Taiko Audio Network Interface

ackcheng

用了taiko audio 這間公司的產品已經有一段時間時，由最初SGMS 2015 一直升級到現在的Taiko Extreme Server 已經有七八年時間。感覺這間公司很有研究精神。有很多新的理念。

最近這間公司又推出新的產品，就是自家設計的Router同Switch。其實發燒級的交換機已經有很多廠商推出，一般的做法就是改了一個線性電源和將時鐘改做一個比較phase noise 比較低的OCXO. 大部份都不是自己設計，而是改裝現有的，別公司的產品。而這一次taiko audio 的設計卻跳出了現有的概念。他們覺得即使改做善性電源和一個比較準確的時鐘，如果本身耗電量大。電腦亦會引起很多noise。而且RJ45 本身這個架構耗電量亦10分大亦會引起很多雜音。所以他們的設計。

整個組合由多個部份組成包括有
1. Extreme network Card
2. Extreme switch
3. Extreme router
4. Extreme power distributor

ackcheng

以下一段文字就是設計師Emile 的解釋

" After years of trying and experimenting we have not found a single solution leading to full
immunization to the influence of networking on sound quality. This network is an active component
in your home. A perhaps shocking discovery is that your home network can even influence your
analog playback chain. Every component of your network exerts a degree of influence, ranging from
very minor to major. What this means is that when you introduce any type of streaming digital
source into your system (and even when you don't) and you care about sound quality, you should
absolutely look at the large picture, including every single component and piece of wire, not
identical to but similar to how you look at for example your power utility setup, where the utility
breaker box, fuses and all bits of wire make a difference.
A router is like the airport / main distribution center of your network, it performs customs clearance
on international packages, checks for illegal content, and sorts and transports all packages to where
they should arrive in a timely and organized fashion. It should have plenty of capacity to ensure
everything runs smooth and in a timely fashion, and good management- and quality control
departments.
A switch is like your local post office / distribution center, it needs a well-maintained road system
and a fleet of delivery trucks with good suspension so packages arrive undamaged at their final
destination even when encountering a few bumps in the road and last but not least well-mannered
delivery guys.
In audiophile language, using the earlier mentioned power utility setup analogy, your house mains
utility distribution box would be the router, your in-wall wiring would be the ethernet cable running
from the router, your local system power strip or power conditioner would be the switch, and your
power cord would be your ethernet cable. Perhaps unsurprisingly, their respective degrees of
influence on sound quality are very similar. The router being the mains utility distribution box in this
example can furthermore be enhanced with things like power regeneration, cleaning, stabilization
etc."

ackcheng

他認為用SFP DAC cable 會比傳統的RJ45 更好聽. 他認為RJ45 這個格式存在很多問題，因為有很多誤差修正，會浪費資源和增加雜音。而且消耗的電能也相對較高，再引起其他電源的雜音而影響播放效果。



The ethernet cabling system we use in our homes is designed to transport large amounts of data at high speeds over an as economical as possible cabling system. For this to work it uses block coding and error correction to enable data to pass through a cheap (economical) cable and connector system without error. The block encoding requires reading the data block into the transmitter, running a mathematical function on the data, and sending the encoded data over the link. The opposite happens at the receiving end and error correction is applied.

To give you an indication of the processing overhead, this is standardized to take 2.6 microseconds where the actual data transfer latency is 0.1 microseconds for fiber and 0.3 microseconds for copper (or times 8.6 for copper and times 26 for fiber). But more important is the increase in power consumption which is between 5 and 25 times higher for RJ45 over SFP (for EACH port).

At a first glance SFP fiber appears to be the ideal solution, unfortunately it is not as straight forward as that as a SFP fiber module, which converts an electrical into an optical signal, uses a substantial amount of power. A single fiber SFP module consumes more power then our entire final switch design, the additional noise this generates is multiple times higher then that of the switch itself.

So our soup of today consists of an accumulation of several types of noise:
-Processing noise
-Noise generated by power consumption (and associated heat)
-Interface noise

We have managed to achieve the absolute lowest possible noise by minimizing these 3 by designing a network card and switch for producing the lowest possible noise, consuming the lowest possible power, with the least possible processing overhead around using a so called DAC SFP cable between Network card and Switch.

