Olive Opus: 400GB, lossless audio, $3,000

If you want audiophile sound quality but still want all your music stored on a hard drive instead of shiny little discs, you have a few options. You could pick up an iPod and matching iPod Hi-Fi. (Well, probably not. But Steve did say he was an audiophile, didn't he?) Or you could spring for an Olive Opus, a $3,000 CD player with a built-in 400GB hard drive, four 24-bit DACs and built-in Ethernet and WiFi for streaming (Olive's earlier players, the Symphony and Musica, had smaller hard drives). According to Olive, the Opus uses 8X oversampling and a 352.8 kHz sample rate to produce true lossless audio with no noise. The Opus can also burn CDs from your music, and Olive will even rip all of your CDs for you. And, yes, Steve, you can transfer music from the Opus to an iPod.

[Rob Eberhardt @ Mar 1st 2006 12:44PM]

$3000? I could build a hell of a HTPC for that... although the case is pretty nice looking.

[BigMike04 @ Mar 1st 2006 12:47PM]

a bit pricey don't you think?

[Justanotherperson @ Mar 1st 2006 12:56PM]

I don't understand. The sampling rate of CDs is what, 44.1 kHz? How are you going to get 352.8 kHz? Wouldn't you need a lossless source?

[chris green @ Mar 1st 2006 1:00PM]

Very pricy. For that $3000, you could buy a sonos bundle with speakers (giving you music at two places in your house and a jazzy remote control), and a computer + hd to store your music on and still have some money left over.

[glacia00 @ Mar 1st 2006 1:07PM]

Everything's a bit pricey at first. And these devices are trying to find there market. Unfortunately there is a perfect storm happening as we speak (or type).

Everything we used to call multimedia is in flux like the space around the enterprise in that one episode where...well you know what I mean.

There is nowhere to land for a lot of tech right now so most manufacturers are circling the airport as it were.

They are trying to meet consumer demands when consumers aren't even sure what it is they want and the technology is changing literally day to day. Someone will without a doubt look at the specs and say "why doesn't it do X? It would be perfect if it did." While another will say "Why does it do Y? Nobody wants that."

The worst place to be right now is the lab of one of these companies where the floor is strewn with the hair engineers are tearing out trying to figure out what the heck you people want.

[oo in seattle @ Mar 1st 2006 1:07PM]

oversampling diminishes high frequency errors related to 'stepping' at audible frequencies. 8x oversampling a CD results in a sample rate of 352.8kHz. Most players oversample by that these days.

o

[Ward @ Mar 1st 2006 1:09PM]

Mac Mini: $599
Matching 400 GB LaCie Hard Drive: $369
Front Row: Free OR Roku Soundbridge: $199

Final price for a more capable setup: $969-$1169

[Brad @ Mar 1st 2006 1:10PM]

352.8 = 44.1 x 8 (from 8x oversampling). Presumably they're oversampling at playback time (which is probably more accurately described as "interpolating"), rather than ripping time.

Regardless of the marketing, I like Olive for producing a solid "end-to-end" solution for audiophiles who want the convenience of a networked digital jukebox, but don't want to mess with (wireless) routers, server software, networked storage, etc. etc, and are leery of compression.

This is actually "cheap" compared to other systems that target this demographic which can often run in the tens of thousands of dollars.

I don't imagine many readers (myself included) on this site are within this particular demographic.

[Comrade Penguin @ Mar 1st 2006 1:46PM]

I have to admit I'm not overly convinced by this one. Those pointing to computer as source are missing the point but making a good one at the same time. This is aimed at audiophiles as such will have very good DACs in it producing better sound. The 8x oversampling and other stuff is only a minor part of why more expensive DACs are better but are much harder to explain in marketing speak. However I would imagine most of the people this is aimed at will already have a high end system. As such most of them would be best investing say $1000 in a decent quiet PC with a good soundcard with a digital out and then taking their pick of any of the number of great $2000 or cheaper DACs out there. Or go down the USB route. This offers a neat 1 box solution but this thing will have to sound truely amazing as 90% of the audiophiles I know would rather have an extra box than even moderately worse sound at that price. Lastly there is no easy way to back up the HDD in this I'd imagine and HDD fail quite a bit meaning once you've filled up those 400gb the HDD will probably be at the end of it's life span :P.

[Chris @ Mar 1st 2006 1:50PM]

Everything my Terratec M3PO should have
had when I bought it almost 6 years ago.

Looks somewhat like it too imo:

http://www.matos2000.com/Aut/divers/terratec-m3po/images/boite.jpg

Build in a 200GB myself.
Doesn't burn cd's, can copy mp3 files off of cd's
though.

[Maurice Leacock @ Mar 1st 2006 2:07PM]

Has anyone actually _used_ the Symphony or Musica. I've got the Symphony at home and the UI leaves a lot to be desired. Ever try to read a multi line screen from the couch?

For $3000, there should be a TV interface, multi room remote and simplicity of use beyond compare.

