The analog card indeed is already quite good but the aes out to the totaldac dac sound more close to my preferred sound in terms of moody, charming, sound stage, details… of all aspect. I think it is more matching my dream sound, so a bit personal preference.
Introducing Olympus & Olympus I/O - A new perspective on modern music playback
- Thread starter Taiko Audio
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Based on my experience (and many others), you can't really judge the sound of the analog card until it has been playing for at least 3 weeks and then it will still be changing for another month or more.
Yes, maybe you are right. However, after using the analog card for around 3 months, I found myself have a preference on the AES digital out setup to my DAC. Actually Hifi itself is indeed a personal preference issues. So it is my subjective preference as what I said in my previous thread. Hope u can also enjoy your setup. Thank you.
I didn't realize you have already put 3 months on the card. You can surely assess the sound characteristics at that point.
I used mine for about 2 months but ended up going back to my Lampizator Horizon.
I’m getting my server out of the box this weekend, and will be running-in the analog card as it’ll be my primary digital source. My thoughts are… this is Emile’s first pass at a DAC and by all accounts is already quite good. I expect as the server backlog finally is resolved Emile will be back to his creative self obsessed with making a second generation analog card that’ll smoke v1.
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It's really great to see that the product stream is flowing better now. The Olympus + I/O is worth waiting for, and I hope the backlog is virtually delivered.
I'm rolling with the analog out V1 now, playing since March, and really enjoying it! @Taiko Audio, any status update on a V2 analog out?
I'm rolling with the analog out V1 now, playing since March, and really enjoying it! @Taiko Audio, any status update on a V2 analog out?
Black coated:
All remaining black coated orders are expected to be completed by the end of November, including recently placed ones from the past couple of months. Taiko has already emailed a schedule for these, and production remains on track to meet that timeline. Once those are completed, black coated units will be in stock.
Black anodized:
There are only a few remaining black anodized orders, which are currently with the anodizer awaiting placement in their production schedule.
Silver anodized:
Silver anodizing continues to be unpredictable and challenging. The queue isn’t very large, but these clients have been waiting the longest. I plan to create a dedicated email group for all remaining clients and dealers with outstanding silver orders to provide full transparency into the queue and what’s happening behind the scenes. I will set this up next week.
Everyone at Taiko is working extremely hard to complete the current backlog. It wouldn’t be fair to those still waiting for their orders if development efforts shifted toward new products right now. Once the black queue is completed next month, development work is expected to pick up significantly.
As some of you know I have been playing around with isolation now for several months. It seems longer! Vassil @nenon asked if I wanted to try HiFiStay Absolute Points. I first put a quad under the Olympus and liked what I heard a lot. Then the 360 kept crying out, me too! Vassil sent me another quad that I placed under the chassis of the 360, 05:30 this morning. I wanted them in place as I had several errands to run first thing and wanted them in place when I returned from civilization.
With the combination under the both the Olympus and the 360 I'm pretty amazed at what they do/contribute. If I were to encapsulate the contribution I would say more instrumental articulation, background musical information is more precise/vibrant and overall presentation is quieter...
With the combination under the both the Olympus and the 360 I'm pretty amazed at what they do/contribute. If I were to encapsulate the contribution I would say more instrumental articulation, background musical information is more precise/vibrant and overall presentation is quieter...
On the topic of isolation, the Olympus has been so enjoyable that, in true audiophile fashion, I started to look for ways to make it sound better.
When I first bought the Taiko network stack 2 – 3 years ago, I put them on a large Daiza. When I reported an increase in sibilance, Emile said that the Daiza platforms don’t perform well with heavy copper so I “temporarily” (for over two years) put the stack on a Butcher Block Audio platform with Gaia feet and Iso Acoustic Orea Copper couplers under the units. This helped, but it still wasn’t ideal. I've long intended to work on this. Hearing the brilliant IO finally inspired me.
Maybe it’s because changes are amplified early in the chain, or the heavy billet construction, or maybe it’s just me, but I've found platform changes to the stack have a profound effect
When I started the process, the networking devices were on the top shelf of a Butcher Block Acoustics rack. Somehow, between changing the isolation feet and re-seating the IO on the bottom shelf, all three networking units fell off the top shelf onto the top of the IO. Thanks to its tank-like construction, the IO suffered only cosmetic damage. My emotional damage, however, was nearly fatal. Unfortunately, the DCD lost the inner post of one of the two default inputs. So, while Vassil and I figure out our repair options, keep in mind that these tests were done with the switch in alt 1 of the DCD and the router in alt 2. I found this configuration to be the closest in sonic signature to using both default inputs. For what it’s worth, the sonic signature of the switch is slightly more dominant than the router, meaning the sound characteristics lean slightly towards whichever alt input the switch was using. I also needed to substitute a Ghent Audio DC cable for the Taiko cable because the post was stuck in the connector.
