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What Hi-Fi?, 'Ultimate Guide to New Technology 2012' Feature: Hi-Fi Servers > Best Buy
Score: 5 Stars , 'Best Buy'
Comments of Note:
"...it performs every bit as well as it looks."
"...its 10.1in screen is an ergonomic delight - but what lies beneath is almost as compelling."
"Solidly constructed from aluminium, the Olive includes separate power supplies for its analogue and digital sections, a custom-built toroidal power supply and high-grade capacitors throughout."
"Listening to these high-res files [pre-installed onto the Olive], there's a terrific sense of transparency (even with complex instrumentation) and dynamic range. Switching to ripped CD-quality files isn't quite so stunning, of course, but it's still hugely impressive, with the Olive's imaging and timing satisfying on every level."
"The new Olive is a triumph."
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Hi-Fi News, Yearbook 2011Reviewed by: Keith Howard
Score: 'Editor's Choice'
Comments of Note:
"Any lingering doubt about Olive's seriousness in calling the O6HD an audiophile product is banished by its incorporation of a linear rather than switch-mode power supply, and the provision of balanced analog outputs on XLR as well as unbalanced on phono."
"Its sound quality is also good enough to delight most potential buyers..."
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What Hi-Fi?, December 2011Feature: Music Streamers Super Test
Score: 5 Stars
Comments of Note:
(The Olive 6HD was reviewed partnered with the Leema Tucana II amp and Dali Fazon F5 Speakers as part of the most expensive system in the test.)
"This Olive system... is so fancy it wouldn't look out of place in Darth Vader's bathroom."
"It feels like a CD collection, but takes up far less space. The screen is also touch-sensitive, adding an extra degree of style and intuitive usability to operation."
"It delivers the kind of punch and precision that lets you feel the full force of the thumping drums on The Dark Night soundtrack, but also exhibits serious refinement and control."
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What Hi-Fi?, 'Ultimate Guide to High End' 2011Feature: 'Test | Media Players and Servers'
Score: 5 Stars, 'Best Buy'
Comments of Note:
"...it performs every bit as well as it looks."
"...its10.1in screen is an ergonomic delight - but what lies beneath is almost as compelling."
"Listening to these high-res files, there's a terrific sense of transparency (even with complex instrumentation) and dynamic range."
"...there's genuine warmth and musicality to its sound..."
"And with its network streaming (via wired or wireless links) and internet radio, you've a complete, utterly desireable alternative to a regular CD player."
Verdict - "The new Olive is a triumph; it's a worthy rival to the class leaders from Meridian and Naim."
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Blu-Ray Definition, June 2011Reviewed by: Lawrence Devoe
Score: 4.5/5 Discs
Comments of Note:
"Not only was its façade drop-dead gorgeous, but the O6HD had raised the performance bar significantly over its older siblings."
"Loading CDs is a literal piece of cake. Open the plastic case, take out the disc and put it in the front panel slot drive, select storage format, and push import. Load times for CDs average 8 minutes."
"The large touch screen is friendly to those of us with larger fingers and definitely easier to use than those on the other Olive servers. If you are not into touch screens then you have the option of the navigation keys, the remote control, i-device apps, or the Maestro computer program."
"Loading additional files via the Maestro software on my PC worked smoothly. The direct loading and ripping of CDs was a flawless and deadly quiet operation. In fact, the O6HD has the best sound dampening that I have ever not heard in a digital drive."
"Of course, I had to listen to physical CDs on the Olive as well and I can state that, as a standard CD player, it sounded excellent without digital fatigue or harshness, even though most buyers would probably use this function very infrequently."
"Although the DAC driving the headphone output is only a single Texas Instruments 192khz/24-bit Burr- Brown PCM1792A, this is a no-compromise means of getting high quality digital playback into the ‘phones. Put simply, this is a killer feature for apartment or dorm dwellers who need to listen in private after hours. The sound provided by this function is sensational!"
The Definitive Word - "In short, the O6HD could function as a centerpiece for a digital-based audio system, save tons of space and provide hours of enjoyment. It has all of the virtues that a good music server should possess: (1) Ease of set up and operation; (2) reliable storage and playback; (3) access to high resolution digital sources; (4) terrific sound."
Read the Full Review Here.
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