Olive announces the 'end of the music CD,' intros OPUS No5

We realize the compact disc just turned 25 and all, but calling it dead already seems, shall we say, utterly ludicrous. Nevertheless, Olive has made that very claim as it announced "the end of the music CD" and the launch of its Opus Nº5 networked audio system. The firm's CEO even stated that its new unit was "the answer" to "replace the CD player," and it's being marketed towards audio enthusiasts who might appreciate the 123dB signal / noise ratio, minimalist design, WiFi, Ethernet port, integrated backlit display / optical drive (for ripping those antiquated discs, right?) and the 400GB to 750GB hard drive built right in. So for those ready to "move on" with their lives and dive right in to the digital music transition (ahem), you can grab Olive's latest starting at $2,999. More pics after the jump.

[DickHardknocks @ Sep 26th 2007 2:00PM]

So it will cost me $3000 up front to buy a machine that I'll have to spend manhours uploading CD's to in an attempt to have all my CD's in one "convienient" place - with no album information available for older CD's and no guarrantees that the hard drive won't fail; the price on the machine won't drop in a year or two; or a better mdel won't be released by another company completely making this one look obsolete and naiive?

Or... I could simply spend nothing more to listen to the CD's I have - with the exception of paying my monthly electric bill?

I think I'll pass.

However, I would take an HDMI equipt 500 GB device like this to store my porn collection to.

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 3:45PM]

What do you mean no info for older CD's?

I rip 20+ year old CD's all the time, using EAC, and I get them correctly tagged and I even get album art.

And I would say the benefits of archiving and backing up one's expensive CD collection far outweighs the time you spend doing it.

By the way, jiggafelz guide is the best guide for EAC.

[Gabe McGuinness @ Sep 26th 2007 2:00PM]

So... They're marking the "end of the music CD" by releasing a CD player? Makes sense...

[Kron @ Sep 26th 2007 2:41PM]

I think I've gone crazy.
-Kron
http://www.weblixr.com

[Anthony @ Sep 26th 2007 2:20PM]

I agree. I was looking @ that slot thinking & thinking the same thing.

[Chocolicious @ Sep 26th 2007 2:05PM]

And if that storage isn't in a RAID configuration, this could be the end of your music collection.

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 3:14PM]

Why is he voted up? RAID is NOT for data backup, or protecting your data.

Knowing someone who's starting a security consulting firm, RAID is the dumbest way to back something up. How do you back something up? Off-site NAT.

And in regards to this...media...thing, doesn't Opus make CD player's and DAC's? I'm pretty sure this is meant to be an all-in-one music server, CD player, and DAC.

A good media center PC and DAC are about the same price. I priced out a health HTPC, for $2k, and the Benchmark DAC1 (probably the best DAC out right now) is about $800 used, or like $1000 new, and $1200 if it has USB input.

And you people don't rip your CD's? I archive all my CD's. Setting up EAC and spending about 20 minutes per CD so that I am not screwed if my CD's get ruined somehow, is well worth the time. And if I still want to use a CD player, I can use a good burning program and the cue sheet that EAC generated, and there, I have a bit-perfect copy of the original CD.

[Xzavier @ Sep 26th 2007 4:27PM]

1. He was voted up because he mention RAID configuration... Nothing about backing up data.

Maybe he was referring to this?
http://www.bestpricecomputers.co.uk/glossary/raid-1.htm

2. Your friend who is in *I.T.* Security... He should stick with that and let the Data Management team worry about backing up data!

3. I am glad to see that you think the OPUS No5 is a "all-in-one music server" However I just went to their website an I saw no mention of that???

4. Where did DAC come into play? No mention of that in the press release or their website either?
I have and old Kenwood KC-Z1 & KM-Z1. I am about to put it on ebay... Please bid!
Info here: http://www.avrev.com/equip/kenwood/index.html

5. Yea I don't backup my CD's however I do semi archive them. 1 Sony CDP-CX270 200 Disc CD Changer and 1 Sony CDX-400 400 Disc CD Changer.

And if you read the article they are talking about AUDIOPHILES purchasing that unit. I have 2 CD changers, 1 5 disc carasoel changer, 1 Harman Kardon CDR 30 recorder, and 2 Philips DCC tapes "remember those things"! Ain’t no way in the WORLD I am about to spend all of that money on some overpriced crappy "123dB signal/noise ratio" MP3 player! It just ain’t gonna happen!

