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Taiko Audio SGM Extreme: WTF?

DHT 845

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They claim to have some special software that improves sound quality called TAS
Mono & Stereo © 2021: TAS BY TAIKO AUDIO! (monoandstereo.com)
Jay's on youtube talkes about it.
(1) Jay's Audio Lab VERSUS Suncoast Audio! - YouTube

I like "roon is noisy" statement :) . Where is the point that some server with extreme double CPU and "special" TAS software may sound better that for example Raspberry Pi4? I assume that it really sounds better, otherwise it would be unbelievable scum. Is it the matter of some software algorythms?
 

voodooless

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They claim to have some special software that improves sound quality called TAS
Mono & Stereo © 2021: TAS BY TAIKO AUDIO! (monoandstereo.com)

So many words to say absolutely nothing :facepalm:

More bullshit and unfounded conjecture :facepalm:

I assume that it really sounds better, otherwise it would be unbelievable scum. Is it the matter of some software algorythms?
Assumptions are the mother of all f*ckups. Don’t assume! This is just total non-sense. Algorithms? What algorithms? Bitperfect audio out of PC has been solved decades ago. What more do you need?
 

DHT 845

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So many words to say absolutely nothing :facepalm:


More bullshit and unfounded conjecture :facepalm:


Assumptions are the mother of all f*ckups. Don’t assume! This is just total non-sense. Algorithms? What algorithms? Bitperfect audio out of PC has been solved decades ago. What more do you need?
I ment some kind of digital EQ?
Wadia once had digimaster. I am looking for a clue why assuming the sound difference is no lie in this case. More probable is software influence...
 

voodooless

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I ment some kind of digital EQ?

If it were EQ, why would they not say so? Why is it all a mystery box? Why can’t they prove that anything is objectively better (not that some random EQ will do that)?

Wadia once had digimaster. I am looking for a clue why assuming the sound difference is no lie in this case. More probable is software influence...

The fact that you have to search for clues should already be a massive red flag. What has the Digimaster to do with anything?
 

DHT 845

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If it were EQ, why would they not say so? Why is it all a mystery box? Why can’t they prove that anything is objectively better (not that some random EQ will do that)?

The fact that you have to search for clues should already be a massive red flag. What has the Digimaster to do with anything?

DigiMaster had some kind of digital EQ. Wadia gear had -3dB at 20kHz (typical of Wadia's DigiMaster algorithm).
 

voodooless

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DigiMaster had some kind of digital EQ. Wadia gear had -3dB at 20kHz (typical of Wadia's DigiMaster algorithm).

Back then, they at least did some effort to have the device sound different. Nowadays it's just enough to claim it sounds better.
 

Loxophone

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IMG_3967.jpeg
 

DHT 845

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quanghuy147

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Here's one of my servers: HPE Gen7 Proliant DL360e. The server with 24GB of RAM was $155 shipped.
2 Xeon L5640 (total of 32 logical cores)
128GB ECC DDR3 10600 RAM ($120)
8 TB of storageRAID 5 ($300)
480GB Kinston SSD Boot Drive ($55)
4 GBe Copper Ethernet
2 10GBe LC SR Ethernet ($20 for the card, $18 for the 10GBe transceiver)
1 Lights out management Ethernet. This is a great feature BTW.

My total cost was $668. Able to hit 668MB/s between servers (I have a 2nd DL360e and a Dell R620) and my HPE Z420 workstation. I can get 332MB/s to my lowly Celeron N3150 based systems (100% silent machines BTW).

IMG_20210302_225919

IMG_20210302_224720

IMG_20210302_224728

IMG_20210302_224747
Hello,
May I know how you keep this server silent? I remember blade servers have very loud fans.
Thank you.
 

somebodyelse

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Hello,
May I know how you keep this server silent? I remember blade servers have very loud fans.
Thank you.
My guess is you don't - you stick it in another room or building where you can't hear it. If you want something silent you look at the fanless miniITX boards, used thin clients, SBCs like the Pi, or putting something faster in a fanless case like one of Streacom's.
 

iMickey503

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Let me just say something about High priced gear.
Do you know really why its so expensive? Its so you can send someone to their home to set it up. And when they call you for some "Reason" and they can't get a DVD-Audio or SACD to play in the CD player? You send out someone to their home to help them with the problem. Its like that.

The High end means you are dealing with people who simply have zero patience for anything that does not work their way.

It has to be Press this single button. Insert media. Play. That's it.

Sonos for Example is often set up and installed by a Pro in many homes. Even the App is made to be as simple to set up as possible as the "Pro" is often some dude subcontracted and paid bottom dollar to do it after reading a Quick setup guide that came with the Job documentation.