原來DAC數碼線在通訊業已經有廣泛的應用，價錢亦10分便宜。

ackcheng

這就是我現在的系統





至於聲音方面，完全是茅塞頓開，大開眼界。估唔到升級了網絡系統不單止串流的播放有極大的改善，連機內的檔案播放也很明顯有進步。背景寧靜，黑過深海，數碼味幾乎沒有了，換來的是暖暖的模擬味道。層次分明立體感強勁。音樂感也大大提升。

zelo

佢部switch我都好有興趣。

evga56

但係DAC無地隔, 如果唔係用SGMS依類audio PC做core嘅話會唔會用返consume大啲power嘅AOC or 普通SFP + fibre反而利大於弊

btw有冇twinaxial 線好推介？

racewong

zelo 發表於 2023-11-5 21:53
佢部switch我都好有興趣。

我有興趣佢個Router多D

blau.vol

evga56 發表於 2023-11-5 22:23
但係DAC無地隔, 如果唔係用SGMS依類audio PC做core嘅話會唔會用返consume大啲power嘅AOC or 普通SFP + fibr ...

Hi evga56 hing ,


Extreme switch 個 PCB Signal  GROUND ,  同chassis 係分開的. 而 SFP+ 個 cage,  同 PCB Signal GROUND 也分開的.   所以 Extreme switch 我試過 DAC cable,  SFP+ or RJ45 Tranceiver with 好貴的 LAN Cable.  我仍然喜歡送給我們的 Direct Attach cable .  

而 SGMS  Extreme server 張 Extreme network card 也是,  個 SFP cage 同 Network Interface Card  PCB 上 signal GROUND 也是分開的 ( 其中一個好聲的原因) .  所以沒有問題呢.   

我有試過 Lumin X1 or U2 ,  with DAC cable , 也好聲.  Luminj X1 SFP cage 唔係直short 落地.  我記得係.

但係DACcable 最唔好的問題係 :  無 hi fi 線玩!!!




Best,
Blau

P.S. : 好似 Melco 出近.....

tleonard

好似話 5 月已經有 Taiko Audio Network Interface 嘅用家玩緊條靚靚 Direct Attach Cable：

https://www.qsa-lanedri.com/product-page/gamma-sfp-dac-cable
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/qsa-lanedri-series.36078/page-17#post-874046
https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/qsa-lanedri-series.36078/page-22#post-900382

真係得一條咁少？當然各位師兄覺得唔夠喉嘅話都無問題，好似呢一位師兄咁樣買條普通 Direct Attach Cable 先：

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/qsa-lanedri-series.36078/page-5#post-849761

We treated this 7m DAC and are waiting to test it. This cable was discussed with Emile and he said it was a suitable cable for use with his switch and NIC.

然後就學佢咁樣，按照需要（同埋預算）去選擇其中一個級數嘅 treatment。

老頂嘅級數就應該係佢喇，哈哈：

https://www.audiotechnique.com/single-post/qsacrystal_goldredseries

另外如果有師兄可以比較 QSA 同埋 Taiko Audio 嘅同類型產品都相當有睇頭：



假如佢哋嘅旗艦級 LPS 拍得住 BPS 都咪話唔爽，真係要拭目以待：

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/qsa-lanedri-series.36078/page-25#post-918081

The Sean Jacob's LPS we employ is a QSA Lanedri series prototype of the DC4AR6. The effects of this prototype are truly mind-blowing, particularly in its ability to reduce the noise floor and, consequently, enhance transparency, instrument separation, clarity, and soundstage.

blau.vol

tleonard 發表於 2023-11-6 18:16
好似話 5 月已經有 Taiko Audio Network Interface 嘅用家玩緊條靚靚 Direct Attach Cable：

https://www. ...

Hi tLeonard hing ,


我香港也有客戶有買 QSA treated DAC cable ar ....  ,  我未聽過.  好似話好勁.   

Youtube  中的係  INNUOS Statement server  呀..  我一定話,  好好聲架.  哈哈.


blau
VOLENT

blau.vol

zelo 發表於 2023-11-5 21:53
佢部switch我都好有興趣。

HI zelo hing ,

好好玩架,  router fit you too ! hehe

zelo

blau.vol 發表於 2023-11-7 17:51
HI zelo hing ,

好好玩架,  router fit you too ! hehe

Ben sir 唔好咁樣落毒好喎⋯⋯