OPUS...

Overpriced
Produce which is
Utterly
Stupid

Attempt No 5.

[kevin @ Sep 26th 2007 2:17PM]

quite the unitasker. i could buy 2 iMacs for this price.

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 3:22PM]

And iMacs, like every other pre-built computer ever, has a craptastic DAC/soundcard. This has a good (although probably overpriced) DAC in it.

[Aquabob @ Sep 26th 2007 2:20PM]

Or...

I can just stick my CD's into my existing home computer with the 750GB of storage that it already has, and let iTunes do it's thing...

Oh wait! I did that already, and now I have 600+ cd's stored in digital format, accessible across my home network, backed up, etc., etc., and I didn't have to spend $3,000 for some ugly box my fifth grader could have designed.

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 3:24PM]

iTunes for CD ripping? Enjoy not having a bit-perfect copy of your CD's. iTunes is a terrible ripper.

Then again, if you aren't archiving your CD's (who wouldn't want to?), then it doesn't matter.

EAC for windows, and if you can't dual boot or run wine or something, then Max is ok for OS X. I don't know if linux has any bit-perfect rippers...

[anonymous @ Sep 26th 2007 2:22PM]

HEY! it's wireless, that's worth $35 ...

[kevjohn @ Sep 26th 2007 2:34PM]

Finally, the end of CD's! Wait, this thing will magically beam music into my car while I'm driving from Florida to Ohio right??

...and the CD lives on.

[kcar @ Sep 26th 2007 2:45PM]

The end of CDs? Not at that price. Olive's strong designs have always been hampered by beyond-Apple's-craziness prices.

[dj-kenpo @ Sep 26th 2007 2:47PM]

$3000!

how bout I stick with a networked $100 xbox with a 320gb drive in it... crazy..

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 3:28PM]

Because this has a better DAC than in the Xbox?

I'm sorry if I sound condescending, I am not trying to, but for the people with speakers and headphones that aren't Bose (ie. not crap, eg. Sennheiser, AKG, etc.), DAC's in most (if not all) pre-built computers, the Xbox, the PS3, 360, etc., well, they sound like crap. Most people don't care about sound, so companies like Apple and MS skimp on audio quality (either via the DAC, built-in amplifier, or both), to save money.

[Cagrino @ Sep 26th 2007 3:57PM]

@ Jesse S

Jesus Christ son! How many times are you going to post the same thing here? We got it. You like lossless.

You keep talking about the DAC in this Olive like you've reviewed it. How do you know it's good?

And I'll take a RAID 1 or 5 over a single drive any day of the week for data protection.

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 4:43PM]

No, I haven't even seen any of their products in person. They are generally well regarded though, so I'm making an assumption in that regard.

I know what RAID 1 is...But RAID really is not for protecting data...

Protect your data with off-site backups...

[Xzavier @ Sep 26th 2007 5:23PM]

--Jesse S

You are doing a lot of posting on this product and making tons of assumptions!

Do you work for the company or own some shares or something?

As for protecting your data... The music on the OPUS No5 is *data*, CD's are called *media* I hope you new that!

And if you know what RAID 1 is... if 1 HD fails you can get an instant backup of your *data* when you install your replacement HD. And btw, you did *protect* your *data* because it is on a 2nd HD--instead of going offsite to recover your offsite $15 CD or whatever you are doing to backup/protect your CD's. I have to assume that all of the Cd's that you bought are not in your home. They are in Storage somewhere... nice and safe!

Besides, after you rip your CD's your CD's instantly become backup copies anyway since in theory you will almost never touch them again! You did spend $3,000.00 to play with your new toy didn't you... not to, I would imagine *fumble* around with these ol' fashion clunky round CD things!

Your opinions/theories/debates are very weak!

[Fraunhofer Plug @ Sep 26th 2007 3:11PM]

At $2,999 that's a steal.

*does Charlie Chaplin dance*

[tundraboy @ Sep 26th 2007 3:16PM]

This is one of those products where the company sorely needed a "that's stupid" guy or gal. You know, those people who have no tech background at all whose job is to say "that's stupid" every time product dev comes up with a stupid idea. Especially one that they plan to sell for 3 grand.

