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

[nonesup]

The fact that a €1000 sound card has that kind of sound shows how good XDMI is. For that price, the sound is amazing. On another note, it's been a while since I've asked about the development progress of the XDMI card for the Aries Cerat. Now I'm looking forward to having fun with my Commander; it shipped from the seller in the Netherlands on Tuesday, and the DHL tracking website says it's in Madrid. Praying I don't have the same problems as with ZB.

 

[John T]

Speaking of FEDEX!! About 2 minutes ago. Very rural setting, 1 mile gravel road back to my house through a forest. I do have a more than adequate turn around if you are able to drive. Here comes Fedex, I'm not expecting a delivery but okay. Driver a male, I happen to be loading up the wood boiler. I finally ground guide him to back up to the turnaround and he asks is this 5504 I say NO. Its 5602. He says but GPS told me here. LOL! GPS doesn't work well out here. I'm like dude, here's a tip if you get confused which clearly you are, LOOK AT THE MAILBOX and most all have NUMBERS on them, that indicates the home with the correct number! Doomed...

 

[2ndLiner]

Speaking of FEDEX!! About 2 minutes ago. Very rural setting, 1 mile gravel road back to my house through a forest. I do have a more than adequate turn around if you are able to drive. Here comes Fedex, I'm not expecting a delivery but okay. Driver a male, I happen to be loading up the wood boiler. I finally ground guide him to back up to the turnaround and he asks is this 5504 I say NO. Its 5602. He says but GPS told me here. LOL! GPS doesn't work well out here. I'm like dude, here's a tip if you get confused which clearly you are, LOOK AT THE MAILBOX and most all have NUMBERS on them, that indicates the home with the correct number! Doomed...

Hey John! Sounds like at out take from the movie, "Idiocracy."

 

[John T]

Hey John! Sounds like at out take from the movie, "Idiocracy."

Exactly Michael. No savvy. I'm far from being a Rhodes Scholar but the more I witness, the closer I get to Mensa Status!

 

[ray-dude]

Fortunately the Olympus flight case is rock solid.

At least it is when the foam padding is installed on the inside (don't ask)

 

[nenon]

Capital Audiofest 2025

Room #806

 

[nonesup]

Wow, Two Olympus and one I/O. Is this for comparing quickly Olympus and Olympus + I/O ?

 

[nenon]

Capital Audiofest 2025

Another Olympus and I/O:
20/20 Evolution Systems @ the Monroe Room

 

[nenon]

Capital Audiofest 2025

Another Olympus in a (as always) beautiful room by
Scott Walker Audio @ room 855

 

[fbhifi]

Capital Audiofest 2025

Room #806
View attachment 161438

View attachment 161439
View attachment 161440

Glad Taiko is well represented. A tad over speakered for that room, IMO.

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

The experience after unpacking and setting it up on my table has been smooth, plugged the power, network and analog out into my amp, setup Roon and music played, no issues mounting my network share in roon either. I have left it playing pink noise in a loop from my network share. Will give it a listen in two weeks.

 

[Jpowell]

Wow, Two Olympus and one I/O. Is this for comparing quickly Olympus and Olympus + I/O ?

Vassil can correct me if I’m wrong, but apparently the second O is being used purely for its batteries.

 

[marty]

Wow, Two Olympus and one I/O. Is this for comparing quickly Olympus and Olympus + I/O ?

I had the same question.

 

[nenon]

Wow, Two Olympus and one I/O. Is this for comparing quickly Olympus and Olympus + I/O ?

Only the top Olympus is playing - you can tell by the middle light being on, which means it’s powered on. I had some ideas to experiment with a few things and do some demos and A/B comparisons, but it turned out to be much more difficult than I hoped.

 

[Koegz]

At least, in my case I think they got the harmonization part right, except they asked me to self-declare for hazardous material. They first asked what it was made of, and I made of the mistake of saying it was made of aluminum and copper. I could hear the wheels turning in the other persons head, and they said aluminum import had different rules and tariff. I immediately stopped them and said, it is just a computer but runs on batteries like laptops, just a lot bigger and heavier, and does not have a screen or keyboard!

I was advised to remove my payment information from FedEx so that they don't just charge me some exorbitant tariff that I have to fight later. Interestingly they did not send me a bill for tariff if any (yet).

It looks like it is a complete crap shoot, and each person's experience is their own!

I didn’t get charged a tariff at delivery. It was a few months later, $3800. Went through customs
April 5th. I recently started a challenge and canceled. Worried they would come up with a higher charge. Hoping court does it’s Job for once.

 

[wil]

I didn’t get charged a tariff at delivery. It was a few months later, $3800. Went through customs
April 5th. I recently started a challenge and canceled. Worried they would come up with a higher charge. Hoping court does it’s Job for once.

Court? What court?

What is the specific reason they are giving for the high tariff charge?

 

[Whbgarrett]

Court? What court?

What is the specific reason they are giving for the high tariff charge?

SCOTUS

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Court? What court?

What is the specific reason they are giving for the high tariff charge?

I think all imports from Europe are now a default 15% tariff unless they are in the exclusions list. I believe computers were on the exclusion list at some point then they were back on the tariff list, who knows what they are now!

 

[jbrrp1]

Actually, there's quite a bit of variation, and you need to have the specific HTS code. I just researched what I would face were I to bring a Lampi Aphrodite over to the US, and it appears to be only 4.9% for the Code 8518.50.8000 (electric sound amplifier, other). Country of Origin: Poland.

 

[nenon]

Actually, there's quite a bit of variation, and you need to have the specific HTS code. I just researched what I would face were I to bring a Lampi Aphrodite over to the US, and it appears to be only 4.9% for the Code 8518.50.8000 (electric sound amplifier, other). Country of Origin: Poland.

What would the duty come out to for HS code 8543.70.9100, based on your research?
Everything I’ve found shows that this code normally carries a 0% duty, but when I’ve imported items under it, U.S. Customs has added a second HS code — 9903.02.20 in my case — which applies an additional 15% duty to most EU-origin goods.

So even though the primary HTS rate is zero, that additional code still results in a 15% duty being charged. Here is a screenshot of what the invoice looks like in the end:


So don’t be misled by the primary HS code alone — in practice, you should expect an additional code like 9903.02.20 to be applied. As far as I understand it, most (if not all) items coming from the EU end up with that 15% tariff regardless of what the base HS code shows.

Disclaimer: I’m not a customs broker, and this isn’t legal or professional advice — just sharing what I’ve personally observed.