The best and cheapest would be, standard is no drive at all and telling the type compatible for buy it yourself in whatever size needed.
I would say it can have an effect, but implementation is crucial, downloading to a buffer can make a sonic difference as implemented by Innuos. Seems as though I never have enough storage, be it for downloads, CDs or LPs. 
3TB is an interesting size choice, any particular reason?
I appreciate your experience and opinion, given that experience.
However, I have to quibble with this apparent cocksure statement.
What makes you think there is a particular type of customer that PSA is targeting? What is that type, exactly, in your opinion?
Your statement struck me as if you think they are putting together some sort of âLifestyleâ product like, at the extreme end of the concept, a Bose Wave Radio.
If I recall correctly, there are two perceived market/kit needs Paul envisions the combination of his player and software will attempt to meet:
- A superior music player in terms of digital file spinning and library and metadata management; and
- A superior sounding (as compared to Roon and others) music playing/husbandry software.
Given the demonstrated (and I believe representative of PSA customersâ) proclivities of the those that dwell here in the forum, I have to disagree with the thought that Octave customers wonât âwant to faff about with external USB drivesâ, etc.
FWIW/Regards.
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There are several issues with external drives. Units that have a ripping facility, like the Octave, usually can only rip to internal drives. Innuos, for example, can use external drives, but they canât buffer them.
PS Audio make a memory player that spins and plays from memory, that costs $5,000. Or you could just get a normal CD player for $200. You could say the same for servers.
Reviews of streamers and servers tend to look more at functionality and features, because what they do does vary dramatically. A lot of audio here is sold through dealers, but when I spoke to the Inuuos UK Sales Manager and the UK distributor, they both told me the vast majority of sales are direct. Same for Auralic, who have the same distributor.
A server is a storage device. If it is to do that, it must have more than enough storage for the user, and as @gazjam says, few will consider 1TB that to be the case. Otherwise, best to design for external storage, because many people donât need any external storage, and then itâs not a server at all, itâs a streamer.
This is a valid point!
To connect external storage, a streamer would be sufficient. If itâs called a Server (for people who want internal storage as a priority), then options should be available to avoid, that everyone who needs more, first must pay the 1TB standard, which he afterwards removes/exchanges and doesnât use anymore.
Iâd wonder if Paul wouldnât offer options.
I just set up my first server today. Aurender A10. Has a built in DAC, so its a player too. Also plays from NAS, external USB drives, and streams music in from Qobuz/Tidal.
Iâm hooked up to my headphone amp direct from the server. The A10 sounds impressive. Lots of new stuff to learn on the Conductor ipad app to run it.
I read the review of that device by Jason Kennedy here:
https://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/aurender-a10-network-server-dac-and-streamer
For me that is exactly how a streamer should be designed, i.e. with DAC and pre-amp in the same box. My first streamer, bought in 2009, the Linn Akurate DS, was much the same, but did not have the internal storage, usb connectivity or the optical input. The latter of course allows you to attach a disc transport with the least electrical impact on the device and the disc drive does not spin during playback due to a large SSD buffer drive. To me it also a very sleek and attractive design.
There is a terrible review here:
Terrible in how it was done. The A10 is designed to sit on its own with a power cable, ethernet input and analogue output cables to an amplifier. Nothing else nearby. So the reviewer sits it on a massive piece of electronics. Thatâs just unprofessional.
He then sort of complains that there are warnings about how to power it down. I would have thought it well-known that you should never pull the power cable out of a device with a spinning hard drive, it can corrupt the SQL database. Naim servers had that problem before a software change. My SATA QNAP server has protective systems to prevent damage in a power outage and when it does happen I always get a message to run a disc checking utility.
Personally, I run all my computer and servers (I have two QNAPS) off APC continuous power supplies. Have done for years. Might be an idea.
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Thanks for sharing your industry-insider perspective. If I may, I would pretty much like to know what was your company and your server, back then. And, if you would share, I am pretty interested in knowing what was your worse nightmare, sound quality-wise, when designing the server.
Thanks again, and I hope not being too much intrusive.
Hi Elk,
just from experience thats a good size to let your music collection grow.
No more than that. 
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Sure,
donât want to interfere with what is a Thread about the octave server, something Iâm very interested in myself!
But yeah, was a while ago now (2013) so why not.
I designed this and had some success with it?
Dont have time to go into detail about it, just putting this out there as you asked.
Audiophile Style (ex Computer Audiophile) forum is a great resource for the detail, what works, what doesnât etc.
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You may be an âall in oneâ guy but not me. I want to be able to pick the streamer I want, the DAC I want, and the preamp I want. Its the same for me with my preamp and ampâŚlike it was many years a go when I had a tuner instead of a receiverâŚ
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I fully agree that itâs essential to have all three separate, the streamer, the DAC and the preamp. People want that flexibility at this level, and there are always going to be compromises if you combine them.
The A10 is their entry level product that is a complete streaming solution, just add headphones, amp or active speakers. Their more expensive products are separates, but for the vast majority of people who want to stream, I just donât see the point of a separate DAC.
I find the vast majority who want to stream simply turn to their PC and mobile devices.
Audiophiles who stream typically want separates and the concomitant flexibility.
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I agree. On the other hand, if there was a better reviewed integrated solution, theyâd want that.
And Iâm not sure if those offering all in one solutions see typical audiophiles as their main target customers. I rather guess they want to win many of the others.
Looking at the What HiFi list, which goes to around $15,000, only 2 of the 15 products listed donât have an internal DAC - Melco and Moon.
Many also have a pre-amp, as do all PS Audio DACs, including the $5,000 Cambridge Audio Edge NQ.
If you read Paulâs new book, he says, and I quote:
âFor the Serious System youâll need to budget between $3,000 and $30,000 ⌠The average Serious System falls somewhere in the middle of this price range, hovering between $8,000 and $15,000â
So most of these products are in Paulâs range of Serious Systems and as he says on page 30, the advanced audiophile does not have to spend an arm and a leg. They are also hugely popular, especially Cambridge Audio, and in the UK Naim is the best-selling audiophile brand.
I like Paulâs new definitions. âSerious Systemsâ are one step up from âCasual Systemsâ. Above Serious Systems are âWhacked-Out Systemsâ, which have suggests really starts at around $50,000.
- Audiolab 600N play
- Cambridge Audio CXN v2
- NAD C658
- Naim ND555
- Bluesound Node 2i
- Melco N100 *
- Cambridge Audio Edge NQ
- Naim ND5 XS 2
- Naim NDX 2
- Amazon Echo Input
- Cambridge Audio Azur 851N
- Linn Selekt DSM
- Technics SL-G700
- Pioneer N-70AE
- Naim NAC-N 272
- Moon Neo MiND *
Interesting how the bulk of these products are British as is, of course, What HiFi .
This may be a regional thing.
Keep in mind that for those who want an all-in-one box, there is the PS Audio Stellar Strata: preamp, DAC, streamer, amplifier in a single box - just add speakers or headphones.
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Do British separates exist at all?
You have Naim Atom at $3k+ which is add speaker and njoy type.
Regards,
Sourav