[timmy @ Sep 26th 2007 3:18PM]

God I hope that CDs don't die before lossless music downloads become standard. I really don't understand why nobody offers that yet, when you can buy multi-gig games and movies over the internet.

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 3:36PM]

I love you. Linn Records does lossless classical and Jazz, and the Philadelphia (Philharmonic?) Orchestra does too.

I want master-quality lossless files. I probably can't tell a lossless track from a lossy one, but archival is awesome.

Who knows, maybe in 20 years we can get bionic implants that can let us hear 1Hz to 100kHz.

[LikesGadgetsWillTravel @ Sep 26th 2007 3:20PM]

That must be some killer software to cost $2,700 (for the software, since the hardware can't possibly be more than $300).

[Xzavier @ Sep 26th 2007 3:28PM]

Hum... "the answer" to "replace the CD player,"


I wonder if they sent an email to the RIAA giving them a heads up of their new product...NOT!

"123dB signal/noise ratio." That must be their to attempt to compensate for that crappy 128kb mp3 file!

Mr. Floppy disk has been around for a long time now and still putt'en up a fight. Ain't no way in the WORLD this... OPUS No5 is gonna TKO Mr. CD!

Look... if you want to end the CD, then create your own media format and put it on the market! Then we'll see!

Yea I see the end of something... and it ain't the CD!

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 3:42PM]

I'm pretty sure this is targeted to people with CD's that want to convert to digital, ie. they want to go lossless. And the signal-noise ratio is important.

Just because this isn't directed towards you or me doesn't give us the right to call it a piece of crap. Just because pretty much everyone in the comments section don't understand this thing, doesn't mean you can go and bash it.

Is it overpriced? Probably. As I said above, I can build a nice HTPC and pair it with a nice DAC (the DAC is actually the main attraction of this unit) for less, but that's not really the point of this thing.

This is for slightly old-school people who like CD's and want to archive them and listen to them without the hassle of loading and unloading CD's, but doesn't want a computer/want to deal with a computer, or has a listening area without any kind of screen, so setting up a computer would be dumb (yes, I know squeezebox/transporter, but that's essentially what this is, but with a better DAC and a harddrive).

Seriously, guys. Be open minded, try to think about who this is targeted to, and what this thing is actually meant to do.

[Dan @ Sep 27th 2007 12:45AM]

Hey Jesse, I thought my CD was already lossless AND digital. Explain?

[Jesse S @ Sep 26th 2007 4:46PM]

Oh, stupid me. I mistook this for the Opus balanced DAC.

Most of my other comments still stand, though.

[Sirocco @ Sep 27th 2007 1:40AM]

I agree that CD's are past their prime, what with SD cards, etc. CD's are so fussy and hard to handle, esp while driving (my car doesn't have a CD player, on purpose). But this device should cost about $299, not $2,999. Then I'll buy.

[tekdroid @ Sep 27th 2007 10:47PM]

The OPUS is designed and custom built in California, USA, building on the innovative energy of the Silicon Valley and the music passion of the city of San Francisco.
----------

At last. A CD-player-and-HD-not-computer that builds on the energy of Silicon Valley and the music passion of San Franciso.

Every since I was a little kid I wondered why they didn't make something combining both of these passions.

THE TIME IS NOW. I AM SO EXCITED.

[XenoX101 @ Sep 27th 2007 4:38AM]

So could someone please explain to me what this does that can't already be done, how on earth it plans to 'end' a medium that is such a strong part of the economy (think cigarettes, have they ended?) and why its worth $3000?

[Mike @ Sep 28th 2007 9:26AM]

Does it work with iTunes? If not, most people won't consider it the end of the CD then.

[Paul @ Sep 26th 2007 2:39PM]

Fancee!! All that AND a monochrome screen! Nice! Does it light up greenish blue like the first gen nomad's? cuz that be frickin thweet!!

[Dave Skaggs @ Sep 26th 2007 2:46PM]

I'm just trying to figure out why someone wouldn't buy a crappy laptop with a large hard drive and use it instead. Save some money for the CD's you buy to keep it loaded.

[Paul @ Sep 26th 2007 2:55PM]

Seriously, a nice media pc with an interface to your HDTV and loads more storage would be at least $1000 cheaper.

[BobTurbo @ Sep 27th 2007 1:17AM]

I would consider iTunes the end of good programming.