system to give their opinion on the comparison with the XDMI analog card, ever since Vincent claimed that their handling of the AES/EBU interface was so extraordinary that he saw no reason to implement an XDMI receiver in his DACs. And that without having done a single test to verify it. Well it seems that no matter how many reclockers you put in the path of a signal with limitations such as AES/EBU………….Finally installed the XDMI Analog DAC card on the Olympus-I/O on Thursday.
I’ve been in a virtual heaven listening to the Olympus-I/O XDMI digital (AES) break-in over the last three weeks, but especially the last week.
It’s been a delightful progression of musical engagement above any past system configurations I’ve ever heard before in my room.
On Thursday, I felt that the performance of the XDMI digital card had stabilized sufficiently to try the XDMI analog card.
After a number of self-inflicted unforced errors (including blown fuses and incorrect cable connections), I was finally able to get music through the XDMI analog card on Friday evening - due in no short measure to the patient, timely, and expert help of the usual suspects at Taiko.
Thank you kindly Gents!
However, what became immediately and abundantly clear after just a couple of hours of listening was that the XDMI analog card performance exceeded the XDMI digital card in no uncertain terms.
And what’s become clearer now, after just a little over 36 hours of break-in, that rather than being in heaven as I thought when listening to the digital XDMI card, that I was just in the lower basement - about to ascend in the opposite direction of Dante’s nine circles of hell.
Every few hours, the performance leaps forward.
All along, Emile has been modest and downplayed the expectations of the XDMI Analog DAC.
After less than 48 hours, and given previous reports that the XDMI analog card would take weeks to stabilize, I can only imagine where the performance will end up.
Emile and the Taiko team have pulled a lion out of their collective hat!
Bottom line, all that’s need now is a couple of more inputs to the XDMI DAC for flexibility, the potential addition of XLR outputs, and which when combined with I’m sure a couple of additional treats up Emile’s sleeve - and it’s GAME OVER!
Well at least for Steve Z, myself, and a couple of other crazies!
Hi nonesup,
Just a quick note of clarification that a final comparison between the XDMI digital and XDMI analog cards will be done in late January when my favorite speaker whisperer will be visiting to optimize the system/speaker setup for each card. And then lending his ear to the final comparison.
Having seen it myself in person how small, even minute, changes in speaker positioning can affect a system’s sound quality significantly, I’m a firm believer in the critical importance of optimizing a system/speaker setup to fully get the maximum performance from set of components in a given room - and to conduct a fair comparison between components.
It should be fun.
I wanted to note that the visit will also involve setting up my “Kodo the Beat” turntable
- which will provide an interesting and additional comparison/reference point.
has anyone implemented an I/O with an extreme?
it seems like no one here has gone that route, unless i've missed it.
it seems like no one here has gone that route, unless i've missed it.
I don't think so Marty, too few out into the wild...Mark @MarkusBarkus was going for that approach but changed the order to an Olympus...Unless someone in Europe took that route?
Similar threads
- Sticky
 | Steve Williams Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator |  | Ron Resnick Site Owner | Administrator |  | Julian (The Fixer) Website Build | Marketing Managersing |