Thanks again to the forum for all your opinions. Right now, though, no one system seems to have it all (hi-res support, easy-to-use GUI, true plug-n-play hardware compatibility, etc., etc.). So I'll wait this one out a bit more, and just keep ripping my CD's with iTunes in ALAC.
But I've also been considering an Olive O2, which costs significantly more than Sonos or SBT, but is still affordable, and which can also address a dedicated [Olive] music server. It can address music on a HDD on a PC, Mac, or NAS as well.
Music storage apart from a computer or a NAS certainly does have its advantages. For instance, power supplies, connectivity, and user interfaces can be optimized for hi-fi use rather than for computer use.
Also, it seems that Olive have really applied themselves to the issue of metadata parsing (a big bugger with iTunes, particularly with classical music, which has been criticized ad infinitum in the buff mags and blogs). I mean, Mozart WAS definitely an artist, but I think I'm looking for the performers who recorded [any particular example of] Mozart's music when I search!!
Anyway, I can get an O2 to use on my main system, addressing music files on my network, and transfer those files to an O3 server when the time comes. The O3 lacks digital outs AFAIK, but I'm sure it'd do quite well as a music and CD player in my second system as it is.
As well, it's the only Olive server that I can currently afford, but in its current configuration, its storage capacity at 500GB is a little light. According to my calculations, my current CD collection, when completely ripped, will easily exceed that number, and that's exclusively Red-Book-to-ALAC. HD audio is a real byte-eater which can easily triple my storage requirements as more music becomes available on better-than-CD downloads.
Right now, though, I have few HD files, as my primary digital source is iTunes on a Mac (G4), addressing my music files on a PC. But, at the suggestion of many of y'all, I'll try one of the iTunes plugins that have been reviewed favorably here and elsewhere, and continue to wait a little longer.
Thanks, John
But I've also been considering an Olive O2, which costs significantly more than Sonos or SBT, but is still affordable, and which can also address a dedicated [Olive] music server. It can address music on a HDD on a PC, Mac, or NAS as well.
Music storage apart from a computer or a NAS certainly does have its advantages. For instance, power supplies, connectivity, and user interfaces can be optimized for hi-fi use rather than for computer use.
Also, it seems that Olive have really applied themselves to the issue of metadata parsing (a big bugger with iTunes, particularly with classical music, which has been criticized ad infinitum in the buff mags and blogs). I mean, Mozart WAS definitely an artist, but I think I'm looking for the performers who recorded [any particular example of] Mozart's music when I search!!
Anyway, I can get an O2 to use on my main system, addressing music files on my network, and transfer those files to an O3 server when the time comes. The O3 lacks digital outs AFAIK, but I'm sure it'd do quite well as a music and CD player in my second system as it is.
As well, it's the only Olive server that I can currently afford, but in its current configuration, its storage capacity at 500GB is a little light. According to my calculations, my current CD collection, when completely ripped, will easily exceed that number, and that's exclusively Red-Book-to-ALAC. HD audio is a real byte-eater which can easily triple my storage requirements as more music becomes available on better-than-CD downloads.
Right now, though, I have few HD files, as my primary digital source is iTunes on a Mac (G4), addressing my music files on a PC. But, at the suggestion of many of y'all, I'll try one of the iTunes plugins that have been reviewed favorably here and elsewhere, and continue to wait a little longer.
Thanks, John