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".

 

@Taiko Audio

Hi Emile,

After reading your reply and looking at the Olympus prototype chassis images and photos, I can't help thinking that the stackable design is a brilliant idea. It leaves the door open for further additions.

It would be nice if, in addition to the DAC, there was an output stage capable of driving a power amplifier.

Is the addition of a preamp something you've thought about?

Cheers,

Thomas

Hi Thomas,

Yes we have, it's very similar to designing a headphone amplifier module, aka if you design one you already have the other. The main challenge would be how to handle volume control. A more direct approach would be in hardware, over Bluetooth, which would be my preference as I prefer having a physical remote control, but then again a device like that could also drive a software based volume control.

 

I'm one of those Chord DAVE/PGGB users and I will be ordering an Olympus XDMI so you can bet that my 16fs PGGB files will be getting a workout with XDMI and XDMS/NMS. And of course I will be comparing them to non-PGGB files.

I haven't actually asked Taiko to install XDMS yet but that will soon change. So I currently don't have any nagging feelings about PGGB files. They are unambiguously better than the same files in any other format, whether played on my ARC6 DC4 powered Chord DAVE or my dCS Bartok. Much better.

We are entering a brave new world with Olympus XDMI and I am keeping an open mind to all possibilities.

Regardless of file format / sample rate I think you'll be impressed with XDMS / NSM. A brave new world indeed.

 

A more direct approach would be in hardware, over Bluetooth, which would be my preference as I prefer having a physical remote control, but then again a device like that could also drive a software based volume control.

The volume controller is indeed the tricky part.

I don't know which is the trickiest to design? An analogue volume controller which is as transparent as possible and which does not distort the signal, or a digital volume controller?

I guess the analogue one isn't a straightforward thing at all. As for the digital version, there's obviously Leedh Processing, which seems to be a good direction to take. But here too, good implementation requires creativity and skill. Which Taiko Audio has plenty of.

I bet you guys are havin' a lot of fun!

 

The volume controller is indeed the tricky part.

I don't know which is the trickiest to design? An analogue volume controller which is as transparent as possible and which does not distort the signal, or a digital volume controller?

I guess the analogue one isn't a straightforward thing at all. As for the digital version, there's obviously Leedh Processing, which seems to be a good direction to take. But here too, good implementation requires creativity and skill. Which Taiko Audio has plenty of.

I bet you guys are havin' a lot of fun!

Never a dull moment in Oldenzaal

 

This guy just bought an Olympus

No, that's just a guy who finished reading this thread.

This is the guy who just bought an Olympus and wound up in the ICU because he required resuscitation after he heard it.

 

Semi correct, yes we will supply both analog and digital outputs, but you can only use one at a time. They are however very easy to exchange.

The supply of these two output options is such a user friendly policy. If you have one DAC and it needs to go out for repair or upgrades, Olympus owners have a terrific backup plan with the analog out.

 

Hi Emile,

Is there any benefit to grounding the Olympus? Will it have a ground post?

Thanks.

 

I’ve done the same, although I chose I/O XDMI and I’m going to upgrade my storage cards to current technology as well as more memory

I joined this Taiko journey when Emile announced several years ago after the fateful Roon update. He said he has decided to do something better where the only factor was a no compromise all out where SQ was paramount. He hasn’t disappointed although some might say there have been delays. Certainly BPS is one of them BUT Emile was at the mercy of transporting all of these batteries by boat as they could not be transported by plane In that lengthy interim he used time to design an even better product with the promise of the biggest SQ uptick to date. After wrapping my head around NSM this past week or so which was the second biggest uptick it’s difficult to understand how this could get that much better. Emile , for what I seek ( the best SQ) has always been dead on. I know too little about servers, networking etc to try to out think him. I read this thread as well as the Taiko info threads regularly and I know there a lot of smart Extreme users. I’ve learned a lot. However as I guoted the old E F Hutton commercial many times, “ when Emile talks people listen”

I understand the efficacy of an internal DAC but I love mine and prefer to keep it BUT. XDMI is part of where I’m headed as I truly feel that for me this is ‘end game’

What speaks volumes to me is that XDMI does not sound digital or analogue but has the best of both wrapped up in XDMI

I still encourages XDMS alpha users who haven’t updated to NSM to. do it. I really believe that if one has NSM but sits the fence on BPS and never hears it ( few have) they will be eternally happy. BUT if you look at % improvement with Olympus and BPS and knowing Emile as always true to his promises, and me seeking end game, I too have gone all in.

