Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[RUIN*ish]

Not set on Ubiquity, currently comparing several different models / brands. PoE models do sound “worse” then DC 12V in models so far, unfortunately all recent Ubiquity models are PoE.

Could the ap be the 4th output from bps?

 

[Taiko Audio]

Could the ap be the 4th output from bps?

Well, it appears we now have very well functioning power splitters, so with 3 outputs and 3 splitters you could power 9 additional devices

 

[MusicFellow]

Well, it appears we now have very well functioning power splitters, so with 3 outputs and 3 splitters you could power 9 additional devices

Haha, that sounds like when used for 9 different devices the BPS might be the BEST BUY BUDGET solution.

 

[cat6man]

When the possible 30 % uptick in SQ was originally given for the Switch/card I wasn't quite sure about it. Now I'm not sure if the SQ uptick was not under estimated at a 30% bump.

Is there any ballpark guesstimate for the expected uptick in SQ when the router is inserted into a system, which already has the Switch/card?

i know what you mean!
i have another way of looking at the issue and that is my feeling that the switch/card brought the SQ past an important threshold, which i have called 'magic'.

something i learned long ago as an engineer is that the sequence of events impacts any discussion of relative importance.
here is an example: i have a digital radio system and add both an algorithm change and an extra diversity antenna, which together provide a 3 dB improvement. if i add just the algorithm, i get a 1.5 db improvement and if i add just the diversity antenna, i get a 2.5 dB improvement. so, depending on the sequence i use to add the two improvements, the second one (which brings the total to 3 dB) could be valued as +1.5db or +0.5db.

so, imagine if we did not have xdms and were still using TAS. perhaps the switch/card would be perceived as providing more or less of an incremental improvement. for me, WAV vs. FLAC is a huge diffentiator and i can't listen to local FLAC after hearing the same track in local WAV...............i just can't unhear the damage flac is doing. then, is the switch/card more or less effective for WAV for FLAC?

my personal view is that we have entered new territory (call it lowered noise threshold or just 'magic') and the switch/card (with WAV files!!!) has crossed an (the most?) important SQ threshold for me.

 

[cat6man]

i saw that May is still a possibility for the bps, but that is still tbd.

is May still the target for the router and when do you expect to start taking orders?

 

[Tubeman66]

Not set on Ubiquity, currently comparing several different models / brands. PoE models do sound “worse” then DC 12V in models so far, unfortunately all recent Ubiquity models are PoE.

The simpler the AP the better the sound is in my experience,
Can highly recommend Cisco wp125 with 12v LPS,

 

[Taiko Audio]

i saw that May is still a possibility for the bps, but that is still tbd.

is May still the target for the router and when do you expect to start taking orders?

Actually we already have 100 Router PCBs and have starting machining the cases for them. We are shipping the second batch of switches the first week of May, then we have the Munich show May the 15th - the 22th, the routers could ship after, like from June the 5th.

 

[Carlosoptico]

I follow this thread, although I don't have an Extrem. My Red , only for Audio , consists of a Ubiquiti Edgerouter X , powered by a direct 12 volt wall socket from a solar Photovoltaic system and by AP , H&P Aruba Instant On AP 12 , powered by the above , but with a regulator voltage Idovr DXP-1A5S . I chose it because I didn't want POe. I am very pleased and a big leap over a wifi-router in a single wall wart powered device. Carlos

 

[Kris]

Not set on Ubiquity, currently comparing several different models / brands. PoE models do sound “worse” then DC 12V in models so far, unfortunately all recent Ubiquity models are PoE.

Great to know I had same results

 

[Kris]

Well, it appears we now have very well functioning power splitters, so with 3 outputs and 3 splitters you could power 9 additional devices

Is the full power rail separation not a big deal here ?
Will it be better sounding if each device had its own separate rail ?

 

[alwayslearning]

@Taiko Audio -- It seems like all the attention lately has been on the Switch, NIC, and Router, with additional questions about the BPS. All that is great and I am impressed with how much you have been accomplishing and the positive results you have been achieving.

For me, however, and I suspect some healthy percentage of others, the first priority and likely next purchase will be TACDA. In my case, I am eagerly awaiting the DAC version with the RCA outputs and the Rohm chip. My hope is that this will replace my current DAC and power supply, thus greatly simplifying my system and freeing up funds for other goodies (including the Taiko Switch and NIC).

