Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[oldmustang]

I'm happy as a community we can get together and share our experiences with TAS/LMS about how to get things done. Even happier to learn another way to do the same thing, Bob. Most of what I think I know about LMS has been from clicking on various things and seeing what happens, rather than any systematic study of the LMS interface.

Here are some screenshots of how I've been saving albums (or tracks) to my library:

This is from the web-browser (192.168.1.xx:9000) version of TAS/LMS

1. Click on a track in the queue to open a dialog box. This track is from Tidal:


Clicking on "More" then changes the left-hand side of the screen to this:


Halfway down the list is "Save song to library". Clicking on that option then changes the left side of the screen to:


Clicking on the appropriate selection will add track, add album, or add artist.

Steve Z

 

[oldmustang]

Here is the same process from my iPad:

From the "Playing" display, tap on the album cover to open the dialog box with the options, "Show image" and "Show track information":



Tapping on "Show track information opens up the next window:



As before, tap on "Save song to library" to open the window with the three save options:



Steve Z

 

[Rhapsody]

Here is the same process from my iPad:

From the "Playing" display, tap on the album cover to open the dialog box with the options, "Show image" and "Show track information":

View attachment 75283

Tapping on "Show track information opens up the next window:

View attachment 75284

As before, tap on "Save song to library" to open the window with the three save options:

View attachment 75285

Steve Z

Hey Steve, Like they say "there's more than one a way to skin a cat"....although that might not be allowable to say now as it was when I was growing up

 

[oldmustang]

Hey Steve, Like they say "there's more than one a way to skin a cat"....although that might not be allowable to say now as it was when I was growing up

Thanks Bob. In my case it's more like, "There is more than one way to skin an old goat"!

Steve Z

 

[LR319]

The key to using a Pacific with TAS and to derive full benefits of the TAS driver as well as use all TAS buffers you have to get rid of the Amanero board and go to JL sounds board. Once done there is just no turning back. Everything has already been discussed. Initially I was using the Amanero board which came with the Pacific. When Emile installed TAS it sounded immediately better than Roon. However once I switched to the JL Sounds USB board and I was able to use the TAS driver , simply put, I have never heard digital sound or streaming as good as this in my system.
AFAIK all Lampi now come with the JL Sounds board.

I am a Extreme + Pacific owner still holding on to Roon and can't wait to switch to TAS after hearing so many positive feedback. One question, when you said switch to JL sound board, do you physically replace the USB board in the Pacific ? How ? I know I have a Amanero board in it.

 

[dminches]

I am a Extreme + Pacific owner still holding on to Roon and can't wait to switch to TAS after hearing so many positive feedback. One question, when you said switch to JL sound board, do you physically replace the USB board in the Pacific ? How ? I know I have a Amanero board in it.

In the Roon audio section in settings it should say which board you have in the Pacific box since the drivers are different.

Yes, it is a different USB board.

 

[seatrope]

I am a Extreme + Pacific owner still holding on to Roon and can't wait to switch to TAS after hearing so many positive feedback. One question, when you said switch to JL sound board, do you physically replace the USB board in the Pacific ? How ? I know I have a Amanero board in it.

It’s not simple. Will have to go back to Poland to swap. i’m planning on sending mine back to get the JLsounds board replaced. Just hard to part with it given all the greatness I’m getting out of the Extreme/Pacific combo right now, though I know it’ll be a significant leap forward.

best bet is to contact your dealer for options on what to do, I’d think.

 

[Steve Williams]

Here is some really good news in the world of streaming. I bet Emile has seen this one...

[UPDATED] Spotify to launch ‘HiFi’ tier in 2021 | Darko.Audio

This time it's for real.

darko.audio

 

[Blue58]

Here is some really good news in the world of streaming. I bet Emile has seen this one...