After this fiasco, I decided to put the network assembly on a lower shelf on top of a slate slab. The PSU, Eero router, and NAS remained on the top shelf on a Daiza platform.
Using the stock copper feet on the slate resulted in immediate improvement over the units on a Butcher Block (with or without Orea). Sibilance reduced and there was greater clarity.
Based upon Christiaan’s article on the same topic, and other posts in the forum, I purchased 4 each of used Ansuz T2S and T2 footers, three HRS Nimbus assemblies, and a set of HRS Vortex feet. (I have yet to receive the Vortex feet and will follow up when I do.)
Initially, I placed three of the T2S feet under just the router. I was actually disappointed. The presentation was sharper and somewhat tighter, but there was an annoying edge to the vocals. Almost like bad reverb. I then placed the T2 feet under the router. The vocal edge was gone, but the sound was softer. Maybe even a little flabby? And while different, I wasn’t sure if the sound was any better than placing the feet directly on slate.
Perplexed, I decided to see what happened if I placed the feet under multiple units. I mixed the H2 and H2S together, placing 1 H2 and 2 H2S under the router and switch and three Nimbus under the DCD. The sound was much improved, better than copper feet on the slate alone, but there was a bass overhang. I assumed that it was because of the Nimbus, which isn’t designed for billet items like the DCD (that’s what the Vortex are supposedly for.) Plus, the three Nimbus assemblies were too large for the smallish DCD. So I switched the Nimbus under the DCD to three Orea Copper. The improvement was very good. There was a clarity without harshness, good resolution and improved separation.
I had three unused Nimbus assemblies. They’re designed for components with traditional cases, so I decided to place the three of them under the Mojo Audio Illuminati III PSU. Wow!
In total, there is improved clarity, coherence and realism. I keep on sneaking down to the listening room just to listen to a track.
Because of the avalanche, I decided to bite the bullet and finally purchase an SRA Craz. The Butcher Block rack had served it’s purpose and, perhaps unfairly, I blame it for the crashing copper network devices. The Craz should arrive in about 6 weeks. I’m also still waiting for the HRS Vortex feet. I’ll report again after those are received and set-up.
Then, once the dust settles on all of this, I’ll audition the HifiStay feet under the Olympus and IO. There’s always something.
When I first bought the Taiko network stack 2 – 3 years ago, I put them on a large Daiza. When I reported an increase in sibilance, Emile said that the Daiza platforms don’t perform well with heavy copper so I “temporarily” (for over two years) put the stack on a Butcher Block Audio platform with Gaia feet and Iso Acoustic Orea Copper couplers under the units. This helped, but it still wasn’t ideal. I've long intended to work on this. Hearing the brilliant IO finally inspired me.
Maybe it’s because changes are amplified early in the chain, or the heavy billet construction, or maybe it’s just me, but I've found platform changes to the stack have a profound effect
When I started the process, the networking devices were on the top shelf of a Butcher Block Acoustics rack. Somehow, between changing the isolation feet and re-seating the IO on the bottom shelf, all three networking units fell off the top shelf onto the top of the IO. Thanks to its tank-like construction, the IO suffered only cosmetic damage. My emotional damage, however, was nearly fatal. Unfortunately, the DCD lost the inner post of one of the two default inputs. So, while Vassil and I figure out our repair options, keep in mind that these tests were done with the switch in alt 1 of the DCD and the router in alt 2. I found this configuration to be the closest in sonic signature to using both default inputs. For what it’s worth, the sonic signature of the switch is slightly more dominant than the router, meaning the sound characteristics lean slightly towards whichever alt input the switch was using. I also needed to substitute a Ghent Audio DC cable for the Taiko cable because the post was stuck in the connector.
After this fiasco, I decided to put the network assembly on a lower shelf on top of a slate slab. The PSU, Eero router, and NAS remained on the top shelf on a Daiza platform.
Using the stock copper feet on the slate resulted in immediate improvement over the units on a Butcher Block (with or without Orea). Sibilance reduced and there was greater clarity.
