The DAC of the future

Horizon360 is our first ever improvement of our flagship Horizon DAC since its creation 3 years ago.This move  is mainly enforced by the chip availability limitations. When our “magic” chip got almost depleted and also we started working on Taiko Olympus XDMI interface - we had to decide to make major changes and eventually find a different chip. After searching the whole world for it and after endless experiments and prototyping that took 2 years - we arrived at a design that sounds better than the original Horizon with the same sound signature that we are famous for. We decided to give the project a green light and we considered it worthy of calling it the new name - Horizon360.
 

Business-wise, the original plan was just to overcome the parts shortage but as the Taiko Olympus story evolved, we saw a huge opportunity there. Since the Olympus is challenging the status quo of the digital music industry, we joined that process by adopting the Olympus XDMI as the first DAC manufacturer in the world. That is nice, but the market for Olympus is a limited one, by both factors of price as well as their supply output. Therefore we wanted to give to all the people who will NOT HAVE the Taiko Olympus a nice boost in sound quality when the Horizon is used with whatever server / streamer people might have. That means effectively that we put a 2 year research and development effort into improving USB and i2S and S/PDIF or AES/EBU inputs. 

The new conversion chip required a completely new, “blank sheet” PCB design, with new inputs, new receiver, new power supply, new grounding, new multiplexing, new firmware and software that controls the conversion process. The main differences (except increased sound quality) are: i2S via HDMI doesn’t need master clock and will work off 3-wire connection - versus typical 4-wire before. 
DSD now can be configured as 1024x versus 512x before (some of you will be thrilled) however for our internal reasons we decided to keep the maximum at 512x for the foreseeable future. The same goes for PCM1536kHz sampling rate - the fastest in the industry. PCM is now set at 768 kHz. 

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Taiko XDMI interface is now built-in and embedded in the design. Every Horizon360 will be equipped with one.

For the older Taiko Extreme - the sound quality of USB difference will be magnificent. (as well as for the other non-Taiko sources)

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The name Horizon360 was suggested by our experience with the first prototype sound: someone commented - WOW, this is like old Horizon only it is a 360 degrees  now - meaning - the experience is much more immersive and three-dimensional. It is sort of like the actual horizon when you are on the ocean.

We decided to handle our precious flagship DAC with extreme care and not risk any unnecessary changes just for changes. We left the same tubes, same output circuits, same chassis and display. We wanted to make sure that Horizon remains Horizon and when we are asked - we will answer with confidence that the new one is BETTER not just different and if you liked the H1 - you will love the H360 changes undeniably !

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We offer the upgrade packages. We have 3 propositions:

Proposition 1: normal Horizon 1 to Horizon 360 internal rebuild = 15% of MSRP of the H1 price = 6900 Euro

Proposition 2: Taiko XDMI upgraded Horizon 1 to Horizon 360 = 10% of MSRP H1 price= 4600 Euro

Proposition 3: for new customers: the new Horizon 360 is roughly 19% over the old one and cost 9000 Euro more that gives 55k Eu MSRP netto before tax.

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The list of differences versus Horizon-1:

New digital engine with new circuit and new parts

DSD 1024x vs 512x  1024 (not activated at the moment)

Pcm 1520 vs 760 kHz  (1520 not activated at the moment)

Taiko XDMI link input port built in. You just have to order the cable

Improved power transformers - 4 versus 3 before

New remote control

Open path for next 20 years of upgrades

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Horizon 1 in its original form will be phased out during the month of August 2024 and the remaining parts will be shelved for the future service needs. 

The upgrade from H1 to H360 service will be offered starting from September 1 and only through the Dealer network.

You can distinguish visually the new version by the front panel logo containing 360 element as well as the rear panel description

                           Lukasz Fikus, August 15th 2024

Horizon360 Key highlights

Proprietary, firmware driven conversion process with 1520kHz PCM and DSD1024 (both software limited)

No silicon anywhere in signal path past the conversion stage

Silver wiring inside

Copper sheet, true metal sheet capacitors in the signal path

CNC milled chassis, No-screw design.

6SN7 conversion tubes

KT88 output driver tubes

Volume control of the highest possible caliber in every unit, featuring a full bypass function

All units are trully ballanced and SE at the same time

Zero feedback, neither local nor global

Zero opamps

Tube rectified power supply

Hundreds of tube rolling combinations.

Preliminary parameters:

Weight: 33 kg / 70 lbs net, 50 kg / 110 lbs gross

Dimensions without tubes: 440 mm W x 550 mm D x 170 mm H (height with tubes 290 mm)

Digital inputs: 1 x USB,  1 x S/PDIF RCA, 1 x AES/EBU, 1 x TOSLINK,  3 x i2s, 1x Taiko XDMI

1 x analog input RCA, 1 x analog input XLR fully balanced

1 x analog output pair RCA and 1 x XLR balanced output and 1 x XLR subwoofer output - unfiltered)

Output level: 0DB full level @4V peak sinus 1 kHz m per phase, 8V p-p for balanced

Mains 110-115 - 220 - 230 - 240 V AC  / power consumption 80 VA

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Colors:  (sorry: no gold, no anodizing, no car paint (like Mazda Red)

Matt Black Hole

Silver Sahara (very light, cold, aluminum-look grey with specs of shiny dust)

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The dust cover plate around the tubes on top can be ordered in these colors:

Copper - for the famous "Duracell  look" (Black body and copper top)

Stainless steel mirror-like chrome look

Black Hole black matt

Silver Sahara to match

Semi Translucent Red

These above top colors can be mixed and matched with the two basic body
colors (for example black body with Sahara Silver top plate)

Packing in custom hand made flight case

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Tube compliment:

1 x 5U4G rectifier or equivalent, 274B, 5Y3, 5C3S, GZ34, GZ37, GZ480, 5AR4WGB

2 x 6SN7GT or adapter fitted 6N1P, ECC99, ECC40, VT99, 6F8G, ECC88, 6922, 6DJ9, E88CC, 6900, 12BH7, 5687, 6111

4 x EL34 or 6V6, 6L6, KT66, KT88, KT90, KT120, 6550, 5881 kt150  KT170

Remote Control  - CNC milled metal "slab" remote, new model with AA batteries

Footers: non exchangable but with M5 provision of threaded footer mounting holes

Display: 2-digit Nixie display - shows volume and input number, startup countdown

DSD: 512x,     PCM: 768k