The Dutch company Taiko Audio , which specializes in network equipment for storing and broadcasting audio, has introduced a new network switch Taiko Audio Extreme Router . The Taiko Audio Extreme Router is dressed in the same beautiful copper chassis measuring 22 x 22 x 5 cm as Taiko Audio Extreme Switch. Aside from the connectors on the back of the case, the Extreme Router looks identical to the Switch model and is available in the same polished chrome or matte black finishes. Taiko Audio Extreme Router is based on a 16-core ARM processor.
While the Taiko Audio Extreme Switch implements the one-in-one-out concept, the Extreme Router offers five configurable ports, one for input and the other four for output. The router has one SFP port to which you can connect an optical cable, and four Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 ports. The manufacturer recommends the use of optics for maximum neutrality, transparency and feed accuracy.
A combination of an Extreme Switch and an Extreme Network Card allows you to use an SFP interface instead of an Ethernet RJ45 interface to communicate with an Extreme server, which has a significantly lower noise level. In addition, this solution offloads part of the network processing from the server to the switch, which in itself improves the playback performance of Roon.
The new Extreme Router gives you complete control over your data flow. It can determine all network parameters and control the actual amount and flow of data present on the network. It also allows you to manage your Wi-Fi hotspot to manage your wireless network settings.
Taiko Audio Extreme Router main features:
– The router will run a hypervisor, allowing you to run multiple operating systems as virtual machines.
– One of these virtual machines can run the Ubiquity software to manage the entire network of Ubiquity hotspots / products if needed (or possibly other brands)
– Another virtual machine can perform streaming pre-processing to improve live streaming performance for Roon.
– Another virtual machine can run the future part of XDMS (future new Etreme server, currently in Alpha state).
– Serve as NAS (for music storage)
– All five ports can be configured as separate networks
– The Taiko Audio Extreme Router can be used to replace the router supplied by your ISP if your ISP supports replacing your router.
– Support for setting a static IP address for the Extreme server.
Taiko Audio gives an example of an optimal audio network consisting of five devices:
- 1) Taiko Audio Extreme Router
- 2) Wi-Fi Access Point (AP)
- 3) Taiko Audio Extreme Switch
- 4) Taiko Audio Extreme Server
- 5) Wireless remote control device (iOS or Android tablet)
Thus, you will have two Wi-Fi networks at home – one for music, the other for other tasks. You can either switch your remote control tablet between the two, or use the second tablet for audio only. That is, for audio in this solution, a separate network is organized, free from loading by extraneous traffic.
The Taiko Audio Extreme Router comes with a standard external 12V DC power supply in the basic package. Taiko Audio will soon offer an external line unit Taiko Audio BPS as an option to power the router.
The manufacturer estimates that the new Taiko Audio Extreme Router will go on sale after the Munich High End Show in early June 2023. The recommended retail price of the Taiko Audio Extreme Router is still unknown, but it will probably be lower than the total cost of a set of Taiko Audio Extreme Switch and Taiko Audio Extreme Network Card, that is, around 6,000 euros . Taiko Audio noted that at first the new product will be available only to owners of the Taiko Audio Extreme server.