[ShavenYak @ Mar 1st 2006 2:15PM]

#8,

You're referring, of course, to the target demographic of complete idiots who vastly overestimate the abilities of their ears and have massive amounts of disposable income? Also known as audiophiles?

I think you're right. And, by their standards, this thing is probably way too cheap, so they won't be interested. They'll spend $3k on a pair of RCA cables, for cow's sake.

[Julie Chadwick @ Mar 1st 2006 2:22PM]

Hey, let's be redundantly redundant, shall we? 8x oversampling AND a 352.8KHz sampling rate? NO way! Check this out: 8 x 44.1 = 352.8. Can we get a copy editor please?

[Mike @ Mar 1st 2006 2:26PM]

Maurice, I've wanted a Symphony for a while now. If it had an optional on screen display, I would have bought one already. If the Mac Mini (released yesterday) had a on device display like the Symphony does, I'd have bought one yesterday.

Right now I am stuck with using either my Ipod or AirPort Express. What I really want is a dedicated unit with an on device display and an optional on screen display. I'm tempted to just get a 60GB Ipod and a TuneCenter.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/tunecenter/index.php

The Sonos stuff is very nice, but it is more geared towards completely replacing your sound systems than providing a sound source for them.

[Dom @ Mar 1st 2006 2:27PM]

For a slightly cheaper option, could go for the Cambridge Audio Azur 640H amplifier and music server. It's retailing for about �600, or about $1300 in the US. 160GB compared to the 400GB you get with this one, but I think I'd still prefer it, given Cambridge Audio's stellar reputation for producing top quality amplifiers.

[DNA @ Mar 1st 2006 2:28PM]

400GB is too small for uncompressed audio.

[oshean @ Mar 1st 2006 2:30PM]

Can you guys write a news article without mentioning Apple?

[jnasato @ Mar 1st 2006 2:32PM]

***What the hell?!*** I just trashed a spam e-mail from Olive, trying to pimp this crap.

What the hell.....

[DNA @ Mar 1st 2006 2:32PM]

Uh, Mike, here's an idea...
A Mac Mini with, drumroll, A MONITOR!
OMG I'M A FUCKING GENIUS!

[Adam @ Mar 1st 2006 2:36PM]

I get most of this from my XBOX Media Center, with onscreen display, and full FLAC support.

[Jared Dilg @ Mar 1st 2006 2:42PM]

I just wish they'd sell the enclosure separate. This, and the HUSH HTPC, are probably my favorite home audio/theatre cases.

[LordSludge @ Mar 1st 2006 2:44PM]

I was gonna say...:

XBox Media Center (

[Mike @ Mar 1st 2006 4:52PM]

DNA, your reading comprehension is horrible. I don't
want to have to use a display. I'd rather be able to use the on device display most of the time and an on screen display ("A MONITOR!") only sometimes.

The Mac Mini has no display, I'd have to have some kind of display (most likely my HDTV) turned on whenever I wanted to listen to music. It's tempting, but it isn't what I'd call ideal.

[Jon @ Mar 1st 2006 4:55PM]

The SQUEEZEBOX absolutely steamrolls this thing. At $300 including wi-fi, with excellent screen and software interface, lossless streaming, massive storage (via your computer of course), internet radio and podcasting streams, plus innumerable plug-ins allowing for RSS feeds, XM radio, plus hundreds of other clever ideas the Squeezebox community has come up with (open source software)-- the Squeezebox is a great deal. It is sleek in appearance and the company's customer service is incredible. Built in DAC very good, but most audiophiles will spring for an external DAC. Worth checking out.

[robm @ Mar 1st 2006 5:00PM]

I think most folks would be better off with one of these:

http://slimdevices.com/

and only $250 for the wired version
$300 for wireless

[magnus @ Mar 1st 2006 5:47PM]

If it upsamples 8x and then stores the audio at 352.8 that's utterly retarded. You'd fill the 400 Gb drives in 5 minutes flat. Surely it does the upsampling on playback not storage?

[Nick @ Mar 1st 2006 6:35PM]

"16. 400GB is too small for uncompressed audio."

Lossless /= Uncompressed.

[charlie @ Mar 1st 2006 6:51PM]

Yeah, the squeezebox destroys this thing. Probably the same DAC, wireless support, FLAC support, for $300. Add a computer with a CD burner for $500 and a seperate 400GB hard drive for $350, and you're set for a crapload less.

[philodox @ Mar 2nd 2006 8:21AM]

Probably the same DAC as the squeezebox? Doesn't it say it has 4 DACs? That screams balanced output to me. I can't find their site and this blurb doesnt mention it, but I would think that this OPUS player has balanced outputs. As for the Xbox media center comparisons, please... this is a high end machine meant for audio not a game system with some extras thrown in so that it can pretend at being a media center. I do agree that it is overpriced though... unless the DAC and output stage is really nice on it.

[willyjsimmons @ Mar 2nd 2006 2:31PM]

People keep asking 'Why $3000!!!???'

If you go to their website, you'll see this puppy is 'Made in America'.

And please stop bringing up the xbox/360 as a replacement for a device like this. It's just silly.

