R&D Update #4 - The Taiko Network Switch and NIC
The Taiko network switch and NIC finally arrived to my home last week and I have spent the past 5 days breaking it in. I thought I'd share my experience here. Photos don't do them justice. They are works of art:
A trusted colleague suggested there could be issues with the Taiko switch and a QSA network. His words:
"The taiko switch is orthogonal to the QSA lan"
Unfortunately they fight each other when in series
With extreme, need to pick one path or the other"
Having gone down the QSA rabbit hole so deeply already, it was perhaps one reason I hesitated to bring in the Taiko switch right away. Prior to inserting the Taiko switch and NIC into the chain, I decided to remove all QSA LAN cabling and DC cabling. I figured this is how most people would experience the Taiko switch. As one might imagine, there was a pretty significant and painful collapse.
Day 1 - Insertion of the Taiko switch and NIC into a non-QSA network. Even using the cheap SMPS that comes with it, the impact was immediately obvious as it resurrected a collapsed network. Improved dynamics. Slam. Crisp and crunchy bass, just remarkable definition. Speed and liveliness. Everything the Extreme does so well was significantly enhanced. It's easily the finest and most impactful switch I have experienced. I decided to replace the stock SMPS with an Uptone Audio LPS-1.2. Dynamics didn't improve but noise floor and tonal saturation improved.
Day 2 - Emile reminded me to run the software script on the Extreme. It should result in "across the board improvements. The script sets parameters to work optimally with the switch's firmware. Traffic control," he said. I ran the script. Once again, just wow. Not subtle at all. I swapped the LPS-1.2 for a Paul Hynes SR4 and finally a SR7 each at 12V. There were tonal difference but once again, dynamics didn't change. Emile told me this switch has it's own internal GaN switching supply but running at very high frequencies making it more independent for basic characteristics like dynamics. Really clever, basically any PSU can be used and dynamics will be the same.
Day 3 - Reinserted QSA-treated DC cabling to Ubiquiti router and modem. These are the DC cables with Jaegers. Just like before, Ultimatum levels of improvement. Even better speed and slam. No issues with one fighting the other. No way these will ever be removed again. I then tried the DC cable extender on the LPS-1.2 powering the Taiko switch. Dynamics didn't improve but space, color saturation, and density did. The impact was greater than going from the SMPS to the SR7.
Day 4 - Replaced standard untreated BJC CAT6 UTP LAN cable between router and Taiko switch with QSA Gamma Infinity LAN cable. This was the area of controversy for some and so I was prepared not to like it, perhaps too much of a good thing. These things have a way of being system dependent but in my system, I loved what I heard. Excellent synergy and all the things I loved before with this QSA cable are there now.
Day 5 - Emile said to expect a fog to be lifted after 5 days. Hard to say that's the case since it all sounded so good from the get go but nothing but good things to say on day 5. I finally inserted a 5m long Q-L Gamma DAC cable to replace the stock 2m DAC cable that came with the switch. Just like with the QSA RJ45 LAN cable, once you hear this cable, it's hard to go back. Dynamics, bass control, clarity, density, refinement, they all improve.
Are there downsides? Just one. With RJ45 cabling, because I have the option of using LAN Jitters, I can tailor the sound. As before, I found the Horn LAN Jitter to be captivating in it's ability to produce a expansive and holographic
sound field as if I've added tubes to my system. For now, that is not possible with the DAC cable but the Taiko switch and NIC are incredible and a compatible match with QSA in my system.
The Taiko network switch and NIC finally arrived to my home last week and I have spent the past 5 days breaking it in. I thought I'd share my experience here. Photos don't do them justice. They are works of art:
A trusted colleague suggested there could be issues with the Taiko switch and a QSA network. His words:
"The taiko switch is orthogonal to the QSA lan"
Unfortunately they fight each other when in series
With extreme, need to pick one path or the other"
Having gone down the QSA rabbit hole so deeply already, it was perhaps one reason I hesitated to bring in the Taiko switch right away. Prior to inserting the Taiko switch and NIC into the chain, I decided to remove all QSA LAN cabling and DC cabling. I figured this is how most people would experience the Taiko switch. As one might imagine, there was a pretty significant and painful collapse.
Day 1 - Insertion of the Taiko switch and NIC into a non-QSA network. Even using the cheap SMPS that comes with it, the impact was immediately obvious as it resurrected a collapsed network. Improved dynamics. Slam. Crisp and crunchy bass, just remarkable definition. Speed and liveliness. Everything the Extreme does so well was significantly enhanced. It's easily the finest and most impactful switch I have experienced. I decided to replace the stock SMPS with an Uptone Audio LPS-1.2. Dynamics didn't improve but noise floor and tonal saturation improved.
Day 2 - Emile reminded me to run the software script on the Extreme. It should result in "across the board improvements. The script sets parameters to work optimally with the switch's firmware. Traffic control," he said. I ran the script. Once again, just wow. Not subtle at all. I swapped the LPS-1.2 for a Paul Hynes SR4 and finally a SR7 each at 12V. There were tonal difference but once again, dynamics didn't change. Emile told me this switch has it's own internal GaN switching supply but running at very high frequencies making it more independent for basic characteristics like dynamics. Really clever, basically any PSU can be used and dynamics will be the same.
Day 3 - Reinserted QSA-treated DC cabling to Ubiquiti router and modem. These are the DC cables with Jaegers. Just like before, Ultimatum levels of improvement. Even better speed and slam. No issues with one fighting the other. No way these will ever be removed again. I then tried the DC cable extender on the LPS-1.2 powering the Taiko switch. Dynamics didn't improve but space, color saturation, and density did. The impact was greater than going from the SMPS to the SR7.
Day 4 - Replaced standard untreated BJC CAT6 UTP LAN cable between router and Taiko switch with QSA Gamma Infinity LAN cable. This was the area of controversy for some and so I was prepared not to like it, perhaps too much of a good thing. These things have a way of being system dependent but in my system, I loved what I heard. Excellent synergy and all the things I loved before with this QSA cable are there now.
Day 5 - Emile said to expect a fog to be lifted after 5 days. Hard to say that's the case since it all sounded so good from the get go but nothing but good things to say on day 5. I finally inserted a 5m long Q-L Gamma DAC cable to replace the stock 2m DAC cable that came with the switch. Just like with the QSA RJ45 LAN cable, once you hear this cable, it's hard to go back. Dynamics, bass control, clarity, density, refinement, they all improve.
Are there downsides? Just one. With RJ45 cabling, because I have the option of using LAN Jitters, I can tailor the sound. As before, I found the Horn LAN Jitter to be captivating in it's ability to produce a expansive and holographic
sound field as if I've added tubes to my system. For now, that is not possible with the DAC cable but the Taiko switch and NIC are incredible and a compatible match with QSA in my system.
