Ozy,
I am not familiar with the Nova but I have listened extensively to a well setup Alto - let me say these are indeed awesome speakers. However, if I am nit picky then I share your concerns about the bass - that was pretty obvious from the get go - dynamics were also not as strong as I was expecting in such a large speaker. However, I was also puzzled by the imaging. I did not get precise definition in the soundstage. On Roger Waters Amused to Death Track 3 there were some great effects (very wide soundstage - extremely impressive sound from the left and in your left ear) - however, contrary or in the opposite vein - the female vocalist was not precisely or soldily centered nor was Roger Waters (centered but vaguely so - such as you would not be completely convinced they were there standing in front of you).
Anyway - those were my findings - it may simply have been colored by something else in the chain (the DAC for example - it was all high end SS gear). FWIW: They are absolutely stunning looking speakers, which is why I had to listen to them - but I did come away ever so slightly disappointed given their price.