It is my hope that both the Extreme and the new Option 4 will be heard at my house when Emile is comfortable with flying half way around the world to do this. But he is and the number of people wanting to attend seems now to be between 49-50

once a date is known I will post it here and ask to reply by private message to me

Kudos Emile to Taiko and your great team which continues to grow



my hope is this is the end of the journey

According to the email received from Taiko, the updates to NSMe are currently paralyzed.

 

According to the email received from Taiko, the updates to NSMe are currently paralyzed.

@EuroDriver is posting an update in the XDMS thread soon.

 

Hi Emile,

Is there any benefit to grounding the Olympus? Will it have a ground post?

Thanks.

Both a ground post and a ground lift.

 

According to the email received from Taiko, the updates to NSMe are currently paralyzed.

There is patch for NSM. Streaming Qobuz now with ZERO ISSUES. Ed did the patch today.

 

NSM updated (thank you Ed!!). Hope to meet someday and treat you to a few beers. Thanks to the team for identifying the solution so quickly.

Qobuz working flawlessly. The two hi res tracks that previously skipped for me are playing perfectly. And they sound outstanding, makes me forget about all the Olympus decisions. Same volume level as pre patch.

Fwiw, and my needs are simple, this has been the only time I have had a hiccup/not been able to stream since switching over to TAS, then XDMS a few years ago now.

 

I guess the question that everyone planning to use XDMI with their own external DAC is how much better is XDMI to XDMI connection than XDMI to AES/EBU. I’m sure all of us enjoy the full performance of our DACs so to give up native and max out at 24/192 is a stong factor. Yet having said that you have made comments to the effect that the sound is non fatiguing and much bette than USB That plus the fact that listening to NSM is so good that format just didn’t matter as they all sounded alike and so good. Hence my decision to pass on my beloved Taiko USB board and go with Emile‘s advice of XDMI to AES/EBU.

You had mentioned that down sampling the larger files and DSD sounds better. Yet all of us are hoping our DAC manufacturers come on board so that we get all formats with XDMI to XDMI connection. How much better is the sound when listened this way Emile

And remember there is not a lot originally recorded in above 24/192.
higher frequencies are simply often made of resampling the original 24/192

Higher frequencies also mean much more working power, power use and noise. Some like it I don't.

I personally was hapier with lower frequencies most of the time as they always sounded more natural and emotional.

 

This should help explaining it better:

View attachment 121848

View attachment 121849

View attachment 121850

I meant to reply to this earlier -- that is a seriously cool design. And one serious hunk of milled copper.

Kudos!

Steve Z

 

Yes!

thanks so much for your affirmative reply, Emile!

 

All we have now is XDMI analogue out, XDMI AES/EBU - SPDIF and USB. We can only extrapolate from directly comparing the differences between these 3 options.

I’m a little confused by the output arrangements with XDMI. For my personal requirements, I would like to utilise all three of the above without having to physically touch anything - will this be possible with Olympus? And will it require 3 boards be installed - 2 XDMI and 1 for USB?

 

I’m a little confused by the output arrangements with XDMI. For my personal requirements, I would like to utilise all three of the above without having to physically touch anything - will this be possible with Olympus? And will it require 3 boards be installed - 2 XDMI and 1 for USB?

You can have:

1) USB + SPDIF + AES/EBU as 3 operational outputs
2) USB + analogue out as 2 operational outputs

You can switch between those 2 options but that requires swapping an XDMI output module.

Then I guess we can think up something that allows more simultaneous outputs but that will either be very expensive or significantly compromise performance.

 

You can have:

1) USB + SPDIF + AES/EBU as 3 operational outputs
2) USB + analogue out as 2 operational outputs

You can switch between those 2 options but that requires swapping an XDMI output module.

Then I guess we can think up something that allows more simultaneous outputs but that will either be very expensive or significantly compromise performance.

Understood, thank you. I did think that my ‘cake and eat it’ wish would require swapping boards. Option 1) then for me.

 

Understood, thank you. I did think that my ‘cake and eat it’ wish would require swapping boards. Option 1) then for me.

It would actually be possible to design an output module with both analogue and spdif/aes outputs but there would need to be some interest for that, aka more then a handful, as it would be cost prohibitive to do for a small batch of boards.

 

Just a quick general order processing announcement, we are securing your order position upon first enquiry, so there is no need to worry about your position in the order queue. We are officially confirming your order as soon as possible but things are a bit hectic at Taiko HQ processing all incoming enquiries/questions in parallel to NSM + OS update / installation requests.