Taiko Audio Extreme Music Server

An additional note if you are going to attempt to try this, if you are going to power your NAS from the DC distributor, the powersupply feeding the DC distributor should be able to supply the necessary current. The Router + Switch draw about 600-700mA combined, if you connect a 12V / 2A NAS for example your LPS should be able to supply around 3A .. Also watch your voltage ofcourse, if you use a 15V powersupply for example your 12V NAS may not be happy about that.
 
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i was afraid you were going to say that, but i had to ask!
(assume you meant xdmi, not xdms?)
XDMI indeed! I am so used to typing XDMS that the last letter is too easy to mis-type:)
 
sounds good. maybe you could test the NAS+extreme as currently configured and with the extreme memory card(s) removed, which should dramatically lower the current draw?

Do note the drives only draw significant current when you are actively accessing them. When idle the current draw is actually very low at around 50mA each.
 
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Admittedly these results have been as much as a surprise to us as they may have been for you.

Although the Olympus design differs from the Extreme in many ways it’s possible this effect is caused by the Network card / DC distributor / Router / Switch combination. I have just never revisited the NAS versus local storage comparisons.

I plan to run some test with the Extreme myself but am unfortunately facing a significant to-do list.

Please do share your results if you are blessed with more time availability then I currently am and are willing to test this with the Extreme.

I plan on testing that this week as soon as I get the NAS. I will have to make up a cable to power the NAS from the DCD. The NAS is 12V and draws less than 2A. My power supply will have no issue with this total draw.
 
sounds good. maybe you could test the NAS+extreme as currently configured and with the extreme memory card(s) removed, which should dramatically lower the current draw?

I don’t plan on removing the Hyper boards with the m.2 cards. It may not be a complete test but it should provide some valuable information.
 
What NAS and drives is everyone looking at?
I need 24Tb of storage, 12v seems perfect.
Can't start too early to get ready for Olympus
 
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I plan on testing that this week as soon as I get the NAS. I will have to make up a cable to power the NAS from the DCD. The NAS is 12V and draws less than 2A. My power supply will have no issue with this total draw.

FYI - I found in the past when trying to use a Synology 4-drive NAS with an LPS, although the LPS was rated 'enough' theoretically [4A IIRC], it couldn't handle the initial start up draw and I had to use a more 'agricultural' solution that was rated at 10A. I didn't measure what it was actually drawing.

On a more positive note the system SQ did respond positively to the increased quality of the DC supply to the NAS (of course...), and I think the DCD filtering is exceptional (definitely better than anything I used in the past) so I'm sure that the overall approach will be beneficial.
 
FYI - I found in the past when trying to use a Synology 4-drive NAS with an LPS, although the LPS was rated 'enough' theoretically [4A IIRC], it couldn't handle the initial start up draw and I had to use a more 'agricultural' solution that was rated at 10A. I didn't measure what it was actually drawing.

On a more positive note the system SQ did respond positively to the increased quality of the DC supply to the NAS (of course...), and I think the DCD filtering is exceptional (definitely better than anything I used in the past) so I'm sure that the overall approach will be beneficial.

Good points. That's why I went with a 2 bay NAS since its reported wattage draw is much lower than the 4 bay.
 
There is no doubt in my mind that this important fact of using an NAS connected to the Taiko server results in sonic quality every bit as good as internal memory cards in the Olympus for a fraction of the price could be the answer. Im sure this has caught the attention of Taiko and Im hoping to hear that Taiko will bring forth meaningful recommendations. I was planning on purchasing at least 32 TB of internal memory cards for the Olympus as my 16 TB is virtually filled with music.

My question coming out of this is whether it is even worth shipping the Olympus with the small amount of internal memory or just eliminate this and go with a tried and proven NAS solely

Emile I think suggested that eliminating this internal memory at shipping would result in a small saving on the final cost of the unit
 
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I don’t see the value of eliminating the internal storage entirely. 4 TB are included with the unit. Having that serves as a backup if one has issues with their NAS and also provides an opportunity to compare internal vs NAS.
 
There are reasons why some people may want to stay away from adding a NAS. Some of them in no particular order:

1. Spinning drives generate noise. You may not want that noise in your listening room. But since it's recommended to have the NAS connected to the DCD, it will most likely need to be in your listening room. They also vibrate, and so you need to be careful with placement. You may not want to put it on top of your dCS Vivaldi Master Clock for example.
2. You can get a NAS with Solid State Drives but those are more expensive. At that point internal storage in the Olympus might be more convenient.
3. You are adding another device to your system. That means more complexity, more cables, possibly another shelf, etc. One of the benefits of Olympus XDMI is that it's an all in one solution, especially if it also replaces your DAC.
4. You may need a beefier linear power supply to be able to power all of your devices.
5. You may not have a DCD... in that case you will probably need to buy one to get the best out of a NAS.
6. Last but not least - Technical Support and Usability - For those who are not technologically inclined, managing a NAS can be challenging. While it typically operates smoothly, troubleshooting issues can be frustrating.

Ultimately, the decision to add a NAS should start with assessing your specific needs. Consider how much of your music collection is unavailable on streaming services or consists of high-quality recordings not matched by streaming offerings. For myself, I find that less than 1TB of my music isn’t available on platforms like Qobuz or Tidal, making the default 4TB internal storage of the Olympus more than sufficient. Therefore, I'm opting out of using a NAS.

Emile shared with us that streaming sounds better than local. That's a dream come true for me. I am planning to use Qobuz / Tidal and avoid the complexity of adding a NAS to my system.

But of course you might be in a different situation than me. In that case you can either get the convenience of adding extra internal storage or you can get a NAS. It seems like there is a slight sound quality preference towards an external NAS. But it also seems to be so small that convenience may win. If I was in that situation, I would still start with the default 4TB storage and compare that to a NAS and then decide which way to go - either upgrade the internal storage or keep the NAS.
 
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great advice as usual nenon

I have a logistics question. The DCD has two outputs, one to the Taiko router and one to the Taiko switch. How does one implement the NAS to the DCD in this situation ?

The DCD has 6 outputs, 4 filtered, 2 unfiltered.
 
I have a logistics question. The DCD has two outputs, one to the Taiko router and one to the Taiko switch. How does one implement the NAS to the DCD in this situation ?

There are 6 outputs on the DCD - 4 with filters and 2 without:
Screenshot 2024-04-16 at 11.10.24 AM.png

You will pick one of the available outputs. I would start with one of the outputs labeled as "Default". You will need a new cable for that too.
 
The DCD has 6 outputs, 4 filtered, 2 unfiltered.
I knew that but does it matter which output one uses if the 2 best outputs are powering the Router and the Switch. IOW @Taiko Audio which output would you recommend for the NAS...would this be the time to consider an unfiltered outlet to the NAS
 

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