Naim Speakers

Active Naim speakers - even (horror) the Ovators give an exceptionally special performance. I think the Ovator was designed to really work at its best Active from my own experience with S600 Active and now S800 Active.

I chose S800 Active over DBL Active - they are both exceptional systems when set-up with the right equipment, but I personally prefer the S800.

DB.

I think the difficulty for us users of "traditional" Naim speakers is becoming accustomed to a different sound, particularly if you've been Active. The Ovators have a distinctly different sound to IBLs/SBLs/NBLs/SL2s/DBLs and if you've gotten used to the former range over a considerable time it gets imprinted in your bones.

I remember the first time I heard DBLs properly, on the end of Jon Honeyball's superb active system, and was taken aback by how closely the sound resembled SBLs (but with oodles of extra oomph). Similarly, after using active SBLs for fifteen years or so, I transitioned to Active SL2s (after an extremely brief passive SL2 flirtation) with no problems. 

I suspect that if I was denied my DBLs and forced to use another reputable make of speaker of similar calibre, I'd probably get used to them over time, then maybe I'd struggle with the DBL sound for a bit.

Funny old things, speakers.

@tonym What you are describing is exactly the kind of magic I'd love to see in a genuine 3 box; 2 speakers and a control unit, Naim system:-)

I can't believe Naim are that serious about selling speakers. (Maybe they don't want to compete with Focal, but that's just idle speculation.) Most people never reach the stage where they will spend £4k on a pair, and those that do will generally have climbed the ladder, forming allegiances along the way to other brands that work well with Naim amps. We know Naim are capable of making good small speakers - why aren't they making a successor to the N-Sat, that should be selling like hot cakes to people using various Unitis in smallish rooms? I just don't get it. 

I suspect it's a question of economics. A smaller S400 would cost almost as much to make, but would need to sell for half the price, so would not be viable. As to a son of nSat, when the Sats were around they did not sell in big numbers, so a replacement is unlikely to do so. Back in the day, when Linn and Naim walked hand in hand, the Kan was the speaker of choice for the smaller system. It would be entirely logical for the smaller Focals to take that role today. The 906 and 926 seem to be going down very well. 

The reason n-Sats didn't sell well was because Naim promoted them for use in Home Cinema systems & lumbered them with that name - only satellite speakers - when in reality they're a superb speaker in their own right. Shame.

After Naim was acquired by the Vervent Audio Group (that also bought Focal) I suspect that the Ovators will "fly out" from the Naim price list or, at least, will be substituted by Focal loudspeakers branded by Naim) ! 

This is naturally just a suspect, but finacially it is useless and very expensive to have 2 different R&D's departements to develop the same product: in my opinion Naim will focus on hi-fi gears and Focal on loudspeakers. So the story is: if you want the real Naim loudspeaker sound grab an Ovator until you can !