Olive Opus No. 5
Dec 27, 2007 at 8:47 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 15
dcstep

dcstep

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Anyone heard the newer Olive Opus No. 5? I'm considering a 750GB version. It seems like they've beefed up the DAC over the No. 3 and it offers reasonably Hi Rez playback levels. If it sounds good, I'll probably jump, but they don't have dealers (other than Amazon and Ebayers) so I can't go hear for myself.

By "sounds good", I mean befitting a $4000 piece of equipment. The No. 3 received marginal reviews for sound. I expect performance on par with $1000+ DACs.

Too bad it doesn't have a universal reader. I may have to downconvert to WAV in my computer in order to get some of my hi rez discs loaded in. I wonder if it'd take a digital feed direct from my Oppo. Oh well, those are details. My plan would be to load all my CDs in at hi rez and then a large number of my vinyl albums, particularly the D2D, then pack all the CDs away and use the Olive as a primary source, along with my Pro-ject RM10.

Dave
 
Dec 28, 2007 at 4:49 PM Post #6 of 15
It seems like a somewhat useless product to me. For $4,000, you could put together a really nice PC with a lot of space and get a nice DAC. Or you could possibly put together a media server and a cheap HTPC and DAC. Or you could put together a music server, then just use a squeezebox and a good DAC.
 
Dec 28, 2007 at 5:21 PM Post #7 of 15
Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It seems like a somewhat useless product to me. For $4,000, you could put together a really nice PC with a lot of space and get a nice DAC. Or you could possibly put together a media server and a cheap HTPC and DAC. Or you could put together a music server, then just use a squeezebox and a good DAC.


Thanks for the advice Overlord, I hear where you're coming from. I want at least SACD/DVD-Audio-quality at my audio system, as anything less would be a step backward. (Yes, I know I can't turn CDs into hi rez, but I've got other source material that IS very hi rez). Have I missed something in the Squeeze box? Is its resolution that high?

Also, I don't like using my computer as a server. I already have to do that with the stupid Apple TV. It's got a 300GB HD, yet I have to make sure the computer is on and iTunes open in order to look at photos in HD. I'd like a self-contained source that's right by my amp, speakers, headphones, turntable, etc.

IF, a big "if" I know, the Olive has resolution of a high quality DAC, then why not make it my server. I can down-convert from 1-bit 5.6MHz in my computer and send those files to the Olive via wireless. Otherwise, I'll simply load CDs into the Opus and store them in boxes. Still, sound is the highest priority to me. I won't use the Olive if its sound quality is up to the rest of my system. Right now my digital source is a Ric Schultz modded Oppo 980.

Thanks,

Dave
 
Dec 28, 2007 at 6:41 PM Post #8 of 15
Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It seems like a somewhat useless product to me. For $4,000, you could put together a really nice PC with a lot of space and get a nice DAC. Or you could possibly put together a media server and a cheap HTPC and DAC. Or you could put together a music server, then just use a squeezebox and a good DAC.


This is what I call Canned v. Custom music servers. There are definite pros and cons to both and certainly no right or wrong.
 
Dec 29, 2007 at 3:33 PM Post #10 of 15
Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Use EAC, if possible. Delicious bit-perfect copies... With this guide, by the way.


Overlord, I love your enthusiasm. You seem to have put a lot of effort into digital solutions.

Have you worked with higher rez than CD? I want DVD-A quality in my archives. I'm archiving D2D vinyl DSD at 5.6Mhz and downconverting to DVD-A, but I'm having trouble with both the downconversion and DVD writing in a Vista Ultimate environment.

Thanks,

Dave
 
Dec 29, 2007 at 4:11 PM Post #11 of 15
No, but I've heard it's possible to rip SACD and DVD-a. I don't actually know how. I'm all CD's, mainly because I've always read that it's impossible to use SACD and DVD-a players with an external DAC due to DRM, and because my parents have a lot of CD's.

One possible way I've heard is to record the analog outs via a computer, then just chop them up via Audacity, but that would be far from a bit-perfect copy, and I'd doubt if you could actually capture the high-resolution on a consumer-grade sound card.

If anyone knows how, please, tell me. I'd like to know, too.
 
Dec 8, 2008 at 10:00 PM Post #13 of 15
Quote:

Originally Posted by dcstep /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Anyone heard the newer Olive Opus No. 5? I'm considering a 750GB version. It seems like they've beefed up the DAC over the No. 3 and it offers reasonably Hi Rez playback levels. If it sounds good, I'll probably jump, but they don't have dealers (other than Amazon and Ebayers) so I can't go hear for myself.

By "sounds good", I mean befitting a $4000 piece of equipment. The No. 3 received marginal reviews for sound. I expect performance on par with $1000+ DACs.


Dave


Is the internal DAC good enough without sending the digital signal to an external DAC?

For the price of an Olive Opus 5, I hope so.
 
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