Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[dminches]

There have been 2-3 times since I got my Extreme that I have gone back to Roon to see if the sound quality was equal to, or even close to, TAS. I don’t think I ever spent more than a day listening to Roon before going back to TAS. At this point, despite my issues with some aspects of TAS, the sound quality difference between it and Roon are too great to consider Roon again.

 

[Steve Williams]

Did anyone other than me get a massage yesterday from Test Flight to renew TAS . I thought that was odd as Ed suggested last month when it expired that this renewal of TA should be the last before XDMS is released, When I went to Test Flight all was good and it stated TAS expires in. 50 days. Not sure why I got that message but if Ed is correct in his statement, "gentlemen we are on the clock"

 

[Steve Williams]

There have been 2-3 times since I got my Extreme that I have gone back to Roon to see if the sound quality was equal to, or even close to, TAS. I don’t think I ever spent more than a day listening to Roon before going back to TAS. At this point, despite my issues with some aspects of TAS, the sound quality difference between it and Roon are too great to consider Roon again.

Last week when my system had an auto reassigned IP address for the Extreme and Ed did a team viewer into my system, he had to log into Roon. That was the first time I had seen Roon in years. Time for Ed and Emile to hit us up with another teasing screen grab of XDMS

 

[dminches]

Did anyone other than me get a massage yesterday from Test Flight to renew TAS . I thought that was odd as Ed suggested last month when it expired that this renewal of TA should be the last before XDMS is released, When I went to Test Flight all was good and it stated TAS expires in. 50 days. Not sure why I got that message but if Ed is correct in his statement, "gentlemen we are on the clock"

I did not get that message.

My guess is that TAS will be renewed one more time. I have no inside information but based on Emile’s comments from last week and the fact that the team is freely installing TAS on machines that did not have it, i think that the coding and QC team have at least a couple months of work to do.

 

[Steve Williams]

I did not get that message.

My guess is that TAS will be renewed one more time. I have no inside information but based on Emile’s comments from last week and the fact that the team is freely installing TAS on machines that did not have it, i think that the coding and QC team have at least a couple months of work to do.

Darn David, you are such a buzz buster . Im the eternal optimist that we should have it before TAS beta expires in 50 days

 

[SwissTom]

XDMS will do it all and should relegate Roon to the waste basket.

I don't doubt for a second that, from a sound perspective, TAS/XDMS outperforms Roon.

From what I have read previously, a lot of work has been done around Roon as well.
Which is also a very good thing and quite an achievement!!

Unfortunately, as far as functionality is concerned, XDMS will not allow what Roon does and that made me choose it a few years ago. I talk about it here: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/post-816559

Having both, and choosing according to our desires, is also a good thing. Browse the library or have an immersive listening.


Anyway, at the moment, I wouldn't be able to compare anything.

My system is in my office and the listening room is under construction.

 

[dminches]

XDMS will do it all and should relegate Roon to the waste basket. I haven't used Roon since the first alpha version of TAS. It's all about the music for me. Having seen glimpses of the XDMS platform put up as snippets by Ed and Emile (to drive us crazy) awaiting its release clearly suggests its platform has gone well beyond Roon. I hate the platform of TAS but when it comes down to SQ you just won't be clicking the button on the TAS app to start Roon and stop TAS. At least I haven't in many years

You did got back to Roon for a short while in May, like I did, since Emile said TAS and Roon were close. We both decided quickly that TAS was still better and it remains that way.

TAS>>>>>>>>>>>Roon (for sound quality)

 

[Steve Williams]

You did got back to Roon for a short while in May, like I did, since Emile said TAS and Roon were close. We both decided quickly that TAS was still better and it remains that way.

TAS>>>>>>>>>>>Roon (for sound quality)

I also went back one other time when Christoph put up an interesting thread that stated removing the Roon filters (which weren't even in use) resulted in an improvement in SQ. He was correct but in the end still didn't come close to Roon. My repeat ventures as you state on Roon were all but brief. It didn't take more than a day to figure TAS was still supreme to my ears

 

[Steve Williams]

I don't doubt for a second that, from a sound perspective, TAS/XDMS outperforms Roon.

From what I have read previously, a lot of work has been done around Roon as well.
Which is also a very good thing and quite an achievement!!

Unfortunately, as far as functionality is concerned, XDMS will not allow what Roon does and that made me choose it a few years ago. I talk about it here: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/post-816559

Having both, and choosing according to our desires, is also a good thing. Browse the library or have an immersive listening.


Anyway, at the moment, I wouldn't be able to compare anything.

My system is in my office and the listening room is under construction.

View attachment 96568

View attachment 96569

I have no inside information but I would hope that this issue has crossed the minds of the Taiko team and that you might be surprised and get what you wish. The goal by Taiko was always to control the signal path from the moment it enters to the time it leaves the Extreme. Those upgrades will hopefully appear before year end. As to trumping Roon in it's search and collating abilities I have always placed my bets strongly with the Taiko determination. Emile was quite upfront reverently when he told us that 6 weeks of coding had to be thrown out because the SQ was suddenly found to be inferior. Bottom line to me is that Taiko will never release XDMS until it truly is a finished product and not beta. So as to new Extremes being loaded with TAS does not give me pause to think as David does that it will be another renewal of Test Flight before XDMS is released. It merely gives the new owner a feel for the direction in which Taiko is headed.

Short of that it is a waiting game and the babble here ion this thread s where we all get our morning fix.

