Another great Ovator test

quote:

Originally posted by BNN:
Good, but I was not impress when I demo them.

Then demo them again until you are impressed - simples.

quote:

Originally posted by Thorsten_Lux:
I am not harsh.

I don't think it is saying you were harsh. I think is saying B&W speakers are harsh ... or did I get the wrong end of the valve.

quote:

Same here...blew Wilson Audio Sophia-something (13000€), B&W Black Diamond 800-something (14500€) straight out of the water.Fantastic and clearly not to be beaten in this price-range.

This is all I said.

No bashing at all, just Ali being Ali.

quote:

Originally posted by Thorsten_Lux:

quote:

Originally posted by ali 026:

quote:

Originally posted by Thorsten_Lux:
Same here...blew Wilson Audio Sophia-something (13000€), B&W Black Diamond 800-something (14500€) straight out of the water.

Fantastic and clearly not to be beaten in this price-range.

You forgot IMO.
Your bashing of these fine b&w speakers is getting annoyingly irritating.

I can bash them anyway I want, dear sir.
Because IMHO, they just suck, IMHO.

I just stated what I heard now on many occasions.
And I am entitled to speak freely.

The Ovators need a good time to "burn-in", but veiled...not on the three times i heard them.

Fresh, agile, fast, alive,....but not veiled.

Veiled comes to my mind by thinking of B&W-speakers...

and this is not bashing, huh?
just thorsten being his usual anti B&W self.
And Svetty I have no issues with anyone not liking B&W. I'm just reminding Thorsten to add IMO, and he likes to have double standards (he doesn't like it if anyone talks in absolutes, but loves to do it himself when it suits him)
Kind of like a schoolteacher....

Now its time for the MODS..............

quote:

Originally posted by Emil F.:

quote:

Originally posted by joesilva:
I heard the Ovators at Cymbiosis last week. The sound appeared veiled to me and not at all like the Naim sound I am accustomed to. Overall not my cup of tea. To each their own, but best to have a demo at home where it counts.

They did not sound veiled to me. I could live with the fuller bass, but I did not like the dry voices. I hope this will be fixed in the upper model.

Or the lower model

quote:

Originally posted by Aslam:
Now its time for the MODS..............

+1
I've seen enough B&W bashing

ps. The Ovators got a good review in the july issue of Vi-Fi, a Dutch magazine. In the same article they where less positive about a top notch Naim setup.

quote:

I've seen enough B&W bashing

bashing loudspeakers can't do them much good IMHO - if were lucky enough to own some Ovators then I promise I wouldn't bash them.

Don't really care what hi-fi reviewers say - set-up properly in an all Naim system the Ovators are the best sounding loudspeakers I've heard.

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

I've seen enough B&W bashing

bashing loudspeakers can't do them much good IMHO - if were lucky enough to own some Ovators then I promise I wouldn't bash them.

Don't really care what hi-fi reviewers say - set-up properly in an all Naim system the Ovators are the best sounding loudspeakers I've heard.

Hope to try (buy?) a nice rosewood one sometime next week. I will find out how it works with a Naim DAC/XPS2/HiFace EVO/MacBook and Parasound amplification then with a NAC282 and 250.2 too.

reading the review and the way they describe the sound it seems like they are describing previous Naim previous speakers ....and this with a non-naim system!!!

had they tested with a Naim system and Ovators would probably described as Formula 1 speakers

Thorsten,

Using these:

quote:

Yup, 200/202, 252/300, SN, SN/HC2...always the same...like a sleeping pill and the bass...horrible.

into these:

quote:

Same here...blew Wilson Audio Sophia-something (13000€), B&W Black Diamond 800-something (14500€) straight out of the water.

I think your findings are spot on. I'd add the top Focal models to the pretty horrible list as well, IME.

quote:

he doesn't like it if anyone talks in absolutes, but loves to do it himself when it suits him.Kind of like a schoolteacher....

Talking about yourself, huh?

Schoolteacher...very funny and spot on concerning the original topic.

I love the Ovators.
I hate ALL B&W-speakers I have heard.

All just my opinion.

You, Ali, just step in to either fight someone or to present your expert hifi-knowledge.
Just put me on the ignore-list.

I appreciate the passion (Ali & Thorsten), but let's just keep it civil, OK?

quote:

Originally posted by joesilva:
How many on this forum have actually traded in their speakers for the Ovators ?

Hi Joe,

A very god point albeit a bit unknown/controversial. Hope you enjoying your uk trip. Apologies for interrupting your dem at Cymbiosis last week! Also was it you I saw outside Harrods yesterday, I was just crossing road to say hi when you slipped away!

TTFN

Martin

quote:

Originally posted by Red Rooster:

quote:

Originally posted by joesilva:
How many on this forum have actually traded in their speakers for the Ovators ?

Hi Joe,

A very god point albeit a bit unknown/controversial. Hope you enjoying your uk trip. Apologies for interrupting your dem at Cymbiosis last week! Also was it you I saw outside Harrods yesterday, I was just crossing road to say hi when you slipped away!

