SGM Taiko Extreme

[bmichels]

I had last year the chance to have a home demo of the SGM 2015 server, which indeed use HQPlayer to upsample everything to high DSD rates.  I Was impressed by the sound, but since I am not fan of upsampling I did not purchased it and got a W20 who does play bit perfect.  

 

Now I am very interested by isquirrel's writing "The new Taiko Extreme does not upsample".  This is a major strategic change to the SGM !   Therefore I am again interested in this new server... expecially after reading isquirrel's listening impressions.

 

question: is HQplayer not used anymore ?  HQplayer was a major foundation of the SGM package... and also a source of complexity of set-up/installation to optimize the SGM because of the myriad of choices/parameters/filters available through  HQplayer. 

[bmichels]

Few years ago I had demo of the Aurender W20 and the SGM2018.

Because I do not like the idea of upsampling and because I was afraid by the complexity of the optimisation needed by the myriad of HQ Player filters.... I decided to go for the W20.

Now it is time for upgrade. I am therefore hesitating between the new Aurender W20SE,  the Playback Design MPT-8 (with CD/SACD reader & the optional Roon core module) and of course, the first choice being the Taiko Audio SGM Extreme... now that it do not upsample anymore with HQ player.

I just wonder: Now that Taiko Audio SGM Extreme do NOT uses HQ Palyer, I hope that there is no more optimisation needed ! will it be as "plug&play" as an Aurender or a Playback Design transport or... are there still optimisation needed to match your system ?

[bmichels]

4 hours ago, isquirrel said:

 

No there are no such optimisations needed to match your system other than installing your DAC's driver which Taiko Audio do for you. Which DAC are you using now? 

 

Today I have a Denafrips TERMINATOR, but the plan is to upgrade (soon ?) to the NAGRA Tube DAC.   

[bmichels]

Isquirrel, as I mentioned, I plan to go for the Tube DAC with the Classic PSU, which is the "successor" of the "old" NAGRA HD DAC.  Same small housing. It is NOT the HD DAC-X.   

 

Only drawback of the Taiko Extreme paired with the NAGRA is that the Taiko will not use the new I2S proprietary Digital interface that is implemented in the Tube DAC and the HD DAX X (Only the Playback Design MPT-8 dream Server offer such interface since this interface was developped for NAGRA by...  Andreas Koch 🙂 ).  So... Taiko's USB will be the best choice I guess ?