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

[Malcng]

Very interesting. Is XDMI and USB output possible on O I/O, or does USB have to go?

 

[MusicFellow]

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Is it planned that the silver Olympus will be the same silver tone as that of the Extreme? … the one on the picture seems to be the raw just CNC‘ed version.

 

[Taiko Audio]

ok, so that definitely changes my upgrade path options as i had assumed that the xdmi card with daughter boards could start in the current extreme. this may move any possible upgrade for me out to 2025.

boy am i glad that NSM has reached a level that i can happily live with for a long time!

Not much to worry about on the Extreme's current performance and it will get even better with time, for free

 

[Taiko Audio]

Is it planned that the silver Olympus will be the same silver tone as that of the Extreme? … the one on the picture seems to be the raw just CNC‘ed version.

Yes the same, this is indeed raw aluminium, it still needs to be finished, bead blasted and anodised.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Very interesting. Is XDMI and USB output possible on O I/O, or does USB have to go?

You can exchange the two if so desired, but only one would be active at a time.

 

[Steve Williams]

For now that would be over AES/EBU, I2S will follow later, so that would mean you'd be stuck with a 24/192 maximum sample rate limitation for a while.

That would depend on how long "24/192 maximum sample rate limitation for a while." is . Is there also a limitation on DSD files.

Since NSM the format is truly meaningless as everything sounds so perfect BUT I have so many files that are higher format than 24/192

 

[Steve Williams]

You can exchange the two if so desired, but only one would be active at a time.

I like this.....so you can get the Olympus with the XDMI and still keep the USB card until you have found a solution for files more than 24/192 and once done you ca then give up the USB card

Is there a length limitation for i2s cables between the Olympus and the Horizon

 

[Taiko Audio]

That would depend on how long "24/192 maximum sample rate limitation for a while." is . Is there also a limitation on DSD files.

Since NSM the format is truly meaningless as everything sounds so perfect BUT I have so many files that are higher format than 24/192

AES/EBU does not support DSD.

 

[Taiko Audio]

I like this.....so you can get the Olympus with the XDMI and still keep the USB card until you have found a solution for files more than 24/192 and once done you ca then give up the USB card

Is there a length limitation for i2s cables between the Olympus and the Horizon

Yes but I severely doubt you'd be able to revert to USB when you have both, i2s is sensitive to cabling, shorter would definitely be better, it's sensitivity is the main reason for the existence of AES/EBU, but let's see what we can come up with, this is all peanuts relative to the XDMI design effort

 

[Steve Williams]

Yes but I severely doubt you'd be able to revert to USB when you have both, i2s is sensitive to cabling, shorter would definitely be better, it's sensitivity is the main reason for the existence of AES/EBU, but let's see what we can come up with, this is all peanuts relative to the XDMI design effort

so what would your recommendation be if I want to be able to play DSD and files greater than 24/192 until there is an XDMI solution for doing such...Keep the USB?

 

[RUIN*ish]

There is no power connection between the Extreme and Olympus I/O. When adding he Olympus I/O you replace the USB and Network cards in the Extreme with our QFSP interface cards. The USB and network cards move to the Olympus I/O.

So both the O and the I/O need power cords?

 

[nonesup]

Future applications we're completely open to working on, so is Lukasz, we've been in touch on that already. We have one full time engineer fully dedicated to designing more output options and/or work on integration into other manufacturer DACs. We've also been in touch with Stavros of Aries Cerat and Jonathan of MSB. These 3 we'll be working on first. We've also been in contact with Vincent of Totaldac and agreed that in this case AES/EBU would be the way to go so we don't need to take further action there. In more general terms Dual AES/EBU and various I2S output options are on the agenda.

I think that in the agreement with Vincent that in TotalDac the best way to go is AES/EBU, you can read “between the lines” quite well.
You really are a very thoughtful person Emile.

 

[Taiko Audio]

so what would your recommendation be if I want to be able to play DSD and files greater than 24/192 until there is an XDMI solution for doing such...Keep the USB?

Use the XDMI analogue outputs perhaps?

 

[Taiko Audio]

So both the O and the I/O need power cords?

Yes.

 

[Steve Williams]

Use the XDMI analogue outputs perhaps?

does that allow for DSD files up to DSD512 as well as files greater than 24/192

 

[Taiko Audio]

does that allow for DSD files up to DSD512 as well as files greater than 24/192

Yes, DSD512 and PCM 32/768.

 

[Steve Williams]

Yes, DSD512 and PCM up to 32/768.

so analogue out of Horizon into XDMI of the Olympus?

 

[dminches]

so analogue out of Horizon into XDMI of the Olympus?

No, bypass the Horizon!

 

[Steve Williams]

No, bypass the Horizon!

I have zero desire to do such

 

[Taiko Audio]

so analogue out of Horizon into XDMI of the Olympus?

That won't work but you can also use both USB and XDMI ofcourse, then it's a matter of switching outputs in your player app and inputs on the Horizon.