Taiko Extreme Review

this is what I like, this build is amazing. This monster is the example how to build a pc streamer. The most impressive part is the 400W lineair powersupply. For all home pcs, this is the weak point. Everything is done right, power, software, cooling

The only thing it uses windows server because that audio drivers have the best sound. License for that is in my country about 1100 euro and the Windows support for these servers is 10 years. It is likely that Windows server 2019 is used, with enddate 2029. What happends after 2029? Do you need to send it back for a server and software upgrade?
 
There is no question that the performance and build quality of the Extreme is industry-leading and stellar. I wouldn’t mind seeing Taiko go to a two-box solution like Aurender did with their N30SA. This would make it much easier to lift and better isolate the noisier components from the signal producing ones for an even lower noise floor, which is already extremely low to begin with.

While I’m in the wish list mode, I would love to see Taiko team up with MSB to produce a purely optical asynchronous connection that would take USB entirely out of the equation. This would be most impressive and to me seems like a logical next step in raising performance even higher.

Ken
 
Alpinist said:
There is no question that the performance and build quality of the Extreme is industry-leading and stellar. I wouldn’t mind seeing Taiko go to a two-box solution like Aurender did with their N30SA. This would make it much easier to lift and better isolate the noisier components from the signal producing ones for an even lower noise floor, which is already extremely low to begin with.

While I’m in the wish list mode, I would love to see Taiko team up with MSB to produce a purely optical asynchronous connection that would take USB entirely out of the equation. This would be most impressive and to me seems like a logical next step in raising performance even higher.

Ken
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Going to 2 boxes isn't without its own issues. Once you introduce a power cable you then have to concern yourself with the effects of that (impedance, etc.). I am sure Taiko Audio has assessed the pros and cons of that configuration. I agree is does make maneuvering the boxes easier.
 
dminches said:
Going to 2 boxes isn't without its own issues. Once you introduce a power cable you then have to concern yourself with the effects of that (impedance, etc.). I am sure Taiko Audio has assessed the pros and cons of that configuration. I agree is does make maneuvering the boxes easier.
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When you say power cable do you mean the umbilical power cord between the two units? Because this is a problem that has been easily solved by most manufacturers.

Ken
 
Alpinist said:
When you say power cable do you mean the umbilical power cord between the two units? Because this is a problem that has been easily solved by most manufacturers.

Ken
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Yes, the umbilical.

I don't know what you mean by "solved" since everyone I have spoken to has said that it is a trade-off since the cable introduces its own effect.
 
dminches said:
Yes, the umbilical.

I don't know what you mean by "solved" since everyone I have spoken to has said that it is a trade-off since the cable introduces its own effect.
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For servers, Aurender and Innuos have made it work well. I’m sure Taiko could make it work well too if they so choose. The improvement from the N20 to the N30SA is hardly a trade-off, and the two-box design is a major driver of that improvement.

Ken
 
Ken, isn’t the W20SE the top model from Aurender, a single chassis unit? I do agree in theory, in my limited experience separate power supplies seem to yield sonic improvements. Perhaps “extreme” isolation and attenuation is equivalent (and cost effective) vs dual chassis.
 
Bobvin said:
Ken, isn’t the W20SE the top model from Aurender, a single chassis unit? I do agree in theory, in my limited experience separate power supplies seem to yield sonic improvements. Perhaps “extreme” isolation and attenuation is equivalent (and cost effective) vs dual chassis.
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No, the dual chassis N30SA is.


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Bobvin said:
Ken, isn’t the W20SE the top model from Aurender, a single chassis unit? I do agree in theory, in my limited experience separate power supplies seem to yield sonic improvements. Perhaps “extreme” isolation and attenuation is equivalent (and cost effective) vs dual chassis.
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Hi Bob,

The W20SE is battery powered, so power supply isolation is basically a moot point.

Best,
Ken
 
Sorry to ask Aurender questions in the Taiko thread… what is considered the best sounding Aurender unit, the W20SE (with battery for audio circuit) and internal linear power supply, or the dual chassis N30SA?

(Maybe answered elsewhere… steer me there I’ll explore more.)
 
Bobvin said:
Sorry to ask Aurender questions in the Taiko thread… what is considered the best sounding Aurender unit, the W20SE (with battery for audio circuit) and internal linear power supply, or the dual chassis N30SA?

(Maybe answered elsewhere… steer me there I’ll explore more.)
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I have both and say N30SA. The W20SE is more detailed, more transparent. The N30SA is more analog sounding, more density of sound. Both have black backgrounds.

But yes, back to Taiko. We are really looking forward to the updates Emile is working on to take Roon 1.8 to a new level. I really want to try the Taiko at home with my NAIM 555 (with dual PSU’s) streamer. It’s a Roon endpoint.


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brodricj said:
$32,000. Seriously?
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Sometimes you get what you pay for. And as a Taiko Extreme owner, I can confirm that in this case, you get it back in spades in more ways than one. YMMV.


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cmarin said:
Sometimes you get what you pay for. And as a Taiko Extreme owner, I can confirm that in this case, you get it back in spades in more ways than one. YMMV.


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Agreed! And the best is yet to come: new OS, XDMS, Roon enhancements, new network card and a Taiko switch!


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cmarin said:
Sometimes you get what you pay for. And as a Taiko Extreme owner, I can confirm that in this case, you get it back in spades in more ways than one. YMMV.


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I will definitely give it another chance once they get past what seems like a Beta version of the product. As Mike notes in post #16 there is much more on the way to make it ready for prime time.
 
Still don't get it. How do they upgrade the OS from all the sold music streamers? At a certain point Microsoft stops supporting.
 
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