[Adam @ Mar 2nd 2006 7:32PM]

The Olive unit hasn't been getting particularly great reviews. What's funnier, however, is the companies response to those reviews. Someone on the Squeezebox forums just returned one for a refund, didn't get what they were owed, but instead got this accidental email:

From: Sales
Date: Mar 2, 2006 2:44 PM
Subject: Re: rma
To: (my name and email)

should i tell him to go F--k himself? this is the jackass who wrote the horrible review

On Mar 1, 2006, at 12:41 PM, (my name) wrote:

> I haven't heard back from anyone about this. Please clear up the recent billing mistake and the shipping billing error from months ago.
>
> (my name)
- - -

Read the thread here: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=21135

[catman @ Mar 3rd 2006 11:28AM]

I have the Musica and love it. I am not sure what you mean with they didn't get any particularly great reviews. Have you read the reviews from NYTimes, Sound&Vision and so on? They are raving about the Musica. Haven't heard about the OPUS though.

[littleJ @ Mar 17th 2006 7:52PM]

looks to me more like the claim is "sponsored" by slim devices (-: I checked Olive's website and they have an impressive list of reviews (both from "shallow" magazines like Playboy or GQ to audiophile-heavyweights like Stereophile and Sound&Vision).

[tobywilson @ Mar 22nd 2006 3:26PM]

I have the Olive Musica, and it works better than I imagined. I wish I had held out for the Opus. An upgrade from the current unit with an even better DAC and Linear Power suplply.....damn I bet it's SWEET!!! Any know if they are doing an upgrade to Opus program( if you can't tell, I want one)

[Scott @ Mar 26th 2006 12:27AM]

Mike, I agree: Best solution is on-device display. Here's what else this consumer wants:
1. Can stream music w/o PC being on. This is where Squeezebox falls somewhat short. Yes, I know folks have hacked various network devices to run SlimServer. But SlimDevices should make the Squeezebox uPnP compliant.
2. 24-bit DAC. Roku's M1000 is uPnP, but lacks a 24-bit DAC, which Squeezebox has.
3. Can stream lossless WMA. Roku can't; Squeezebox says it can (I think).

The Opus sounds wonderful. Frankly, I don't think it's too overpriced, given the quality of its (non-computer) electronics. I know some reviews have stated that burning CDs on the Musica/Symphony takes a while. I don't know if that's an issue with the Opus.

[Cics @ Sep 22nd 2007 7:47AM]

First of all, to those whom listen to musics in MP3 format with 128bits; Forget about Opus 5 series.
You would be fine with Squeezebox, Sonos, homebuild HTPC or go for Opus 3.

This article is about Opus 5 and I don't think it's overpriced. Opus 5 is high end just like Slim Devices' Transporter (the big brother of Squeezebox). If you read the spec of the Opus 5 from Olive's web, you'll see what pay for. And please, don't just read which format it support etc, but also read about the DAC and Linear power supply.

[OmarFidel @ Dec 8th 2007 4:42PM]

This is "O"ver priced, though a well marketed piece of equipment. I received an Olive unit a year or so back for free, my company does reviews, as well as repairs of technological holy grails. Its not bad but 1400 for 250 gig, and 3grand for 400 gig, without swappable harddrives.. pishposh these systems arnt worth half of the cheapest one, but whatever the market will bear, and people are foolish. I wont get into the psychoacoustics of sound as per im not a phd in the field, but what i do know is that the idea of lossless is senseless, The best vinyl renditions can have the thump of the original factory! Remember vinyls a waxy plastic it bends slightly over time it melts in a perfect copy, you will hear the machines machinations cut onto the vinyl. How good are our ears people, some people are happy with mp3s,, others need live orchestral renditions, and shcd...

Lcds, still burn out more frequently than crt's so do plasmas, be it their circuitry, their heat/heat sinks,low-no lead solder those millions of tiny mirrors LOL of dlp, why do u think almost every movie theater in the country leases their dlp projector equipment( to faulty).

Ive in 11 years only seen sony trinitron and some toshiba tvs from the 80s pop in from time to time and that was after they were dropped from a moving accident.. or after a fire in a house. LOL even though most of the plastic is melted, they still run. NO LCD or PLASAM will do this..

I know from working the claims of a major warranty depot, and we do the claims of more than 90% of all the stuff out there.. from KRULL(its not so great, just really really Forklift heavy)and it is too expensive, down to your wal-mart bought rca ilo brands..

It all comes down to form and function, and your wallet, syntax-olevia and vizio are the future, china has taken all our jobs will take all our markets and produce wonderful products to take all our money... The same is true of this silly olive thing, it will be replaced by something faster... cheaper better, made in china..

Dont believe me? We fix I phones people, Iphones are made in taiwan(thats how they dropped the price 200 dollars, thats how all apple computers went down in price(quanta)), and it wont be long b4 china takes taiwan back, it was chinas b4... but as u tech savvy connoisseurs of the meaningless quest for the techy holy grail should know now by this part of the game, so what, your going to buy it anyway.