Olive music system

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Who has one? Wants one? Knows someone who has one? ....or could care less? They told me it'll drive B&Ws nicely. No interconnects. Hmmm.

http://www.olive.us/products/music_systems/olive5hd/specs.html

[sidewinder]

And there was me thinking that this thread was about the Naim Audio 'Olive' series..

[Eric]

Who has one? Wants one? Knows someone who has one? ....or could care less? They told me it'll drive B&Ws nicely. No interconnects. Hmmm.

http://www.olive.us/products/music_systems/olive5hd/specs.html

I have one, although it is the previous version of the 4HD. Bought it ~ 3 years ago.

Unlike the current 4HD, my device has 2TB of storage. Configuration-wise, I think it most resembles the current 6HD.

So with the 5HD, you will require some sort of NAS (as it has no internal storage). Apologies if you figured all this out.

Lot's of things to say about them - would be happy to discuss over the phone - PM me if you like.

Virtues - the music sounds great, which is really the most important thing.

Vices - the O/S takes a little getting used to, although in the current 5HD, the O/S has been completely re-done.

The biggest complaint of the Olives is that once the music is stored on your Olive, it cannot be ported easily to another system. In the NAS-based world of the 5HD (or companion 4HD), that should not be a problem.

99% of the time I control it with my iphone or ipad.

Might be worth checking out their new product the One.

[sonnymax]

Unlike the current 4HD, my device has 2TB of storage. Configuration-wise, I think it most resembles the current 6HD.

So with the 5HD, you will require some sort of NAS (as it has no internal storage).

Unless I'm missing something, all current Olive models have internal storage, either a 2TB 2.5" HD or a 480 GB SSD. Still, $1500 to $5000 is out of my league for now.

[Scott Dolan]

Why not save yourself $1400 bucks and get an Apple tv and hook it into your main system?

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Scott, Oh, no.....more cables! Shoot me! Seriously, I want to downsize (majorly). The thought of transferring 2,000 or so CDs to a small unit like the olive 5hd (with built in dual amps so ya can plug a set of speakers right into the back).....then ditching all the heavy stuff ....Mac integrated, Mac Sacd player....and 6,000 CDs, seems appealing at this point in time. Will it happen? Who knows. I do know that I don't want to hook anything up to a pc and am sick of the jungle of cords/wires.

Eric, thanks for the response.......will drop you a line if I have any more questions.

[Scott Dolan]

Hear you loud and clear, brother. I've been on a MAJOR minimalist kick for a couple of years now. Whoever invented the HDMI cable should have their own private wing in heaven!

But, in all honesty you're only talking one more cable (HDMI) for Apple TV. It works out perfectly for me because I have a pretty decent amount of my cd collection (and all my digital music, which is all I've purchased in the last two years) on my iMac, so I can simply use Home Sharing on Apple TV to play them through my main system.

But, it sounds to me like you're wanting to make this your main system? If so, good luck and let us know what you decide and how it turns out.

Who knows? You may even drag me down that path with you. Though I can't imagine ditching my surround sound receiver...

[.:.impossible]

Do you have to have your tv on to play music?

[Scott Dolan]

Yes, but only because my Harman Kardon is a little over a decade old and didn't come with HDMI inputs (so I have all my HDMI inputs running into the tv, which in turn runs a single optical out to my HK). But Apple TV does have an optical out that I could run to the HK. Just don't care to bother.

But, if you don't have an iPAD you'd have to have it plugged into your television so you could see the menu. There is a remote control app for the iPad which lets you completely control Apple TV through it.

Edited June 1, 2013 by Scott Dolan

[Stefan Wood]

I've been streaming flacs from my mac mini to my stereo (via Airport) and have been extremely happy with this set up. To be able to play 24 bit files...

[Scott Dolan]

How are you getting FLAC to play? Macs won't play them. What's the medium between Airport and your stereo?

[Stefan Wood]

I use Vox, not itunes. I plug the Airport directly into the input jacks of my integrated amp (can't remember that particular connection wire scheme).

[Scott Dolan]

Interesting! I never realized that was an option with airport. I'd love to know the wiring scheme if you ever get the time to check it out.

[Stefan Wood]

On the Airport Express Base station there is a single analogue/optical jack that one can connect to the stereo, using a 'Y" adapter/cable splitter.

[Scott Dolan]

Aha! I see it has a mini out on the back. Bizarre, I never noticed it before. Thanks, brother!

So how do you stream it from the Mac? Does Vox have AirPlay capability?

[Stefan Wood]

I don't think so. I use Airfoil.

[Scott Dolan]

Very cool information, Stefan. Thank you very much!

[Ron Thorne]

Yes, but only because my Harman Kardon is a little over a decade old and didn't come with HDMI inputs ...

Well, my Harman Kardon Award Series A30K (A300 from kit) integrated 30 watt tube amp is a little over 5 decades old, and didn't come with HDMI inputs, either.

Now, this is old school, baby. What joy it has brought me, but it needs some tlc.

[Scott Dolan]

Compressed air is obviously your friend.

[.:.impossible]

Yes, but only because my Harman Kardon is a little over a decade old and didn't come with HDMI inputs ...

Well, my Harman Kardon Award Series A30K (A300 from kit) integrated 30 watt tube amp is a little over 5 decades old, and didn't come with HDMI inputs, either.

Now, this is old school, baby. What joy it has brought me, but it needs some tlc.

Tell me about that thing! What is the ambience knob? Some sort of artificial reverb?

[Ron Thorne]

Sorry, but I mistakenly attached an image of the Harman Kardon A50K amp, a beefier, more expensive model. The ambience knob controlled the center volume, nothing artificial.

Here is what my modest little A30K amp looked like.

[Stefan Wood]

A beautiful amp!

[Ron Thorne]

Thanks, Stefan. I built it from a HK kit in my senior year of high school, which was great fun. I took great pains to route all of the wires neatly and make perfect solder joints. It sounded phenomenal & performed like a champ for almost 40 years, before developing some problems. I'd love to get it up and running again.

That power button glowed purple, unlike anything else out there. Always dug that subtle feature.

I also built a Rek-O-Kut K34H belt drive turntable (kit), and mounted a Grado Laboratory Series arm & cartridge as part of my original sound system with the HK amp. My speakers were a pair of AES Gigolo bookshelf units (kit), infinite baffles with 8" full range speakers. This was all circa 1961. Kid on a mission with a very modest budget.

Sorry for the detour away from the Olive Music System.