Any thoughts on passive v. active speakers?

Some people find the smorgasbord method to be a fun activity. Invite friends over, spend a few hours swapping cables in and out the system, do some critical listening and share some alcoholic beverages. You could get into an engaging argument about midrange liquidity or holographic cohesion. Does that sound like fun to you?

Alternatively, you could get a system like the Linkwitz Orion where the loudspeaker designer actually specifies what amplifier and cables the loudspeaker should be used with. The designer makes the argument that his loudspeaker do not require exotic cables or amplifiers. If you are more knowledgeable about amplifier/loudspeaker interaction than Siegried Linkwitz you'll be able to achieve superior results by carefully mixing and matching random components in an open ended system.

You could even go further along the line of system integration with the Grimm LS or the Steinway Lyngdorf S series products. Both integrate digital converters, source selection, power amplifiers, loudspeakers and cables into easily setup sound systems. I am told that both of these are top of the food chain type products. Both Grimm and SL started out as digital processor makers and then hired top designers to assists in other areas of design and manufacture.

The primary advantages of active loudspeakers is that they move the crossover from amplifier output level to line level and the load the amplifier will drive is a known factor. Basically less of your amplifier's power is not thrown away and the amplifier works into an optimal load. The execution of these concepts can be cheaply done with many corners cut or they can be done in a state of the art fashion.

In addition to the Grimm, Steinway Lyndorf and Linkwitz active systems I mentioned in an earlier post, here are some other active loudspeaker systems that can compete with any passive/power amp combo for their intended application and within their price ranges:

Unity Audio Boulder (amps designed by Tim de Paravicini)
Genelec 1037
Augspurger 215 Classics w/ subs
ATC SCM110
Avant Garde Zero

Anyone can couple a power amp to a loudspeaker and there are some powered loudspeakers that are that simple, but the loudspeakers I've listed are systems. They are carefully matched to achieve maximum performance by design teams with more resources to accomplish that goal than the average audiophile has available. Apparently this is a difficult concept for audiophiles to accept.

Rogerstillman, does the no box loudspeaker w/ DSP that you are considering have a model name and manufacturer?

Zd, to say that engineering expertise and technical resources is irrelevant is an extreme statement. If high fidelity sound reproduction is the goal, then the manufacturer and the consumer just can't be that far apart.

From an engineering perspective how does R. Vandersteen justify the powered woofers in his upmarket loudspeakers? Wouldn't the same rationale apply to the midrange and treble drivers? From a marketing perspective it could be sales suicide since audiophiles basically reject fully powered loudspeaker systems. I'm just saying that the rejection is not based upon sound quality, but upon the perceived lack of upgradeability.

Almarg, let the man have his fun!

The Braun L200 is plentiful on the used market. I recommend you get a minimum of six (6) pairs (or more) and stack them on their sides such that the tweeters are vertically aligned. You will have a DIY line array. You will have to experiment with whether the tweeters are inside or outside aligned. You could even turn one the L200 pair backwards to generate some rear ambiance soundfield. Wire it up appropriately and run them with the Atmasphere and you will be in audio heaven with a unique system with a capital U. I'm dead serious.

Atmasphere, why don't you build an active system? Team up with someone like CAR and come out with a fully integrated bi/tri-amped, all analog system. Can you imagine the glow coming off six of your mono amps? The price tag would breach $100k, but I think in today's market that could be a positive selling point. Have it go head to head with an MBL or Focal/Naim systems.