I was going by rsch’s post, and didn’t research. If they are two a penny then less of a need to decide quickly. It also begs the question why are people moving them on?..?
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I think the Kans were one of the most misunderstood speakers ever created. Basically a high-end speaker that sold for not a lot of money. They were incredibly demanding in every way, including of the listener. They didn’t do big speaker reality but they got everything else so right that they were totally addictive to listen to. Or horrible - depending on your viewpoint, source material or mood at the time!
Sorry for the diversion. Never can resist a bit of nostalgia for the old days.
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My understanding has always been that the Ovators broke with Naim tradition, both in the sense that they were not a boundary design and also in that they had a rather different voicing to what had gone before. They were less ‘Naim-like’ which was either good or bad depending on your viewpoint. At least that’s what I’ve always thought - I could be wrong.
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Yet every description of Kans suggests I would have hated them, though I have never heard… But then my focus from the start was much as now, and no hifi fads or fashions diverted me.
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If ever there was a ‘marmite’ speaker it was surely Kans!
We were all made of sterner stuff back then - not sure if today’s youngsters could stomach them!
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They are indeed!
If I am honest with myself I don’t think I really set out to try and recreate live music at home but rather relive the initial excitement on hearing my first Linn/Naim system (LP12,Nait,Kans) in the early 1980s!
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Hi Deeg, whilst I really like the CM8 S2’s I am after opening the sound up more, if you get my drift, and age of the items aside I think there is a marked step up in the original pricing, development and quality, all of which go together generally speaking of course!
@Nickd there are a lot of opinions on here but the ones you should heed the most, because why ask the question otherwise are those from owners of the Nova with differing speaker experience and owners of the S600. The rest is speculation.
I owned a Nova and found it needed easy to drive speakers. At one time I have ATC SCM7’s and the Nova just did not play them well at low volume which was the aim with that system. At higher volume it was better but the speakers needed room to breath.
I tried S600’s and they need A-LOT of space imo. They also need driving by a decent amp. At the time I had a NAP200 and they sounded flat. I bought SBL’s instead which sounded superb. They are easy to locate (they even work VERY well against a dab & dot wall!) and space wise they need to be against a wall. I later upgraded to NBL’s which again go against a wall and worked superbly. If you want the Naim sound and have a few grand to spend take your time and look at other options in the Naim family as well.
Home demo will be critical for these speakers.
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I wonder how the new NEAT Mystique Classic speakers would fair with a Nova?
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That makes it easier then since it’s nolonger a consideration of if a Nova can maximise their performance rather will it enable them to meet your wishes.
Not being familiar with either, others are probably better able to answer that.
As speakers are both personal and room dependent a home demo, if possible, would remove any uncertainty you have… hope you enjoy the journey 
Wow! Thank you my friends, plenty for me to go at there from all of your opinions and experiences. Some of you are very strong in your opinions and beliefs and I appreciate that. Where does this all leave me? I think i’m going to have to leave the purchase of the S600s for now as they are a six hour each way drive away, and little chance of a proper listening test, and that’s without them being connected to a Nova anyway! So, with what I’ve learned here I think I’m going to let the dust settle and cast a wider net so to speak. Thank you all though and through some of the ‘stronger’ comments I hope everyone remains friends!!
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Nick I hope you don’t have any regrets. Some good posts amongst notwithstanding some thread drift et al. Always difficult to covey one’s experience, but as @HungryHalibut kindly pointed out, I have S600s, the dealer supplying them suggested I run them passive with a NAP500.
Naim’s advice was that they were voiced with NAP300 (probably pre DR), which indicates how much they can be “powered”, the option being passive or two or three active. On the smaller Ovators, great though the Nova is, I haven’t found the Nova to be ideal. Imho adding a NAP, which is an option that others have tried, to my mind exposes some of the weaknesses, without being a vfm benefit.
The other point, which you highlight wisely imv, is the issue of spares. Unfortunately not enough units of any model were sold to make a cabinet damaged set, a ready source for any spares. Given my pair are active, I have a spare Snaxo for Kudos, in case anything befalls mine. Happy listening, with whatever you decide.
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Hi S-H, no I don’t have a single regret. I would rather learn through this route than spend twelve hours driving, and not be able to listen to the units at all. There are many people on this forum with greater all-round knowledge than me, so why not give it a go, thanks though young man, I was informed in one post HH I think that you would be the fella to ask and take note of. All in all a rather entertaining and knowledge providing experience.
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I think that’s a very wise decision Nick. If you can’t listen to them properly, and with your Nova, then it’s just too much of a risk.
I hope you find something that appeals to you. I don’t know if your Nova is intended to be a ‘once and for all’ purchase or whether you may consider going to separates in the future but that’s obviously something to bear in mind.
Happy listening and take your time.
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Obviously it will work but probably not to the level it can. That doesn’t mean it wrong.
These speakers need space and lot’s off it, plus they need a amp with grunt, or 3 smaller Amp’s to best drive them.
I had these in active, and had a 300dr, 2 x 250’s on them and still couldn’t get them to work as i wanted, but i also had a room that i couldn’t give them space, so i probably had it even before i put them in the car to bring them home.
I tried everything to try and get these to work but nothing did it.
Speakers are very room dependent and you really need to see if what you are looking at has a good chance off working where you want to put them, get this right and you are almost there , if not then it’s never going to work
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Nick if you find yourself near the centre of England, you would be welcome a listen. However I can’t offer any guarantees as to whether I would then introduce some aspect of regret. Ask RD to forward a note if you are; no inconvenience, any time if I’m here.
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That’s really very kind of you young man, unfortunately I live in East Yorkshire so it’s quite unlikely, but you never know! Regets, I’ve had a few, actually probably too many to mention, lol.
Thanks again!
Sounds like a cue for a song… or:
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