TTFN

Martin

Hi Martin,

Yes, I was at Harrods yesterday morning, picking up something for the wife who did not come with me on this trip. I caught the late afternoon flight and I'm now back at home in Hong Kong. I was fortunate to have spent two and a half days with Peter listening to various systems and combinations at his shop. Also had the opportunity to visit Polarbear and listen to his impressive system with the large ART speakers.

Sorry we didn't get a chance to chat and compare notes. Of all the systems and combinations I heard (including the Ovators with CD555/552/300), it was the small room in the basement with a CDX2/252/250 that I was most impressed with. I listened to various speakers at the end of the 250, but enjoyed the Kudos range the most. While there was no doubt an improvement when going from C20 to C30, it was the little X2 that I enjoyed the most. I only wish Derek would use a Crescendo tweeter on the X2's as they are one of the finest small speakers I have ever heard partnered with Naim equipment IMHO. I know everything is subjective and the listening room can have a big impact on the final result, but the Ovators just didn't do anything for me, although I was hoping for something along the lines of a super SL-2. Nevertheless, some people are apparently getting good results with them which is why I asked how many on this forum have actually parted with their original speakers and cash to move on to Ovators. If they are really blowing the competition (costing twice as much) out of the water, they ought to be flying out the doors at most dealers as quickly as Naim can produce them.

Joe

Joe,

I'm a little confused having read the most recent Hi-Fi News about what kit you're actually running, especially with regard to Naim. Does your profile need updating?

hi joe

sorry we didnt get to meet up -- everything went wrong, and when it looked fixable, it wasnt

hey ho

best

jon

I agree with the person who said these should of also been tested with full naim kit, I have one of the very first pair of Ovators and i dont see what this bass problem is, nor do i have any problems with sound stage, ive never heard a speaker that has this much detail in the mid/treble and all for 6k. IMO B&W are far too coloured and unless in a staduim sized room are boomy. I think Naim have made an exceptional speaker here and ill only be changing them for the big brothers when i have got the money to add some more 500 to the mix

quote:

Originally posted by abbydog:
Joe,

I'm a little confused having read the most recent Hi-Fi News about what kit you're actually running, especially with regard to Naim. Does your profile need updating?

You are right, it does need updating on this forum which I have just done. I do not own most of the Naim kit anymore, although after having a listen last weekend at Cymbiosis, I may be getting a smaller Naim system for the study.

Joe

quote:

Originally posted by jon honeyball:
hi joe

sorry we didnt get to meet up -- everything went wrong, and when it looked fixable, it wasnt

hey ho

best

jon

Hey Jon,

It was my loss not having had the chance to meet up and perhaps listen to your impressive system. I will try and be over again soon and hope to have another chance. You are always welcome if you come over my end of course.

Joe

Anyway Joe, it was a good article and I enjoyed it - Dr Peter got a mention, too.

quote:

Originally posted by abbydog:
Anyway Joe, it was a good article and I enjoyed it - Dr Peter got a mention, too.

I believe the reviewer wrote about 5,000 words which was subsequently reduced to about 2,000. I therefore had little to do with what the editor would choose to include or leave out of the article. I am glad Peter got several mentions and so did Chris Harban, the plinth maker. Despite the fact that the majority of the equipment was not purchased through Peter, he has contributed a great deal of his experience and judgment to making my system sound fantastic to my ears. There have been several instances where Peter recommended a component only to agree that another dealer's product was superior in the context of my system. That is why I have total respect and confidence in Peter's judgment and advice.

I found the article v interesting, particularly the line about having to get up and dance due to the rhythm - that was exactly how I described my view of the CDS2 and XPS2 as being an improvement over CDX2 bare and with XPS2. So if that holds true, I could well be interested

Not that I'll be in the market for new speakers for a while yet....

quote:

Originally posted by living in lancs yearning for yorks:
Not that I'll be in the market for new speakers for a while yet....

Is that because yours are OK, or because it is taking so long to get the electronics back to health?

John

quote:

Originally posted by joesilva:
While there was no doubt an improvement when going from C20 to C30, it was the little X2 that I enjoyed the most. I only wish Derek would use a Crescendo tweeter on the X2's as they are one of the finest small speakers I have ever heard partnered with Naim equipment IMHO.

Hi Joe, interesting you should say that. I've listened to all the Kudos speakers and love the X2 and C2, but not at all convinced by the ones using the Crescendo tweeter! In my view, although the tweeter itself is undoubtedly a very fine unit indeed, it highlights itself quite brazenly in the C20 and not quite so brazenly but still fairly obviously in the C30. I find that the beauty of the X2 is its homogenous cohesive presentation. I fear the Crescendo would once again spoil the party.

In my opinion (and I know there are many respected posters here who will disagree with me on this), the Crescendo models need to better integrate that unit. If they did, these models would be truly formidable contenders.