Based upon Christiaan’s article on the same topic, and other posts in the forum, I purchased 4 each of used Ansuz T2S and T2 footers, three HRS Nimbus assemblies, and a set of HRS Vortex feet. (I have yet to receive the Vortex feet and will follow up when I do.)
Initially, I placed three of the T2S feet under just the router. I was actually disappointed. The presentation was sharper and somewhat tighter, but there was an annoying edge to the vocals. Almost like bad reverb. I then placed the T2 feet under the router. The vocal edge was gone, but the sound was softer. Maybe even a little flabby? And while different, I wasn’t sure if the sound was any better than placing the feet directly on slate.
Perplexed, I decided to see what happened if I placed the feet under multiple units. I mixed the H2 and H2S together, placing 1 H2 and 2 H2S under the router and switch and three Nimbus under the DCD. The sound was much improved, better than copper feet on the slate alone, but there was a bass overhang. I assumed that it was because of the Nimbus, which isn’t designed for billet items like the DCD (that’s what the Vortex are supposedly for.) Plus, the three Nimbus assemblies were too large for the smallish DCD. So I switched the Nimbus under the DCD to three Orea Copper. The improvement was very good. There was a clarity without harshness, good resolution and improved separation.
I had three unused Nimbus assemblies. They’re designed for components with traditional cases, so I decided to place the three of them under the Mojo Audio Illuminati III PSU. Wow!
In total, there is improved clarity, coherence and realism. I keep on sneaking down to the listening room just to listen to a track.
Because of the avalanche, I decided to bite the bullet and finally purchase an SRA Craz. The Butcher Block rack had served it’s purpose and, perhaps unfairly, I blame it for the crashing copper network devices. The Craz should arrive in about 6 weeks. I’m also still waiting for the HRS Vortex feet. I’ll report again after those are received and set-up.
Then, once the dust settles on all of this, I’ll audition the HifiStay feet under the Olympus and IO. There’s always something.
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thank you for this report. very interesting. absolutely want to hear your vortex and hifi stay comps.
i am glad it seems u are overcoming the ‘emotional damage…near fatal’ of the network stack falling on the I/O. o. m. g. can only imagine! ughhhh. i have nightmares about such things, including my pup getting so jealous of the olympus on the bottom shelf he chooses to mark it. bc he knows how much i am captivated and gets a bit sensitive.
seriously, hang in there and know you are in good hands. stay safe, work in pairs (msg to myself) and enjoy
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Christiaan Punter
Well-Known Member
Thank you for sharing this interesting report! It clearly illustrates how the effect of footers can vary significantly across systems. I understand how the Ansuz T2 can sound staccato, dry, or edgy in some setups; however, in my system, they do not exhibit those qualities. However, they are, by a considerable margin, the most crisp and precise model among all the Darkz footers I have tried.
It's worth noting that most of their other models, especially those in the latest lineup, tend to sound fuller, richer, and more relaxed. The T3W may be a better choice when the T2 sounds too harsh or edgy.
In my system, the HRS Nimbus and Vortex footers provide a different sonic balance to the Darkz: smooth, free-flowing, and friendly. I preferred the Vortex footers over the Nimbus for their increased incisiveness and expression. I don't find them harsh or edgy at all, but as always, YMMV. In any case, I'll be interested in reading the results!
I haven't had the chance to hear the HiFiStay racks or Absolute Points yet, but I'm definitely interested in trying them.
Thanks for the insight, Christiaan. For clarity, It was the T2S that was so sharp. The T2, wasn't. I found combining the two 2 T2S to one T2 to provide excellent results. Also, I was using a slate slab. Things might change with the Craz. Given the opportunity, I'll try the T3W. I'll follow-up after I receive the Vortex. Although, those are supposedly designed to work with an HRS platform, which I don't have.
Christiaan Punter
Well-Known Member
Hi Joet, that's all the more interesting, as I found the T2S to be sweeter than the T2, no matter what audio component I tried them under. In my experience, Marble, Granite, cement, and other stone materials I tried exhibit the hardness and sharpness you described. The combination with the Darkz may have been just too much of a push in the same direction. Indeed, HRS footers are designed explicitly for HRS platforms, but I find they retain much of their signature when used with other underlayment materials. I used them on the HRS EXR racks. Looking forward to reading more of your experiences.
I think you're right about the slate slab. Eventually I'll try the feet with a Daiza, and directly on the shelf to see what happens. The T2, T2S, Orea, Nimbus combination sounds pretty great right now. I was shocked how much the Nimbus under the PSU helped.
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