New Software Update for the Olive music servers

[amey01]

That was a $10,000 music server here in Australia! To be sitting there 10 years later, stranded, is heartbreaking.

Good luck finding some service.

If not - next time I'd recommend spending as little as possible on a music server (Raspberry Pi, Mac Mini, etc) and spend all your cash on the DAC. Then you'll have flexibility to upgrade the tech as you see fit, with all your money invested in the actual audio hardware only.

 

[Leporello]

Out of curiosity, just read Tony Cordesman's review of an Olive server from 2011. I guess all his worst case scenarios materialized. Personally, I would not have cared to get locked into such a system, then or now. It sounds like the developers chose to cut and run when it inevitably became obsolete. I prefer to geek out with something like a Raspberry Pi feeding a good DAC. If/when my Oppo dies, that's probably what I'll do. No point in spending a boatload of money on technology that's still so rapidly evolving. I bought a lifetime subscription to Roon, but probably would not have had I known the streaming-centric direction it would take

Cordesman was a fellow classical music fan and complained, as I do, about the chaotic metadata for classical CD's and the pop-centric nature of digital music systems. Turns out he passed on just last month. His Wikipedia bio details a long academic and government career in national security and Middle East policy, and only the last paragraph mentions he wrote for "The Absolute Sound" Not mentioned is that he also briefly wrote for Sterephile.

 

[amey01]

Out of curiosity, just read Tony Cordesman's review of an Olive server from 2011. I guess all his worst case scenarios materialized. Personally, I would not have cared to get locked into such a system, then or now. It sounds like the developers chose to cut and run when it inevitably became obsolete. I prefer to geek out with something like a Raspberry Pi feeding a good DAC. If/when my Oppo dies, that's probably what I'll do. No point in spending a boatload of money on technology that's still so rapidly evolving. I bought a lifetime subscription to Roon, but probably would not have had I known the streaming-centric direction it would take

I fully appreciate that geeking out on 'Pi is not for everyone - but there are simpler, more turnkey solutions, such as the Mac Mini. Even things like Bluesound could be justified.


But spending $10,000 (or $30,000, or even upwards) on what is essentially a low grade computer (a low spec, low powered computer at that) - there is no argument that could possibly justify it. I mean, $50k here for a Simaudio POS, and given their track record on the CP-8 $32,000 Denon receiver, my eyes roll a little bit too much!)

Yesterday's Olive is tomorrow's Innuos/Aurender/HIFI Rose / whatever other audiophile computer is in fashion at the moment.

Case in point - how many of them handle AX wifi / 6GHz; or the upcoming Wi-fi 7?

If I want ax, I buy a $25 USB plug and stick it into my 'Pi. Or I spend $70 to upgrade the 'Pi.

It just belies belief that people would lock themselves into what are no more than networking products by spending tens of thousands of dollars. But then again, people still buy audiophile USB cables, ethernet cables and the crazy AQVOX "audiophile switch" (which was $20 D-Link with a plastic "crystal" glued to the processor )

(I'd also love to know how many vulnerabilities these things must have).

 

[gigawatt]

you're making me depressed... ;-)

I hope that someone downloaded the latest 06HD firmware I need???