Taiko Music Server

**Mike** · January 26, 2021, 01:40 PM

The great guys at Taiko installed our beta version of the Taiko Music Server. We can switch back and forth between it and Roon.

We spoke for two hours about why Roon is affected sonically: noisy traffic caused by its P2P architecture, among other things.

Looking forward to really doing a deep comparison between the Taiko software and Roon.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

**Alpinist** · January 26, 2021, 04:44 PM

Hi Mike,

Please let us know your initial thoughts.

Thanks,
Ken

**aKnyght** · January 26, 2021, 04:47 PM

looking forward to hearing the results !!

finally... an A/B test of roon versus another playback software on the SAME piece of equipment.

don't forget to do the test blind!!

**joeinid** · January 26, 2021, 05:16 PM

Cool Mike. Digital is sure moving quickly. I think I need to catch up.

**Mike** · January 26, 2021, 05:39 PM

The nice feature of the Taiko software is that with the push of a button from the app on your iPad, you can switch back and forth between Roon and the Taiko software. Switching to Roon, basically turns off “ExtremeDirect Player” and re-enables Roon Core. Switching back to ExtremeDirect Player is just as easy and disables Roon.

Now, in terms of functionality, this is a beta version and is still fairly rudimentary and simple in terms of sourcing your music. Functional, operational, stable, but basic (not “pretty” like Roon).

Right now, for the purposes of the test I stuck with QoBuz. Tidal integration had begun, but stopped when Tidal added new security requirements. In about two weeks, it should once again have Tidal.

We haven’t moved much content directly onto the Taiko Extreme from our NAS, but we are going to begin that process tonight.

I have been going back and forth all afternoon comparing the exact same tracks on QoBuz, switching back and forth each song between Roon and the Taiko software.

I was expecting similar things I’ve found switching between Roon and Aurender. Let’s just say, I was not disappointed.

With the Taiko software, there is such a greater sense of intimacy and quietness. Comparing piano recordings was revolutionary, literally like comparing different DAC’s or maybe even more profound. Vocals with the Taiko software have such a haunting realism, you can’t help but close your eyes and melt away into the moment. This is not hyperbole, this is the real deal. It was plain as day the level of noise and crap going on with Roon compared with the Taiko software. You could hear it plain as day. In a word, the Taiko software delivers greater “presence” in spades.

I’m sure the functionality of the Taiko software will come over time, but for now, with the focus solely on “sound first”, removing noisy roon from the Taiko had such a dramatic audible impact.

Their software allows their hardware to reach its full potential, sonically speaking.

A home run sonically, with promises of great things to come functionally.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

**Swisstrips** · January 26, 2021, 06:18 PM

I was just following up on TAS info and looks like it’s getting closer. Not knowing much about it, looks like there will be a version for extreme / existing customers (native) and one for everyone else?

I doubt it will be a contest and will smoke Roon given the current climate. Will be an interesting development

**Mike** · January 26, 2021, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by Swisstrips

I was just following up on TAS info and looks like it’s getting closer. Not knowing much about it, looks like there will be a version for extreme / existing customers (native) and one for everyone else?

I doubt it will be a contest and will smoke Roon given the current climate. Will be an interesting development

It’s a product for the Taiko hardware. I don’t see it being available as a third party.

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**Alpinist** · January 26, 2021, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by Mike

It’s a product for the Taiko hardware. I don’t see it being available as a third party.

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I agree with Mike. It required much R&D and gives them a big competitive advantage. Why would they offer it to other parties?

Ken

**GSOphile** · January 26, 2021, 08:00 PM

If they were to offer it for other platforms, compatibility, testing, maintenance costs and associated staffing requirements would increase dramatically. I doubt this would be in their near term interests.

**Swisstrips** · January 26, 2021, 08:30 PM

Oh good to know, I was under the impression there was a "version" for custom / other builds. Guess not. Even if it were available outside of the Taiko products, I would guess it would be $$ for most.

**Kuoppis** · January 27, 2021, 01:18 AM

Just out of curiosity, if it is again a SW stack with dedicated proprietary hardware, how is it different from Aurender?

