The Olive Symphony: The mega iPod for your stereo


I just read about this new component, The Olive Symphony in the NY TImes. It sounds like a new revolution in stereo components.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/27/technology/circuits/27pogue.html?th&emc=th

What do you think?

Peace
Ross
rosstaman
It doesn't seem all that revolution, but it does appear very well thought out and implemented. Suggested changes, expanded storage and connections for an external monitor.
What I find revolutionary is its price, rather 'cheap' for audiofool standards (as compared to $9000 for a VRS). I like the fact that it has an digital audio out connector so you can use a high quality dac.
Funny that is has a ''classical music'' target audience to it when this thing can of course be used for any type of music. Looks like a marketing mistake to me. I think it will probably be the logical extension of the i-pod. Pretty interesting...
The story about the Olive product is the most e-mailed story from the NY Times in the past 24 hours. Apparently plenty of people, possibly even some non-audiophiles, are very interested.
Seems silly to me. How different is this from, say, the Escient products? I also think its kind of odd to spend that much on something that is a closed "black box" when you can easily replicate the functionality with known, best-of-class off the shelf hardware. And get something that has much more functionality. Computers for people who don't like computers.