Olive Opus 4HD Hi-Fi Music Server First Look

[admin]

The Olive Opus 4HD is the top of the line offering from Olive. This product is encased in a stylish aluminum case with a slated front in either black or silver. With Texas Instruments' 192khz/24-bit Burr-Brown PCM1792A DACs and 2TB of storage - it has everything you need. It seems that every new device on the market either has an Ethernet port or has wireless connectivity. This is bringing services like Netflix and Amazon OnDemand into the living room. It is also allowing streaming from networked computers. Newer receiver and display products are coming with this and more.But do you need it?

Discuss "Olive Opus 4HD Hi-Fi Music Server First Look" here. Read the article.

 

[westcott]

I don't need it. Especially at this price. And without multi channel support, wanting it is lacking too!

 

[AVRat]

Oh sure, shortly after I pick up an Escient Fireball MX-111 they come out with this. The 2 TB of disk space is great for those who don't want to do streaming.

 

[Boerd]

1999$ for a music server?
For HALF this money I can buy a PC, a very good sound card and I still have money left for A LOT of music and wine. No thanks. SqueezeBox and my 5 years old PC can do the same; the interface of Slimserver is even better.
To me this is another "lifestyle" product - no thanks.

 

[Audioholics]

1999$ for a music server?
For HALF this money I can buy a PC...

Not the same market, but certainly valid for those who don't want an all-in-one high end solution.

 

[Boerd]

Not the same market, but certainly valid for those who don't want an all-in-one high end solution.

I agree - different markets.
Just for my curiosity, let's say I buy a good 2Tb + quad core PC + blu ray internal drive = 1000$ (no blu-ray = 800$).
Add an E-MU 1616M PCI(e) 400$ - this is a pro sound card with both DA and AD at 120db SNR... and use iTunes/Windows Media Player/etc.
Total is 1200-1400$. What I am losing compared to the Olive Opus other than the convenience of a 1 box system? I can rip CDs, navigate through my library, even use a remote (Windows Media Center). Plus - it is a computer I need anyway for other things...
With all due respect, in these economic times 1999$ for a media player is a lot of money for a mortal like me.
One thing I don't know is how would they measure up THD/SNR/dynamics etc. That would be an interesting comparison.

 

[davidtwotrees]

I have decent computer skills for a painting contractor, but by the time I bought all the gear Bored mentions, and then hooked it all together, and then fiddled and fussed with it until it worked like it was supposed to......................the Olive would look pretty good....and asthetically the Olive would blow away the whole pile of clunky computer stuff. I own a media server. It was $800 a few years ago, and well worth it, imho. And my Escient Fireball has never crashed, burped, blinked, or been attacked by a virus. They are going for $300 used at the mo. Accudeftech guy built a nice server to go in his rack......but he spent a lot more than $2k to get there........

 

[Boerd]

I have decent computer skills for a painting contractor, but by the time I bought all the gear Bored mentions, and then hooked it all together, and then fiddled and fussed with it until it worked like it was supposed to......................the Olive would look pretty good....and asthetically the Olive would blow away the whole pile of clunky computer stuff. I own a media server. It was $800 a few years ago, and well worth it, imho. And my Escient Fireball has never crashed, burped, blinked, or been attacked by a virus. They are going for $300 used at the mo. Accudeftech guy built a nice server to go in his rack......but he spent a lot more than $2k to get there........

I work in computers and I can still relate to what you are saying ...
And the fact that "Escient Fireball has never crashed, burped, blinked, or been attacked by a virus" does make a point.
Funny you called me Bored - my user name is BoerD (like Boer D) ... Funny

 

[davidtwotrees]

I work in computers and I can still relate to what you are saying ...
And the fact that "Escient Fireball has never crashed, burped, blinked, or been attacked by a virus" does make a point.
Funny you called me Bored - my user name is BoerD (like Boer D) ... Funny

No offense meant by the misspelled username. Long day and I just dyslexitized it. I have actually been watching servers for hi rez capabilities and even wrote to Olive a couple years back and they assured me they had no intentions [then] of doing a sacd capable server. It must be hard to do as Olive caters to the classical crowd, whom are the driving force behind the sacd survival. Stereophile has done a few reviews of hi rez servers and they were just really esoteric and in the $20k range. (naim?)
I would love to own an Olive. They look hot, and with the display right in the unit...........schawing.

Off topic.........I am going active soon.....my Quad 12L's (in gloss cherry!) just shipped.........Woot woot!

 

[aazeez1975]

Great product

I love to listen to my 2-channel gear, and this is exactly what I was looking for.

Anybody compared the DAC with Logitech Transporter? I am sure Logitech may have a similar product in works...