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**Mike Lavigne** · January 27, 2021, 08:13 AM

cool to see Mike here with the Beta version of TAS.

i've had the Alpha version of the TAS on my Extreme for almost 2 months, versions 1 and 2. but don't yet have the Beta version. to begin with the interface was quite klunky, but it's been getting better over time. there is a clear step up in performance in the sense of the music being less processed, more vivid and alive sounding. i think we are seeing a true maturation of digital music reproduction.

i suppose i should jump into the beta version. been pretty focused on vinyl changes lately.

i'm not in a position to comment on the Aurender question.

**eurodriver** · January 27, 2021, 08:42 AM

Hi Kuoppis,

Aurenda is a great company with a very nice product line delivering a top class user experience

At Taiko, the team is driver to best possible musical experience even at the cost of sacrificing some functionality such as volume control

At Taiko, the hardware approach is brute force computing with the finest audiophile components from Duelund, Mundorf, Lundahl and others.

Vibration control measures are in a similar vein to Audionote UK with lots of Panzerholz pieces in critical locations

The OS ( Windows Enterprise LTSC for IOT appliances) is the most expensive one amongst the audiophile OS’s you can licence, but in Taiko’s extensive testing with custom build, we find it to be the best for our application

Taiko software leverages off this hardware and OS landscape. There are more moving parts, and this allows a degree of tuning and optimization that’s not possible on simpler and lower power platforms

The software is more than just a stack, but code which is organizing the various storage media into a musical combination

I hope this helps to throw some light on how Extreme running TAS can deliver the musical presentation that Mike, Alpha and Beta testers describe

**mep** · January 27, 2021, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

It’s a product for the Taiko hardware. I don’t see it being available as a third party.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah, and it won't smoke Roon in the marketplace either.

**eurodriver** · January 27, 2021, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by mep

Yeah, and it won't smoke Roon in the marketplace either.

Not Taiko’s intention

Roon delivers a superb music discovery experience

**mep** · January 27, 2021, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by eurodriver

Not Taiko’s intention

Roon delivers a superb music discovery experience

I was commenting on Swisstrips prediction.

**cmarin** · January 27, 2021, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

The nice feature of the Taiko software is that with the push of a button from the app on your iPad, you can switch back and forth between Roon and the Taiko software. Switching to Roon, basically turns off “ExtremeDirect Player” and re-enables Roon Core. Switching back to ExtremeDirect Player is just as easy and disables Roon.

Now, in terms of functionality, this is a beta version and is still fairly rudimentary and simple in terms of sourcing your music. Functional, operational, stable, but basic (not “pretty” like Roon).

Right now, for the purposes of the test I stuck with QoBuz. Tidal integration had begun, but stopped when Tidal added new security requirements. In about two weeks, it should once again have Tidal.

We haven’t moved much content directly onto the Taiko Extreme from our NAS, but we are going to begin that process tonight.

I have been going back and forth all afternoon comparing the exact same tracks on QoBuz, switching back and forth each song between Roon and the Taiko software.

I was expecting similar things I’ve found switching between Roon and Aurender. Let’s just say, I was not disappointed.

With the Taiko software, there is such a greater sense of intimacy and quietness. Comparing piano recordings was revolutionary, literally like comparing different DAC’s or maybe even more profound. Vocals with the Taiko software have such a haunting realism, you can’t help but close your eyes and melt away into the moment. This is not hyperbole, this is the real deal. It was plain as day the level of noise and crap going on with Roon compared with the Taiko software. You could hear it plain as day. In a word, the Taiko software delivers greater “presence” in spades.

I’m sure the functionality of the Taiko software will come over time, but for now, with the focus solely on “sound first”, removing noisy roon from the Taiko had such a dramatic audible impact.

Their software allows their hardware to reach its full potential, sonically speaking.

A home run sonically, with promises of great things to come functionally.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Mike,

Had TAS beta version installed yesterday.

Couldn’t agree more with your impressions. In short: unparalleled proximity to real music.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Mike Lavigne** · January 27, 2021, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by mep

Yeah, and it won't smoke Roon in the marketplace either.

not it's intent.

not trying to be all things to all people. it's the F1 car of music management software.

horses for courses.

**Swisstrips** · January 27, 2021, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by mep

I was commenting on Swisstrips prediction.

My comment was under my impression that TAS would be available to other builds (my bad) and that the current climate is that roon's sound quality and direction is undesirable => thus I was speculating that once general public got a hold of it, things would go bonkers so to speak. I don't have a horse in the race as I use roon/HQP (lifetime). However, the tech on this TAS design as well Euphony's playback cache is very interesting nonetheless.

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