HoloAudio STREAMER is out now

Looks interesting. Anyone know if it can play music from an external drive? 

The blurb on their website says this, "This audio device is using a Pi Compute Module 4  it only uses the Pi4 as core system. It differs from a standard Raspberry Pi because it does not have all peripheral components on board, but has been developed by Holo Audio itself, of course optimized for Audio. The advantage is that it can be used with a lot of software and is therefore versatile."

So, I'm confused. Does that mean you have to somehow put Volumio on it or Rupee in order to make it work? 

I kind of side with @lordrootman here, not that XLR is a "must have" for me, but a basic streamer here at the end of 2022 going for $800 ought to offer "something" more, a display for cover art would be nice. Maybe even a touch screen so I can leave my dang phone on a table or in its charging cradle when I come home. 

John Darko just did a video saying the CHEAP $80 WiiM Mini Streamer paired with a Chord Mojo 2 bests the Node in sound quality. (But the Node does DSD). 

And yeah, RED is getting them notices, but come on, it would be a non-starter in many people's listening rooms, especially for Wife Acceptance Factor.

Red equipment is kitsch.

I have no lava lamp.