Opinions?
Well the Ovators will certainly be cheaper than the Kudos Titan 808. @Darkebear has the S800 in active guise and has heard the Titan 808 passive and active at Signals so might be able to give some pointers?
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I have heard the T808 on demo is both active and passive mode, to me they are one of the finest speakers manufactors in the market today
my dealer has his T808 set up active with 3 x 250DR and boy to they sound superb
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There are exceptions, but generally, I opt for the newer project. Saying another way: I would opt for the titans. But taste will take his toll
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Both speakers are good - I own and prefer the S800 and would not consider it an upgrade to swap to Titans.
They are both excellent speakers but do have different strengths. I could very happy live with and enjoy the Titan 808 Active - if I did not already have the S800 Active which does do some musical things a bit better in that mode - for me.
Both do the full-range handling well and also the not losing fine musical-details in ‘dynamic-breathing’ (I’ll call it) where the sound stage gets modulated with the music level and content; I’ve not extensively listened to the Active Titan to assess it on that, but the S800 is otherwise excellent at ‘just being there’.
The S800 has very fast deep bass-handling and no emphasis on any particular notes - it is seamless in a way I like both in terms of frequency response and retrieval of details (resolution) across frequencies no matter what is being played.
I think the Titan 808 does similar - it does obviously sound different as all speakers do to each other - all I can say is I’m happy with what is achieved by the S800 and do not hear anything that makes me feel I’d like to swap.
But I could live with and enjoy either speaker! 
DB.
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Hi Darkebear,
I can’t think of a HiFi system I admire/aspire towards than more than yours! I always wanted to ask how come your 500/Snaxo stack has the fraim the other way round? Is it better SQ?
Way-back when I had 552-snaxo-3x500 (non-DR) system I tried ‘reversing’ the Amplifier stack as I always found one of the DC supply Burndies touched the center pillar of the Fraim stack rear and I could always hear that effect as marring performance and adding dullness.
As experiment I reversed to remove that problem ever happening - and it was so silly-better that it stayed that way since. I got a cleaner more seamless open sound that just sounded happy.
Having said all this - if I manage to arrange my system so that I can achieve no Burndy touching the support upright on Fraim with it the ‘normal’ way around, then that would probably also be fine.
But I know this works and it is a lot of effort to possibly fine I’ve made it sound worse - so it remains like this for now.
DB.
I haven’t heard the active 808s, but the active s800 system I had the chance to listen to a few years back was truly a wow moment for me. Other than the very expensive Magicos, I haven’t heard anything that is at a similar level.
Slightly off topic I heard the 808 although not active in a well known shop in the midlands
My impression was they were miles adrift from my active DBLs
I did consider the 808’s when they first came out, glad I didn’t
Lyndon
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Quite a few years back I had the pleasure hearing active 800s in Naim’s demo room, NDX(NDS not available)/555, 552, 3x500s, quite a wow moment. All other Ovators failed to impress.
Regards,
Lindsay
Active speakers are in a different league IMO - especially if you own and use them, then hearing passive speakers is not really a fair comparison.
The DBL is very impressive even Passive IMO if well installed with care - like any speaker but especially very large speakers.
DB.
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I confirm. Even in passive mode, DBL are so much involving, playful and realistic that there’s no need to going active. The listening scale and size of instruments are for a domestic use far enough!
I would listen to the Titan to check their groove and expression ability in comparison to the DBL.
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Yes, da good old days: Active vs Passive.
Linn > LP 12 > Briks
Naim > Amps > CDP
When Linn stop selling TTs and Naim stop selling Amps it’s lights out:
I would imagine DBLs and Briks would be high on any Active list.
But when it’s all said and done, there’s no substitute for living with an Active System.
Otherwise, it’s all hear-say!
There are few creatures that have lived with Active Briks & Ovators!
Perhaps da Darke .
Enjoy Your Music.
Da Why.
Allante93!
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They are very different speakers, but very revealing of what Active operation does to improve them.
It is mixed - as at times the neater and less expensive Passive option retrospectively appeal - yet at the same time do not as soon as I’m playing music.
DB.
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Its like I’ve always said, naim have a unique knowledge of applying proper engineering techniques in order to make a speaker make real music. That’s the shame in all this debate and the reason why comparing naim speakers to other brands is pointless. We cant buy naim speakers any more and all else has some musical compromise.
Are you saying that it’s not possible to have better speakers than Naim ones in a Naim system?
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I guess I am saying that, its the only way to have a true full naim system, and thats the only way naim can consistantly get the best results. Not saying that there aren’t any other good speakers made, I just like naim ones.
There are a lot of second hand Naim speakers available. Often at great value.
These disussions are worthwhile.
Hans
In the context of Naim intended sound, very probably. But as for optimal sound quality, absolutely not. Even the best Naim speakers as Ovator S800 can’t compete with top nowadays Magico, Wilson, Wilson Benesh or many others, specially on full Statements.
Can I get some kudos (pun intended) for Impulse H2s? They work very well with naim and are extremely loud!! I think 96db/1w/1m!!