[UPDATED] Spotify to launch ‘HiFi’ tier in 2021 | Darko.Audio

This time it's for real.

darko.audio

In Spotify’s case HiFi will likely mean CD quality as currently the premium service is 256kbs (320kbs max).
Tidal is currently replacing CD quality titles with less than CD quality under the deviousness of MQA.
Qobuz is the only mainstream service with actual Hires titles and should be supported in full. Ditch your Tidal accounts now we’ve dispensed with Roon and should there be any titles not covered by Qobuz, simply purchase the download, or buy the CD and rip it (you can then resell the CD).

cheers
blue58

 

[LR319]

It’s not simple. Will have to go back to Poland to swap. i’m planning on sending mine back to get the JLsounds board replaced. Just hard to part with it given all the greatness I’m getting out of the Extreme/Pacific combo right now, though I know it’ll be a significant leap forward.

best bet is to contact your dealer for options on what to do, I’d think.

Thanks seatrope, for the not so good news. Is it going to be night and day kind of difference after the swap ? Like you I have problem parting with the Pac since I play it daily.

 

[Taiko Audio]

Thanks seatrope, for the not so good news. Is it going to be night and day kind of difference after the swap ? Like you I have problem parting with the Pac since I play it daily.

Hi LR319,

I do think it's possible to install the USB board locally if there's a qualified technician in your area.

As for the delta in Sound Quality, it's hard to put number on that, but if we define the maximum improvement delta as 100% over Amanero, I would rate it as follows:

-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using Roon, +10%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using Roon, +20%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using TAS, +50%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using TAS, +100%

 

[howiebrou]

Hi LR319,

I do think it's possible to install the USB board locally if there's a qualified technician in your area.

As for the delta in Sound Quality, it's hard to put number on that, but if we define the maximum improvement delta as 100% over Amanero, I would rate it as follows:

-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using Roon, +10%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using Roon, +20%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using TAS, +50%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using TAS, +100%

I know of one installed locally here.

 

[heebrog]

In Spotify’s case HiFi will likely mean CD quality as currently the premium service is 256kbs (320kbs max).
Tidal is currently replacing CD quality titles with less than CD quality under the deviousness of MQA.
Qobuz is the only mainstream service with actual Hires titles and should be supported in full. Ditch your Tidal accounts now we’ve dispensed with Roon and should there be any titles not covered by Qobuz, simply purchase the download, or buy the CD and rip it (you can then resell the CD).

cheers
blue58

Hi Blue58 or anyone,

Can you explain this issue with kbps to a noob like me.
Qobuz streams at 750kbps in FLAC whether the file is CD quality 16/44 or Hi-Res 24/192 on my internet service.
Local file playback is 1412kbps for CD and upto 10000kbps or more for Hi-Res.
Yet with some recordings it can be hard to distinguish between Qobuz streaming and local file playback especially with TAS.

 

[seatrope]

Hi LR319,

I do think it's possible to install the USB board locally if there's a qualified technician in your area.

As for the delta in Sound Quality, it's hard to put number on that, but if we define the maximum improvement delta as 100% over Amanero, I would rate it as follows:

-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using Roon, +10%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using Roon, +20%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using TAS, +50%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using TAS, +100%

That’s crazy Emile. But I can’t imagine the sound improving any more!! The singers are already right here...

 

[Taiko Audio]

Hi Blue58 or anyone,

Can you explain this issue with kbps to a noob like me.
Qobuz streams at 750kbps in FLAC whether the file is CD quality 16/44 or Hi-Res 24/192 on my internet service.
Local file playback is 1412kbps for CD and upto 10000kbps or more for Hi-Res.
Yet with some recordings it can be hard to distinguish between Qobuz streaming and local file playback especially with TAS.

It does currently not report high res correctly for online streaming services. FLAC is compressed, so 750kbps sounds about right for 16/44.1.

 

[Steve Williams]

I do think it's possible to install the USB board locally if there's a qualified technician in your area

Hi LR319,

I do think it's possible to install the USB board locally if there's a qualified technician in your area.

As for the delta in Sound Quality, it's hard to put number on that, but if we define the maximum improvement delta as 100% over Amanero, I would rate it as follows:

-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using Roon, +10%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using Roon, +20%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using TAS, +50%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using TAS, +100%

I can vouch unequivocally with Emile's supposition as I have gone down each of those paths

I have a Pacific sans ethernet but initially with the Amanero board.I loved it with Roon

Then I became a prealpha and then an alpha user of TAS.