 

[SwissTom]

The goal by Taiko was always to control the signal path from the moment it enters to the time it leaves the Extreme. Those upgrades will hopefully appear before year end. As to trumping Roon in it's search and collating abilities I have always placed my bets strongly with the Taiko determination.

You are probably right. We don't know what the future will bring.

However, I think it is also important to note that Roon's integration into the Taiko Environment is exceptional, and probably unique.

What made me choose the Taiko Server over the competition is just that: its very unique Roon integration.

Taiko Audio has done an outstanding job in providing a high-performance server for Roon enthusiasts

Make Roon rhyme with sound quality; that's precisely what Taiko Audio has done.

TAS/XDMS being the icing on the cake and, of course, the beginning of a new era for Taiko Audio.

 

[jelt2359]

I too am exclusively using Roon. I don't listen much to English music and unfortunately TAS doesn't play any files with non-latin characters

Here's hoping GOAT comes out soon!

 

[ACHiPo]

TAS has been up and running. Before installing I kept asking myself how much better can TAS be than ROON? I assumed many of you were exaggerating a little. NO YOU WERE NOT!! Perhaps in some systems the difference is not so evident? ROON sounds veiled, Steve Z shared with me grayish which is actually spot on. TAS is so much more holographic. I can go on with the adjectives but I'll spare you guys. I've been involved in this game a long time and have had oodles of fun. With TAS a transformative light bulb should go off. This is an indicator of potential! Again TRANSFORMATIVE! I'm not only enjoying but imagining what this cat (Emile) can do and the boundaries he may be able to cross...John

Ditto. Unfortunately I can’t seem to find some of my music. I thought it was a DSD issue, but I found some DSDs. I suspect it’s a metadata issue maybe? Does TAS have a search? (No I haven’t read the manual yet I just realized—been too excited listening to music)

 

[ACHiPo]

XDMS will do it all and should relegate Roon to the waste basket. I haven't used Roon since the first alpha version of TAS. It's all about the music for me. Having seen glimpses of the XDMS platform put up as snippets by Ed and Emile (to drive us crazy) awaiting its release clearly suggests its platform has gone well beyond Roon. I hate the platform of TAS but when it comes down to SQ you just won't be clicking the button on the TAS app to start Roon and stop TAS. At least I haven't in many years

Here’s hoping!

 

[ACHiPo]

I don't doubt for a second that, from a sound perspective, TAS/XDMS outperforms Roon.

From what I have read previously, a lot of work has been done around Roon as well.
Which is also a very good thing and quite an achievement!!

Unfortunately, as far as functionality is concerned, XDMS will not allow what Roon does and that made me choose it a few years ago. I talk about it here: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/post-816559

Having both, and choosing according to our desires, is also a good thing. Browse the library or have an immersive listening.


Anyway, at the moment, I wouldn't be able to compare anything.

My system is in my office and the listening room is under construction.

View attachment 96568

View attachment 96569

Wow that room looks like it’s off to a great start!

 

[MarkusBarkus]

Unfortunately I can’t seem to find some of my music.

...the search, IMO, is the worst feature in the TAS software (not written by Taiko, BTW). I had/have the same issue: things that used to be found via multiple search criteria seem to be MIA. They are there, but don't turn up in searches. Meta tags? Perhaps, but working as intended previously (Conductor app). XDMS, I have the red carpet out for you...

 

[ACHiPo]

...the search, IMO, is the worst feature in the TAS software (not written by Taiko, BTW). I had/have the same issue: things that used to be found via multiple search criteria seem to be MIA. They are there, but don't turn up in searches. Meta tags? Perhaps, but working as intended previously (Conductor app). XDMS, I have the red carpet out for you...

Ed suggested a clear and rescan. I have enough music to keep me busy—Frank Sinatra is IN MY ROOM. I’ll read the documentation and keep working on it and post my findings. Oh, and I now know what “not gapless “ means. Not a huge issue, but I hadn’t experienced it with Aurender or Roon.

 

[Steve Williams]

gapless and SQ seem to be the biggest desires of everyone awaiting XDMS

 

[engadin]

I don't doubt for a second that, from a sound perspective, TAS/XDMS outperforms Roon.

From what I have read previously, a lot of work has been done around Roon as well.
Which is also a very good thing and quite an achievement!!

Unfortunately, as far as functionality is concerned, XDMS will not allow what Roon does and that made me choose it a few years ago. I talk about it here: https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/taiko-audio-sgm-extreme-the-crème-de-la-crème.27433/post-816559

Having both, and choosing according to our desires, is also a good thing. Browse the library or have an immersive listening.


Anyway, at the moment, I wouldn't be able to compare anything.

My system is in my office and the listening room is under construction.

View attachment 96568

View attachment 96569

What kind of bases do you use under your components?
please tell us more!
Greetings, Engadin

 

[wil]

gapless and SQ seem to be the biggest desires of everyone awaiting XDMS

I’m sure I’m in the minority, but I don’t really find anything missing as far as functionality goes with TAS. I’m able to search for and play anything I want. If I want to search for anything more elaborate, I just use Google. Nevertheless, greatly looking forward to XDMS— for SQ!

 

[SwissTom]

What kind of bases do you use under your components?
please tell us more!
Greetings, Engadin

Nothing special. It's a homemade rack, I placed my electronics on it while waiting for the listening room to be finished.

The platforms are a sandwich made of stainless steel, cork and plywood with feet made of cork and viscoelastic pads.

The whole thing is not so bad.

Cheers from Lausanne