Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

[steve williams]

I write this with apprehension as it's not audio related. However, If this can help one person it is well worth sharing. It may also insure many more years of enjoying our passion.

Lately I have noticed a laboring feeling with tasks that typically, I am never effected by. Had my annual physical two weeks ago in which I passed with flying colors. Blood work the whole nine yards. For my age I am in the 1% for conditioning. Can't change Genetics. My General Practitioner said keep doing what ever your doing. I did explain my Cardio Symptoms and he made an appointment for me to see a Cardiologist January 16th. I didn't feel as if I was in any rush or in any danger. I was wrong, could have been dead wrong!

Long story short, I awoke last Tuesday morning 4am with chest pain. I knew right away what was happening. My wife passed in 2016 so I live alone. I got myself to the hospital. After several tests and finally a catherization they found a blockage and inserted a stent. Hopefully I should have a full recovery. Lots more wood to split!

I implore all of you, whether you have a family history or not. Pay attention to any changes in regards to this matter. Do not hesitate if you feel as though something is not right. Ask your doctor about low dose daily 81mg aspirin. Many different opinions on this and I am not offering mine.

I have made what I consider some good friends on this forum. I have enjoyed our PM and talking. I have received countless amounts of advice and knowledge.

I now offer my advice here...John

Hi John

you and I seem to have been following the same life path.
Bilateral knee replacement 9 years ago and I had a stent inserted 16 years ago. I too had similar symptoms and as a doctor we were were always taught that “denial” isnt a river in Egypt. I knew what was going on as my wife drove me to the hospital I was on staff at. I was in the phone with the head of my ER as well as a friend who is a cardiologist. The team was ready for me when I arrived and all blood tests and EKG was normal. I knew that wasn’t the case and convinced him to do a coronary angiopgram and if necessary an angioplasty with stent. At my hospital we always had a backup team of cardiac surgeons in standby in case a stent could not be placed at which time they would have cracked open my chest and done a CABG ( coronary artery bypass graft ) using veins from my leg. Well as stated every cardiac blood enzyme was normal as was my EKG.

Well I feel I was granted a get out of jail pass as my angiogram showed a 95% occlusion of the so called WIDOW MAKER, my left anterior descending carotid. A successful stent was placed, I went to cardiac rehab therapy for several months afterwards and underwent a major mid life style change. My wife and I walk easily 25 miles per week and life the Mallory Bunny I keep on ticking. Thankfully I am symptom free over these past 14 years and am seen 2x per year by my cardiologist as well as a once per year treadmill stress test with ultrasound and all is well

Bottom line is never ignore such symptoms You and I need to meet John. We have yet another thing in common

 

[steve williams]

Life style changes are mandatory but never stop enjoying life. To that extent as I write this post my wife and I are sitting out on our balcony in Poipu Beach Kaua’i for the past 5 days and return home on Thursday. We normally go to Maui but the fire last year destroyed one of our favorite spots in earth.

 

[steve williams]

snorkeling yesterday. Life is good John

 

[steve williams]

View from my balcony as we are 30 feet from the ocean. Stay active John

 

[John T]

Hi John

you and I seem to have been following the same life path.
Bilateral knee replacement 9 years ago and I had a stent inserted 16 years ago. I too had similar symptoms and as a doctor we were were always taught that “denial” isnt a river in Egypt. I knew what was going on as my wife drove me to the hospital I was in staff at. I was in the phone with the head of my ER as well as a friend who is a cardiologist. The team was ready for me when I arrived and all blood tests and EKG was normal. I knew that wasn’t the case and convinced him to do a coronary angiopgram and if necessary an angioplasty with stent. At my hospital we always had a backup team of cardiac surgeons in standby in case a stent could not be placed at which time they would have cracked open my chest and done a CABG ( coronary artery bypass graft ) using veins from my leg. Well as stated every cardiac blood enzyme was normal as was my EKG.

Well I feel I was granted a get out of jail pass as my angiogram showed a 95% occlusion of the so called WIDOW MAKER, my left anterior descending carotid. A successful stent was placed, I went to cardiac rehab therapy for several months afterwards and underwent a major mid life style change. My wife and I walk easily 25 miles per week and life the Mallory Bunny I keep on ticking. Thankfully I am symptom free over these past 14 years and am seen 2x per year by my cardiologist as well as a once per year treadmill stress test with ultrasound and all is well

Bottom line is never ignore such symptoms You and I need to meet John. We have yet another thing in common

Wow Steve. We have indeed taken a similar eerie path. My EKG (two) were both normal. First cardiac enzyme test was also normal. They have to wait 2 hours to perform a 2nd. The 2nd was elevated at 200 so they knew something was up. Ultrasound was normal, along with Nuclear CT Scan. I should have been more proactive from the get go, but the symptoms were so mild. As you say "never ignore such symptoms" even if they present themselves in a mild fashion. I appreciate you sharing your story...

