Replacing my Olive 4

Posted by: Jim Roffey on 02 May 2016

For the past 3 years i have been using an Olive 4 HD with a 2 TB hard drive, i have almost 2000 albums on it that i also have in a separate external HD. this took me over 6 months to do. The Olive has been nothing but trouble, when it works it is great, but it doesn't work very often the back up from Olive in the USA has been non existent. i have a decent amp and speakers  and am looking to replace the Olive, i am unsure whether i can utilise the flac files in any new machine and the more i look at different options the more confused i get. my local dealer has recommended the Naim Unitiserve saying i can just connect this via an optical lead to the amp load my flac files go, it would also give me the option of burning my new CD's another retailer who sells both Naim and Linn says the Linn DS Majic and separate HD would be a preferable option and sound much better. so i'm pretty confused as to how to proceed. i am anxious to avoid a costly mistake again as the Olive was a wasted  and expensive venture

Posted on: 03 May 2016 by Gavin B

Jim

As far as Naim goes, you have essentially three different options:

1. Use a Unitiserve. (There are two different versions of the US giving two more routes under here, but the principles will remain.) You'll be able to rip new CDs using the US, and also use it to access your existing FLAC rips (from the external HD, probably).  It can be connected directly to your existing system (although you'd need to check whether it does analogue out or needs a DAC inbetween - I can't remember), or could be used in conjunction with a Naim streamer.

2. Use a Naim HDX. This has similar functionality to your Olive box - a hard disk and ripping solution in one.  This should be able to make use of your existing FLACs from the external HD.  I'm not sure whether Naim still sells the HDX but it would still be a second-hand option.  Not sure what availability might be in the USA though.

3. Get a Naim Streamer (such as ND5XS) and stream from a HD.  This solution probably means you'd need to buy a NAS (Network Attached Storage) capable of running some server software (such as Asset), but you'll be able to copy your existing FLAC files onto this.  You'll also have to find a way to rip new CDs (on a PC or laptop) and copy the files to the NAS.

I've probably confused you even more!  The good news is that your existing FLAC files should be usable via all three routes.

Gavin

 

Posted on: 03 May 2016 by Bart

Did you post the same thing three times to see if you get three different answers?  That's one approach . . .

Posted on: 03 May 2016 by Jim Roffey

I was informed i had probably posted on the wrong forum, however i appreciate all the helpful advice given