Amanero with TAS was very good but limited and this is when Emile enlightened me about the amanero restrictions and the need for a USB board which is based on XMOS.

Like everyone else I was not going to send mine back to Poland nor did I even want to part with it by sending it to a USA Lampi tech based on the east coast. So I starting doing my due diligence and found a very capable technician only a 10 minute drive from me. All he does is exchange and repair boards on a daily basis.

After bringing the Pacific to him with the schematic I received as to which wire goes where on the new JL Sounds board which I bought he said it was apiece of cake and with the help of the east coast tech via telephone to my tech, the entire process took well under 2 hours.

Upon initial use with Roon there was some increase in sound quality. However the increase using TAS was much improved with just the JL Sounds driver. It was too late at night for Emile who said he would install the TAS driver the next morning, so I had 12 hours of listening to TAS with the JL Sounds driver. It was very good until Emile installed the Taiko TAS Driver the next morning and I was mesmerized that the SQ of "my"system for digital was so much better than anything I have ever heard. I have stated that IMO it is the TAS Driver that is the secret sauce for making the SQ so unbelievably good. For me Roon is simply a thing of the past

The SQ is so good that it is my understanding that Emile is now uncertain whether there would be any further benefit from the use of a proprietary switch. So if the TAS driver is the secret sauce then we have to say that the pending release of Emile's proprietary USB board will be the "icing on th cake"

I can say with 100% certainty that the switch to the JL USB Sound board from Amanero if you are an Extreme user IMO is absolutely mandatory as it is only then that you will have the full effect of TAS. Amanero is very very good but once you hear TAS with theJL Sounds Board and Taiko USB driver your sonic choices will forever be irrevocably changed.....there is that much uptick in SQ

If there are users here in Southern California I would be happy to provide my Tech's info. I stood over his shoulders watching him do it. As stated it took under 2 hours

 

[Taiko Audio]

Thank you for elaborating Steve!

The USB cards are scheduled to arrive next week Tuesday. Now we cannot start shipping them out immediately as we will still need to flash the firmware, mount and cast the Panzerholz anti vibration oscillator mounts, solder the wire hook-up harnesses and test functionality. I intend to share photos of our progress.

This is the final piece of the puzzle as it places us in full control over the entire playback software -> USB driver -> USB controller firmware chain. It will also allow us to further isolate USB from Ethernet processing and gives us a more direct path from USB driver to USB controller.

 

[oldmustang]

It does currently not report high res correctly for online streaming services. FLAC is compressed, so 750kbps sounds about right for 16/44.1.

I can verify that -- I've looked at what is being output from the Extreme to my Vivaldi Upsampler with dCS' Mosaic app, and it shows the proper high-resolution bit-rates are being output from the Extreme. The TAS beta app currently does not report them correctly.

Steve Z

 

[oldmustang]

Yet with some recordings it can be hard to distinguish between Qobuz streaming and local file playback especially with TAS.

That's what is stunning (among so many other things) about the level of performance of TAS + Taiko Audio USB driver -- very often the only way to determine what source is playing is to look for the streaming service icon in the upper right corner of the album cover thumbnail.

The fidelity -- which is not to be confused with sound quality -- is uniformly superb, regardless of bit-rate or format. Really well-recorded and transferred material sounds wonderful; unfortunately, poorly recorded or transferred material sounds like what it is. But between streaming and local file there is little to no difference that I can reliably hear.

Steve

 

[LR319]

Hi LR319,

I do think it's possible to install the USB board locally if there's a qualified technician in your area.

As for the delta in Sound Quality, it's hard to put number on that, but if we define the maximum improvement delta as 100% over Amanero, I would rate it as follows:

-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using Roon, +10%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using Roon, +20%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the JLsounds USB driver using TAS, +50%
-Install the JLsounds USB board with the Taiko USB driver using TAS, +100%

Thanks Emile for the illustration, guess every Pac owner with Ama board would want to swap it out asap.