Active speakers - are they a good idea?

[Lank66]

Hi Everybody,

I have joined this forum because i am looking for some collective wisdom in terms of my next move as far as upgrading my Hi-Fi is concerned.

I have a budget of around £1000 - £1500 to invest in a new system to replace my old Myriad integrated amp and CD Player feeding some early Q Acoustics speakers.

I have a varied taste in music from Neil Young (amazing lyrics) to London Grammar (love her voice) and a bit of classical and folk etc.

I like the idea of active speakers, because it makes sense to me to match the amplifier to the speakers, BUT i am a bit concerned that with changing streaming technology buying speakers with built-in streaming tech could be a mistake.

So, i'm thinking about a pair of Acoustic Energy AE1's. What do you think? I can then add a separate streamer as my music source.

Thanks

'Lank'

[Magna Audio]

I can't really say at that budget, but on multi way systems, active and quality DSP X/O allows so much more flexibility and removes all the passive components, capacitors, inductors, resistors usually in L-pad form (to equalise volume levels between different drivers), notch filters where necessary, Zobel frequency vs impedance correctors where necessary.
These definitively lower dynamics. No matter how much you spend on capacitors etc.

In my experience passive crossovers are fine for normal 2 to 3 way speakers (covers most hifi), but as soon as you want deep bass and get into multi way they are just too much hassle.
A) to get the best X/O points and slopes right,
B) if you change (upgrade a driver) with different impedance, new components are needed,
C) you can't try different crossover points and slopes easily.
D) you can't time align each driver to the others and left / right channel.
E) There's no DSP EQ of bass room modes possible, unless you buy extra boxes.

Detrators might say ah but converting the analogue signal to digital and back again will ruin it.
Nope! Not if the DSP / active implementation is done properly.

Also with active you can run the most suitable amp for the driver pair.
For example I have 500wpc, silicon amp on the subs.
200wpc on the 12" driver mid bass, 3 x 5wpc EL84 amps on the super efficient mid, upper mid and tweeters.

So, horses for courses.

[Macca]

On paper active speakers are a good idea, in practice I've not found there to be any appreciable advantages of active vs passive assuming that both set-ups are optimal.

Matching amplifier to the loudspeaker is not as big a deal as some would have you believe

One disadvantage of a powered speaker like the AE1 Active is that if the amplification develops a fault the whole speaker has to go for repair. In a passive system if the amplifier fails you could just slot in another amplifier and carry on.

Two other disadvantages of the AE1 or any similar 2 way speaker is that they are small and only two way, both are significant compromisers to sound quality.

My advice is keep your amplifier and instead spend the money on a larger, three-way passive loudspeaker, this will give you the biggest increase in sound quality for the budget.

You could, and this is just one example, get some Yamaha NS1000M well under your maximum budget which IMO will comfortably outperform the AE1, and will do so even in a small room and positioned close to the wall.

[walpurgis]

A friend had the original AE1s. It's not a sound I'd choose to live with, to describe them as 'in yer face' would be an understatement in my opinion. He thought they were wonderful, but then, they were replacements for his Linn Saras, which are another 'acquired taste' speaker.

[walpurgis]

Moved here from Welcome area.

[Bencat]

Just to add my own opinion here I have never really used or heard active speakers with the amplifier inside the speaker such as the AE ones mentioned. I used passive speakers for years and only really took an interest in active units in the last four years.

In my case I have neither the knowledge or practical skills to design and build a from scratch pair of speakers so the route i have used has been to take a pair of passive speakers that I really like (KEF 103 Reference 1978 model) remove the passive crossover and add an additional pair of binding posts and directly connect the two driver units to these. Then with the addition of a MiniDSP DDRC 24 I was able to set crossover levels , add DIRAC Live DSP and output to a pair of stereo amplifiers one driving each speaker. The sound of this was still similar to the passive units but so much more . Active speakers I have heard all display the same fast sound that i get form my speakers . This refers to the way notes stop and start with active they seem to do this much quicker than with passive speakers. This means music sound more defined and times in my view much better . I have also noted improvements in imaging which is more stable and rooted to a defined soundstage were that is what is on the recording. Bass has more texture and has a very much becomes its own instrument being easier to hear in a mix and follow and not getting swamped when things get complex. I have since added a second pair of KEF 103 and made the system three way active which has improved things even further . So in my view Active is a very good idea and improves lots of areas . However it does require more expense and more work but only you can decide if that is something you feel worthwhile .

[ianlenco]

I've had a couple of pairs active speakers over the years but didn't get on with either. A pair of AVI standmount actives seemed to be trying too hard and were not a relaxing experience whereas a pair of large Meridian floorstanders were the opposite, too laid back.
A different approach would be to get rid of crossovers altogether with a full range speaker. I use Jordan Eikonas and a pair in each transmission line cabinet easily go down to 30Hz but are as sweet as a nut throughout the audio spectrum. I've recently reverted to a 4 Eikona array each side and I'm in heaven :)

[Beobloke]

A friend had the original AE1s. It's not a sound I'd choose to live with, to describe them as 'in yer face' would be an understatement in my opinion. He thought they were wonderful, but then, they were replacements for his Linn Saras, which are another 'acquired taste' speaker.

That's exactly how they can sound with the wrong amplifier!

As to the OP's query, I agree that for the budget level under consideration, stick with passive speakers, especially as the Myryad amplifiers are usually pretty good.

In my experience actives really only come into their own when you get to the large and expensive end of the speaker spectrum - then they absolutely shine.

[Pigmy Pony]

I heard some Dutch+Dutch active speakers a couple of years ago, and thought they sounded great - dynamic and effortless. Eight grand mind.

[Maximum]

That's exactly how they can sound with the wrong amplifier!

As to the OP's query, I agree that for the budget level under consideration, stick with passive speakers, especially as the Myryad amplifiers are usually pretty good.

In my experience actives really only come into their own when you get to the large and expensive end of the speaker spectrum - then they absolutely shine.Never heard the old ones but wouldn't describe the actives as in yer face. If anything they can maybe be a little dark and polite at times. Could just be our living room though I think there is some bass reinforcement.

Sent from my JSN-L21 using Tapatalk

[RockAddict]

Just a couple of suggestions but both require a significant budget stretch:

Elac Navis ARB-51 [£1,799ish]
Dynaudio Xeo 20 [£1,999ish]

I've not heard either but there are plenty of online reviews for both.

That said, I have the Xeo 10s for a second system (list price £1,299ish), fed wirelessly by a Bluesound Node 2i from the main system. It means the speakers are the only physical footprint in the second system. The Xeo 10s are decent but definitely not the last word in dynamics or detail. I use them mainly for late night low volume listening which, with the right music, works well for drifting off to sleep. For a main system? Not for me, but there are others who think the Xeo 10s are "amazing".

[Marco]

Active speakers? I think they can work well in certain set-ups, IME, mostly AV-related and in recording studios, where the application and goal is slightly different from home audio, and also in some 2-channel home music systems.

However, the on-board amp packs will often be the weak link, and sonically inferior to high-quality off-board examples, partnered by equally high-quality passive speakers. It's one of those areas, much like passive preamps, where *on paper* it makes sense that it should offer a superior solution, but in practice doesn't always hold true.

Nothing is ever written in stone when it comes to hi-fi, but in the near-40 years I've been into high-end audio, I've yet to hear a pair of active speakers that I could live with and which have the same level of musicality as their passive counterparts, of the calibre mentioned above, when driven by top-notch external amplifiers. Ultimately, I can always hear the limitations of the on-board amp packs, superimposing their rather 'grey' sonic signature onto the music.

However, as ever, YMMV:cool:

Marco.