Change to Horns or stay Dynamic

There's no denying horns win hands down in the efficiency and dynamic department. This is why they are used for high SPL applications. Yet, all driver types have their advantages and disadvantages. Keep in mind that we're talking about *home* audio. This is not the large scale amplification that very big spaces need. So, do we need horns to accomplish our goals at home? Conventional cone/dome drivers can provide ample SPLs and dynamics (in a well designed system) for home-scale rooms without the drawbacks (cost, size, limited dispersion) of horns.

One solution is to get rid of the passive crossover. Active systems eliminate the power loss of passive crossovers allowing for greater dynamics while also providing other benefits. For home audio, this is a viable, cost effective alternative that takes advantage of fewer compromises.

Dgad: You bring up a common misunderstanding about active systems. Many do have built-in amps, but that's not necessarily a given. Some use external amps, e.g., Linkwitz Lab Orion, Gradient Revolution (I think), Morrison, Nomad Ronin, among others, including what I build.

Yes, the initial set-up is a little more involved, but once you've got it connected, you're done. The gains of active out weight the extra work. And if you want control, an external active x/o allows for far greater control than a fixed internal passive.

Here's another link that goes into the specific benefits of active: http://www.tnt-audio.com/casse/active_speakers_intro1_e.html