The last time I recall seeing anything from Taiko estimating when the various versions of TACDA might become available was in a post by @Taiko Audio on February 21, 2023 (“There is still some work that needs to be done, we're most likely looking at a phased rollout between May and August.”)

So I'm hoping you can update that statement -- are we still looking at a May through August rollout for TACDA? Any estimate on when the DAC version of TACDA might become available? And last but not least, any estimate on pricing?

All of this will help me and others who are in the same position do some planning. THANK YOU.

 

[Kris]

The simpler the AP the better the sound is in my experience,
Can highly recommend Cisco wp125 with 12v LPS,

I had the same conclusions a year ago.
Now I believe the top APs are the best. Especially those with separate power connector ( no POE).
You just need to do same trick Extreme server is doing:
Best processor, high memory , all cranked down to burn as low power as possible.

It all comes to LOW LATENCY reached by FAST devices.
This works for servers, routers, remote control so it will Probably work for AP.
But we need Emile to tell us what we are doing wrong and have him to brake the problems that we cant.

 

[Tubeman66]

I had the same conclusions a year ago.
Now I believe the top APs are the best. Especially those with separate power connector ( no POE).
You just need to do same trick Extreme server is doing:
Best processor, high memory , all cranked down to burn as low power as possible.

It all comes to LOW LATENCY reached by FAST devices.
This works for servers, routers, remote control so it will Probably work for AP.
But we need Emile to tell us what we are doing wrong and have him to brake the problems that we cant.

I think performance doesn't matter that much,
since the AP should only provide WiFi for ONE client,
And create as little unnecessary traffic as possible,
it just sends a command to the server, which then takes over the flow of the data stream,
Emil surely has an idea of how he wants to solve this

 

[Kris]

I think performance doesn't matter that much,
since the AP should only provide WiFi for ONE client,
And create as little unnecessary traffic as possible,
it just sends a command to the server, which then takes over the flow of the data stream,
Emil surely has an idea of how he wants to solve this

It dosnt metter what you think. It dosnt metter what I think untill proven.
I am open to change my opinion any time if you show any testing you did.

Ask yoursef simple question:
Why do we use in Taiko Extreme Two server processors 10 real cores each ? 40 threds in total ?
4 cores is plenty so WHY we use 20 of them ?
why this server has 48 GB of RAM if 2 or 4 will be ok ?

 

[RUIN*ish]

This thread has surpassed two thirds the total pages of Tolstoys, "War and peace."
Just saying...

 

[Steve Williams]

This thread has surpassed two thirds the total pages of Tolstoys, "War and peace."
Just saying...

Deservedly so

 

[cmarin]

Actually we already have 100 Router PCBs and have starting machining the cases for them. We are shipping the second batch of switches the first week of May, then we have the Munich show May the 15th - the 22th, the routers could ship after, like from June the 5th.

Put me on the official order list !!

 

[Taiko Audio]

Great to know I had same results

These results however might simply be due to the lack of a competitive 54V LPS, necessitating the use of a 12V-54V booster / PoE power injector.

A simple experiment to run is powering the AP from a battery supply, in this case there’s no difference, powering the AP off after you hit playback. I can power on/off as much as I want in this case but there’s just no effect on SQ. Which makes it a superior solution to a wired connection which always impacts sound.

This suggests Wi-Fi “radiation” does not affect SQ at all. It’s harmful impact is therefor limited to what it dumps onto your mains supply. With the caveat there’s Wi-Fi present already from your home Wi-Fi, neighbours, etc. Completely ridding & shielding your home from Wi-Fi signals however is not an experiment I’m interested in running as this is not a real life scenario.

The ultimate solution would then be to design a filter blocking harmful noise the AP “dumps” on the mains and use Wi-Fi for remote control.

 

[Taiko Audio]

I had the same conclusions a year ago.
Now I believe the top APs are the best. Especially those with separate power connector ( no POE).
You just need to do same trick Extreme server is doing:
Best processor, high memory , all cranked down to burn as low power as possible.

It all comes to LOW LATENCY reached by FAST devices.
This works for servers, routers, remote control so it will Probably work for AP.
But we need Emile to tell us what we are doing wrong and have him to brake the problems that we cant.

Indeed faster does perform better here aswell.

 

[RUIN*ish]

If the Taiko ap is on channel 2 freq there is no reason to turn off equivalent channel freq on house router?

Won't make a difference?