 

[steve williams]

Wow Steve. We have indeed taken a similar eerie path. My EKG (two) were both normal. First cardiac enzyme test was also normal. They have to wait 2 hours to perform a 2nd. The 2nd was elevated at 200 so they knew something was up. Ultrasound was normal, along with Nuclear CT Scan. I should have been more proactive from the get go, but the symptoms were so mild. As you say "never ignore such symptoms" even if they present themselves in a mild fashion. I appreciate you sharing your story...

we enjoy traveling and we hadn’t been to Kauai in many years. So here I am looking out at the Pacific in gorgeous weather reading my favorite thread on WBF and saw your post. I’m looking forward to Thursday as I miss listening to my system. One of my many joys in life. Make sure you have an annual tread mill stress test as there is always risk of down stream to the stent re stenosis. Thankfully mine have been all normal and I am completely asymptomatic.

Reading this thread every day is the start of my morning ritual

 

[Tjhook25]

Unfortunately I’m having to sell my Taiko Extreme server with network card and switch. Price for the entire package is $26,500 USD plus shipping. I have it on a classified add here on this site.

 

[2ndLiner]

Unfortunately I’m having to sell my Taiko Extreme server with network card and switch. Price for the entire package is $26,500 USD plus shipping. I have it on a classified add here on this site.

Sorry to hear and hope you get good return on your sale!

 

[Christiaan Punter]

I was being sarcastic, I'm all for updates to improve sound . I'm just curious when the XDMS app will be done .

XDMS is currently in its Alpha state. Next up is Beta, the release of which is predominantly dependent on Tidal approval. Most other requirements have been implemented, and as such, it is pretty much out of our hands. After Beta comes the final "finished" stable release. We have no planning set in stone for when this will be released, but we are working on XDMS 24/7. NSM coding is now nearing completion and we have made Gapless a big priority.

 

[Christiaan Punter]

All for the split of forums here at WBF - it was unavoidable for reasons already stated.

Also - the Taiko download-section has also become more professional, better reflecting the overall Taiko organisation.

BUT - I for one really appreciate the direct interactions with @Taiko Audio here in this thread, just hope that these will not go down to zero given the restructure - no one has said that is the case/plan so I am playing Devil's Advocat here... To me this is one large part of why I really enjoy Taiko - the inclusion of the WBF Users into part of Taiko's product management and delivery processes (the other part is obviously SQ).

The new Taiko Audio forum looks more like a one-way megaphone as-is - is that the intent?

@Taiko Audio was hinting that an update regarding TACDD/TACDA was coming (after concluding software configuration update process for all owners) - was the update the below name change?

I was hoping for update on XDMI and also the MSB Pro ISL daughter card -> eliminating USB protocol and controllers from my signal path.

Sorry if I am posting in wrong forum now - please advise!

(And @Christiaan Punter I think you have a typo below - XDMS should be XDMI.)

View attachment 121025

Our aim for these new threads is twofold:
1. To provide all the relevant Taiko Audio product information in a centralized location.
2. To canalize the communications so that the interactions will be more easily accessible later.

So, by all means, post your comments and questions in any of the new threads or in the initial massive thread, which we will also keep alive. We will most definitely keep up the direct interactions, but in a more focused on-topic manner, so that these interactions will be more easily accessible later.

The XDMI update is not just a name change... We're actually taking this in an EXTREMELY exciting direction!
I'm sorry but I cannot unveil any info at this moment. However, Emile will issue an announcement soon!

Thanks for alerting me to the typo, now corrected

 

[Blue58]

XDMS is currently in its Alpha state. Next up is Beta, the release of which is predominantly dependent on Tidal approval. Most other requirements have been implemented, and as such, it is pretty much out of our hands. After Beta comes the final "finished" stable release. We have no planning set in stone for when this will be released, but we are working on XDMS 24/7. NSM coding is now nearing completion and we have made Gapless a big priority.

Doesn’t bode well for Tidal after losing MQA.
https://pitchfork.com/news/tidal-lays-off-over-10-of-its-staff/

 

[Malcng]

Isn’t ‘losing MQA‘ a good thing? I have always used Qobuz and only used Tidal for a period because Roon didn’t have a Qobuz link. As soon as Qobuz were onboard with Roon, I cancelled Tidal. I don’t think it has ever been as good sound quality wise as Qobuz and MQA only made that matters worse imo.

I tried out a headphone amp at an AD’s last week and had to use Tidal. Everything I wanted to play was MQA and it sounded pretty poor imo. Mind you, the AD didn’t have an Extreme, so could’ve been that.