 

[davidtwotrees]

For the most part, audioholics feel that dacs are a mature technology and the differences between them are not audible to the human ear..................
Logitech is coming out with a server comprable to the $2k Olive Opus?

 

[egoss]

I certainly don't mean to step on any toes here, and since this is my first post I don't want to get anyone too riled up. BUT, those advocating a computer solution to a two-channel Hifi setup are missing the point completely. The Olive is an AUDIO device, designed to be used and enjoyed by those who want to keep the noise and problems associated with computers away from their Hifi system. As an owner of an older Olive product I can unequivocally state that they perform very well in their intended environment. They are quiet - no fans - reliable, extremely versatile music storage devices. Yes, you can stream with them, but as a stand-alone audio device they are wonderful. I have over 15,000 songs ripped to my Olive in lossless FLAC format, and enjoy the ability to listen to any part of my library at a moment's notice. I can control my Olive with the remote, my Nokia N810 via VNC (the newer Olives can't do this) or by using Olive's web interface through my laptop. The newer Olive units have an iPod/iPhone interface currently available as well. I can listen to custom-made playlists, listen by artist, album, or genre - and can use shuffle mode in any of those groups. If my 500GB drive gets too small I can also add an external drive to increase capacity or to backup my music. I know there are people with computer-based systems and lifestyles that can find a different means to access their libraries, but the Olive is meant for people who eschew adding more complexity to their music listening experience. Once you see one in use - or get one yourself - you will ask yourself, as I did, "How did I ever do without this?" For many like myself, that alone more than justifies the price. Thanks for your time. I am in no way affiliated with Olive, just a happy (most of the time LOL) Olive owner.

 

[Boerd]

I certainly don't mean to step on any toes here, and since this is my first post I don't want to get anyone too riled up. BUT, those advocating a computer solution to a two-channel Hifi setup are missing the point completely. The Olive is an AUDIO device, designed to be used and enjoyed by those who want to keep the noise and problems associated with computers away from their Hifi system. As an owner of an older Olive product I can unequivocally state that they perform very well in their intended environment. They are quiet - no fans - reliable, extremely versatile music storage devices. Yes, you can stream with them, but as a stand-alone audio device they are wonderful. I have over 15,000 songs ripped to my Olive in lossless FLAC format, and enjoy the ability to listen to any part of my library at a moment's notice. I can control my Olive with the remote, my Nokia N810 via VNC (the newer Olives can't do this) or by using Olive's web interface through my laptop. The newer Olive units have an iPod/iPhone interface currently available as well. I can listen to custom-made playlists, listen by artist, album, or genre - and can use shuffle mode in any of those groups. If my 500GB drive gets too small I can also add an external drive to increase capacity or to backup my music. I know there are people with computer-based systems and lifestyles that can find a different means to access their libraries, but the Olive is meant for people who eschew adding more complexity to their music listening experience. Once you see one in use - or get one yourself - you will ask yourself, as I did, "How did I ever do without this?" For many like myself, that alone more than justifies the price. Thanks for your time. I am in no way affiliated with Olive, just a happy (most of the time LOL) Olive owner.

I agree that PCs are ugly looking AND noisy - that's why I am using a SB3 from logitech.
BUT you can buy a computer with NO fans, dead quiet (with huge heat sinks that looks more like an amp) - for half the money you'd spend on an Olive - and it is a computer so it can do so much more.
On the other hand this thing (Olive) is a beauty and I imagine it sounds like haven. Plus it is meant to be used as a music server so it is a lot easier to use for this purpose.
Anyway - everybody has his own preference and the only thing I am trying to say in the end is the price of the Olive makes you think of other solutions too...

 

[firedog]

Olive 4HD

Guys-some of you are missing the point here a bit.

The 4HD is a fanless solution, with full hi-res capabilties. If you insert a CD, it automatically rips it and tags it. Touch screen command on board, or can be controlled by remote with full on screen functionality (including album art).

This isn't what you get when you build your own PC. And not to insult anyone, but the E-MU 1616M PCI is good, but not a true audiophile solution.

And before you flame me, this is coming from someone who has built his own fanless music server and uses a Logitech Duet.

It's not easy to get the functionality and convenience of the Olive, especially the full hi-res capability. I promise you can't do it for $800. (Assuming the DAC/analogue out is any good). So when you combine features and convenience, it seems like a good deal.

If you're the DIY type, that's fine, just don't dis those who want added convenience and style.

The Olive has the disadvantage of being a closed hardware and software system, so it is more for those who are looking for an audio component (read "appliance" - without the negative connotation).


BTW, SB2 and Duet Logitech units only natively play back files up to 48K (96K files are downsampled to 48K in SC software for playback). The Transporter and new Touch will natively play 96K files, but not higher res files. The Olive does.