Take this model. Its just as simple as it gets. And that's what they want. No Frills. No "Alexa" etc.
meridian-cd-player-660x550.jpg




Most of these folks don't even power off their gear. They just leave it on. And hence? The "Power" button is not important.
It is usually only used once. And there after? When its upgrade time. Why? "Burn in" or whatever they were told was best so they don't start with a cold system when they are ready to play music. It has to be ready to go. Or they will have a shit fit. (I WISH I could tell you WHO...)

If you think the cost of the Gear is high? Well... Installation often costs more then the gear itself. Its kind of how it works on the High end. You don't just buy this stuff for the gear. You get a MAN, [Men] (Women are not taken Kindly to doing the installs, only the selling) to come over and install everything. He better have a Big nice truck outside with a Proud Logo of some HiFi looking High end business while in his neighborhood or quarter mile long driveway.

Think of most of your outdoor speakers. You will never see a pair for less then $800 bucks being installed. Also? Its either JBL, Niles, or nothing.

1649758530305.png
There is no such thing "Other brands" for outdoor speakers.
Its just how it is. And the price to install them costs at least 10x what the cost of the speakers are. The units above often are listed by a contractor 2x MSRP or higher.


Why all the high cost? With people in this demographic, if it does not command a high price, they often feel what they are getting is worthless.
Its a state of mind for them. If other people can buy it? Its not good enough.

The Labor better be more than the cost of the parts. And they better see all the custom work that goes into it.
For customers like these? If they find a part on their bill that looks like some small charge like for cable ends or adaptors? They start to question the quality of the parts you installed. Its just their mindset. So you don/t put it down. You just sink it into a Parts cost of Materials.

They also have ZERO tolerance for anything not working PERFECTLY. Hence, everything is Hard wired. It better not fade either. Or look bad after a few years.
And even though they only used it maybe once a year, it better work that one time they use it. Etc.

There is no such thing as going into a menu for these people. Volume knob placed outdoors as well. No voice controls either or Microphones.
It has to be done by a control pad, or from the main unit in the house.

One of my installs, the outdoor volume knob HAD to match the decor. The custom item's Bill? For a $30 part, it was $800 dollars after customization. Then, she wanted 2 of them so they both worked at each "seating" location around the hot tub/Pool.

all I'm saying is the owner drove in one of these to check on the work being done.
mclaren-mp4-12c-par-mulgari-automotive.jpg



The folks that pay 150,000 for gear? That how much they make in a week. Some? A day! Its hard to grasp this, but imagine this being a Business expense.
How? Use your Imagination. Often these homes are used for Movie shoots, Business meetings etc.

People like this will complain about a $40.00 plate of food, but not even think about a $400.00 bottle of wine.
Its just another world.
 

Katji

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Its just another world.
Yes, like a different world. I realised that when...at work, friend used to fwd emails to me, like when a director did something financial. (It was not covert, some sort of public notification was required since the company had been publically listed on the stock exchange.) So this director had cashed in shares/options for about...let's say the equivalent of about $1.6m, and then about 10 months later again for about $1.2m. That in addition to whatever his salary was, of course. So I thought jees, this guy could give me [or anyone else] half a million bucks and he wouldn't even notice it on his bank account, but it could change my life.
[All employees were given some share options every year, how much depending on worker level, salary, and their managers' rating or whatever. And the company was doing very well. like when i cashed in share options, they were worth about 10x the original value. So people used it to pay off their home loans, or to help them retire early.]

Different world. When guys like that want a new expensive car, they just call their guy at the bank and tell him to arrange payment, if there's anything to sign, they come to him.
Hi-fi...like you say...they don't fxck around reading reviews and coming to forums saying "i'm conflicted, help me decide." They talk to the consultant and pay.

And there's also the scenario like new luxury condos, home automation + audio consultants get contracted to source and install. ... like one I heard of, the guy was installing complete B&O systems in a new condo project. Big projects - network, home automation, AV. Complex.
 
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firedog

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It's made for people with lots of money who think they want the ultimate. When they buy it they are sure they are getting the best SQ they've ever had.
Doesn't matter if that's objectively true. They are happy with their purchase.
As they say, "If you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it".
 

Surge

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I often argue that if you are not in the position to purchase something it’s probably best not to listen to it as it can be a bit of soul-destroying experience, but I must say with the Taiko Extreme everyone should experience what it can accomplish, it is such a strong performer and stands so far apart from everything else that is classed a server or streamer, it’s actually quite unnerving!

I know this is the World-Is-Flat Forum but by God does this thing take digital music to the next level. No, it probably won’t make much of a difference to your $99 DAC. Nor much sense.
But I encourage you all to have a listen. And swallow your tongues.
 
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