 

[Blue58]

Isn’t ‘losing MQA‘ a good thing? I have always used Qobuz and only used Tidal for a period because Roon didn’t have a Qobuz link. As soon as Qobuz were onboard with Roon, I cancelled Tidal. I don’t think it has ever been as good sound quality wise as Qobuz and MQA only made that matters worse imo.

I tried out a headphone amp at an AD’s last week and had to use Tidal. Everything I wanted to play was MQA and it sounded pretty poor imo. Mind you, the AD didn’t have an Extreme, so could’ve been that.

Oh absolutely, dropped Tidal as soon as I could and only wish more listeners would move to Qobuz and give them their support.

 

[Christiaan Punter]

We are pleased to announce that Matej Isak of Mono & Stereo just handed out the 2023 Best Of The Year Award for our recently introduced network products. It concerns the entire “dream team” quad consisting of the Taiko Audio Extreme Router, Extreme Switch, Extreme Network Card, and Extreme DC Power Distributor.

Category: Switches & Network

Taiko Audio Extreme Switch
Taiko Audio Extreme Network Card
Taiko Audio Extreme Router
Taiko Audio Extreme DC Power Distributor

 

[cat6man]

NSM coding is now nearing completion and we have made Gapless a big priority.

 

[steve williams]

View attachment 121247

We are pleased to announce that Matej Isak of Mono & Stereo just handed out the 2023 Best Of The Year Award for our recently introduced network products. It concerns the entire “dream team” quad consisting of the Taiko Audio Extreme Router, Extreme Switch, Extreme Network Card, and Extreme DC Power Distributor.

Category: Switches & Network

Taiko Audio Extreme Switch
Taiko Audio Extreme Network Card
Taiko Audio Extreme Router
Taiko Audio Extreme DC Power Distributor

Well deserved IMHO

 

[simorag]

Long shot .... but perhaps I am lucky to post here.

I am auditioning the Sennheiser HE-1 at home for the weekend. I can drive them via the Rossini, yet I am not able to use them out of the Extreme via USB direct.

After a support session with the awesome Taiko guys where they updated my drivers among other things, it seems that the issue may be with the USB cables I am using. The thing is that I have tried three of them (Sablon, ForzaAudioWorks, Phasure) with same result, i.e. that the Extreme and HE-1 don't handshake. I have been suggested to try a plain USB cable, but I don't have one at hand right now.

Of course the other option is that the demo HE-1 unit I am using has a defective USB input.

Any Extreme / HE-1 owner has had a similar issue, I would be grateful for any hints.

 

[MOTU]

Long shot .... but perhaps I am lucky to post here.

I am auditioning the Sennheiser HE-1 at home for the weekend. I can drive them via the Rossini, yet I am not able to use them out of the Extreme via USB direct.

After a support session with the awesome Taiko guys where they updated my drivers among other things, it seems that the issue may be with the USB cables I am using. The thing is that I have tried three of them (Sablon, ForzaAudioWorks, Phasure) with same result, i.e. that the Extreme and HE-1 don't handshake. I have been suggested to try a plain USB cable, but I don't have one at hand right now.

Of course the other option is that the demo HE-1 unit I am using has a defective USB input.

Any Extreme / HE-1 owner has had a similar issue, I would be grateful for any hints.

I would say don't bother. The DAC in the HE 1 is pretty bad, the Rossini will be much better.

 

[onlychild]

Long shot .... but perhaps I am lucky to post here.

I am auditioning the Sennheiser HE-1 at home for the weekend. I can drive them via the Rossini, yet I am not able to use them out of the Extreme via USB direct.

After a support session with the awesome Taiko guys where they updated my drivers among other things, it seems that the issue may be with the USB cables I am using. The thing is that I have tried three of them (Sablon, ForzaAudioWorks, Phasure) with same result, i.e. that the Extreme and HE-1 don't handshake. I have been suggested to try a plain USB cable, but I don't have one at hand right now.

Of course the other option is that the demo HE-1 unit I am using has a defective USB input.

Any Extreme / HE-1 owner has had a similar issue, I would be grateful for any hints.

No issues with the Shunyata Omega USB cable I’m using.

I think the Sablon I have also worked, but I need to find it again and test. Will report back.

 

[onlychild]

I would say don't bother. The DAC in the HE 1 is pretty bad, the Rossini will be much better.

Oddly, I prefer the internal Dac of the HE-1 with the dedicated Taiko USB driver over a heavily modded Chord Dave (without Taiko USB driver)

the Dac chip might be a bit outdated, but the analog section is probably really good with its direct connection to the preamp.

I’m eagerly waiting for the Taiko DAC as one of my main goals is to have the least amount of cables/boxes in my system.