 

[firedog]

For the most part, audioholics feel that dacs are a mature technology and the differences between them are not audible to the human ear..................
Logitech is coming out with a server comprable to the $2k Olive Opus?

I don't know what DACs you've listened to, but there are large and very audible differences between them. I have 2 at home that sound so different I can tell which one is playing as soon as I hear it. And that's not unusual.

 

[davidtwotrees]

I don't know what DACs you've listened to, but there are large and very audible differences between them. I have 2 at home that sound so different I can tell which one is playing as soon as I hear it. And that's not unusual.

This is an objectivist site. We don't blindly accept subjectivist statements based on psychoacoustics. Next you'll be telling us you can hear the difference between cables and speaker wire.

 

[egoss]

This is an objectivist site. We don't blindly accept subjectivist statements based on psychoacoustics. Next you'll be telling us you can hear the difference between cables and speaker wire.

Firedog - It's obvious that you and I have no business on this Forum. If 128k is good enough for them, and they can't hear the differences in properly executed, well made Hi-fi components and poorly designed, thrown-together hardware, I'm outa here.

Bye.

 

[krzywica]

I don't know what DACs you've listened to, but there are large and very audible differences between them. I have 2 at home that sound so different I can tell which one is playing as soon as I hear it. And that's not unusual.

That may be the case if your source device is doing the digital to analog conversion. You will find this not to be the case with the majority of the forum members here myself included.

My receiver decodes 100% of my content regardless of the source (and I only have one ).

Sure it may have good DAC's but who cares if my preamp/receiver has just as good or better ones, why pay for what you will never use?

 

[pimento]

iPhone Music Player

Hi,

Like many of you I am an owner of an Olive 4 music server. Although generally impressed with the device, I have grown to become quite frustrated at the software implementation and, in particular, the iPhone app. What I really wanted was a way to browse my library and stream music to an iPhone so that several people could listen to whatever albums they wanted, anywhere in the house.

Over the past several months I have been working on an app to do this and am pleased to say that it has recently passed review and the first release of the Pimento iPhone app is now available at the iTunes store. Browse or search your stored library within a rich graphical interface and stream music (mp3 and lossless m4a formats) to your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.

In addition, albums can now be downloaded back from your music server (in the album view press and hold each album for 2 seconds to queue for download). Downloaded albums will appear in the iPimento application folder within iTunes.

KEY FEATURES:
- browse or search music by album, artist, song or playlist.
- view track metadata.
- stream music across wifi networks to multiple devices (currently supports mp3 and apple m4a lossless files, working to implement flac support in a future release).
- download albums from the music server (mp3, m4a, flac).

I've posted a short demonstration video on YouTube which can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOz0dnrbXVw

Tested on the Olive Opus 4/4HD but should work with later models as well.

If you have any questions or suggestions for additional features you would like to see in future versions please contact me at: pimento.musicplayer@gmail.com

Cheers,

Jay

 

[thegreenline]

Escient music servers.

I don't own an Olive yet? I have owned an Escient Fireball for almost two years now. I picked it up used on Audiogon, best 400 dollars I've spent on my audio system since I started putting it together (1999). I work with guys who tell me a computer setup is just as good for a lot less. I don't think anyone can put togather a computer system for $400, that works as well as my Escient. The user interface is about as easy as it gets, everyone in the family can use it.

My wife was complaining that I had this great sounding system, but it was to much trouble to listen to CDs (open one cabinet, open CD drawer, pick a CD , Close drawer and cabinet, open another cabinet, open DVD player etc.). Not worth the hassle. I setup this Escient Fireball and now everyone in the house is listening to more music. When I want to listen to music I usually listen to the turntable, but because this Fireball is so easy I've been listening to it more often.

My next upgrade will probally be a quality DAC (now I'm using the DAC from my reciever). The Olive or the Escient are viable alternatives for those of us who want to listen to their music not play with setting it up (I've spent 10 years setting up my system it's now time to enjoy listening to it). That's not to say I'm done upgrading.

My system so far includes:

Samsung PN58A550 TV (58 in plasma)
Pioneer SC-25 Rcvr
Panasonic BD 655 Blu-Ray player
Oppo DV 981HD SACD/DVD-A player
Escient Fireball E-120 Music Server
Pro-Ject 2Experiance Turntable
Pro-Ject Phono 2 Phono Amp
Sumiko BluePt. No. 2 Cartridge
AV123 Strata Mini Front L&R Main spkrs
AV123 Rocket RSC 200 Center spkr
Klipsch RS-35 Surround spkrs
Boston CR6 Back Surround spkrs
DirectTV HR21 HD Sat DVR
Sony SAT-T60 TiVo SD DVR

Some kind of DAC in the future