I Was Considering Active, Then I Watched This ...

And the series continues:

https://youtu.be/TIIiAT1YCrs

+1 erik_squires

If passive is an option and I could make them work in my room.
Fritz would be high on my list...Custom made floor standers?

I forgot how, but I will try and get some photos up of the room up. I haven't even taken possession yet, so they might just be from the MLS site.

Maybe I'll call Fritz about a floor stander Eric?

Thanks for all the info folks, great stuff.

musicaddict 

What active speakers are you using?

djones51

Point well taken.
There seems to be a flurry of interest in active speakers of late, especially with all the reviews of the Buchardt A400. The industry seems to be changing and people don't like change. 

I think I'm going to learn a lot from this thread!

curlyhifi

But I thought the whole idea is that powered speakers (with DSP) are suppose to take the room (somewhat) out of the equation?

I'm really surprised at the varying opinions here, pretty divided with pros & cons.

Hey, I'm old too, and I love my separates, but I don't have a lot of money at this time to chase that right combination and even if I did have the cash, I even have less time (because I'm old) to recoup if I don't get right the first time around.

With such lousy room and not really any options for acoustic treatments, a few have suggested that active is possibly a cure-all for this?

This is a great, thread with lots of good opinions, I'm just soaking them ALL in!

dave_b

+1 " You lost me at desktop 😳"

jperry- and you care about what he says because ...?
You need to listen for yourself.

It’s not the listening part I was questioning it’s the compact nature of the active speaker over that of a passive and what better effects they might have on a lousy room. Something, I thought an active speaker may be a better solution for.

Also, it seems extremely difficult to listen to active speakers anywhere, at least around this neck of the woods. So if I want to listen for myself, it looks like I have to arrange a purchase with an in-home trial. If that’s the case, I really need to narrow down the field as I don’t want to get on the return shipping merry-go-round.

SG states about ¾’s of the way through his rant that "as the speaker ages you get stuck with the out-of-date DSP"

According to Buchardt their active speakers have been designed to be upgradable by switching out the active module which can be easily done in 5 minutes with only a screwdriver. They will be producing a series of videos on how to do this shortly.

Not sure if any of the other active speaker manufacturers offer this option to upgrade, but it sounds like a good future proof feature.

1extreme

" My boom box in the garaurage..."  

I'm just trying to get it right in my liviauring room.

russbutton

Great post, thanks but could you clarify this please"

 "So instead of dropping $7,000 on that Threshold Stasis 8.0 power amp. You could spend much less on an active crossover and the various much more modestly priced amps of your choice"

The active speakers I'm looking at are the full meal deal, amps, Dacs, DSP all in. Spending less on an active crossover and purchasing a cheaper amp. This sounds like separates. How does it work? 

audiorusty - In the past, I purchase a microphone off Amazon and downloaded Room Perfect. I found the whole thing a little overwhelming.
I gave up and returned the mic. I need the DSP for Dummies edition!

Darko seems to like the Buchardts A500 bookshelf's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tctB_Dfmv4s

djones51 - I was considering these:

A700 Bundle White — Buchardt Audio

twoleftears -  8C speaker | Completely accurate music reproduction. - Dutch & Dutch 

Getting close to double the price of the Buchardts'. Not most pleasing looking speaker. And nothing against bookshelf's as long as there on the bookshelf, not really big on stands. Unless of course, there like theses: 

  Fleetwood Sound Company - Loudspeakers by OMA | Home

audio2design - very interesting comments, thanks.

djones51 -  the A500 the A700 are different you can't interchange them

Gee, I didn't pick-up on that, thanks for pointing it out.

Time for a break in this discussion? Hi Ho Silver, Away!

Enjoy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKXc1Ai2rEA&ab_channel=PetrStanicek

Hmmm. 

That's "invalid" I am not seeking a speaker manufacturer to build me an active speaker, but I do like your advice. I will need to research what you are talking about and see how to exactly do this.

http://prnt.sc/w0w9bv

If this worked, the speakers would be on either of the fireplace (which will be removed). I think, from the corner on the left to the side of the door is around 12’. Windows to the left (no widow coverings). Room L’s into the small kitchen to the right. The length of the room is 40’ with the front door exactly opposite the one you see in the pic.

Slightly vaulted ceiling walls are wood paneling and eventually, the floors will be vinyl planked floors. The ceiling is OSB which I think is a bit sound deadening?

The person who built the house must have worked at an OSB factory or something a lot of the interior walls are OSB too. Not to mention the top side of the ceiling joists and the underside of the floor joists are also fully sheathed in OSB. Unrelated, but kinda weird.

I originally had some Spatial in mind or maybe some Magnapans but I’ve heard neither. With little room to pull any speakers out into the room, away from the wall (there will be couches and chairs in close proximity, then a dining table beyond that). I think anything that needs room to breathe might not be a good fit.

This is when I started thinking active(ly).

I was hoping that our next home would have had a nice, dedicated listening room, but as I previously mentioned, due to Covid, my wife and I had to step it down a bit. Basically, this place is a cabin.

Not in a rush either, this home is in a big state of disrepair. I am hoping to be listening to some tunes by late next summer, after getting through this mess.

For that "Close to the wall thing" I going to listen to some (passive) Larsons on the 26th.

lp2cd - zenproaudio.com - interesting site.

Thanks to all for your on going thoughts on this subject. A great read!

djones51 - That would great, please keep me posted.
Are you aware that Buchardt has software available that can change the configuration (and sound) of their active speakers. It's called "Mastertunings" Basically plug & Play.
Here’s the link:

A500 Mastertunings — Buchardt Audio

I also know you are a big proponent of actives, anything else up your sleeve?

Great discussion, but most of the actives you speak to are north of $10 grand, even the PSI Audio if you add their recommended sub. I was trying to keep the whole system to $10K. 

Did someone say active Moabs?

aberyclark :-)

celtic66

Honestly, I was moved by your post. Thank you for sharing.
I didn’t realize the there was so much passion regarding this subject. Obviously, more than I imagined.
I thank you all for contributions. A lot of the technical jargon is over my head, but I am just happy that my post has generated so much interest and discussions. I really look forward to reading more of all your thoughts on this subject and learning from the more vested.

Just an update on the Buchardt as they now offering mastertunings  for
the A700. They even have amastertuning which the A500 does not. Being a 3.5 way speaker the A700 does not need as many variations of the mastertuning programs according to Buchardt. They will be releasing a new app that has an advanced EQ so you can create your own sound profiles for them. When this is released they would also delete many of the balance mastertunings for the A500. The mastertunings are meant to do dramatic design changes such as 2.5 way or 3 way design on the A500, Cardioid or standard on the A700. From there the rest can be done via the app much faster and easier.
Sounds intriguing...

Oh ya, it was about Steve, not about Buchardt’s, that was another post, I forgot!

More coffee!!!

My Uncle had a "DUI" once...

I think my thread has been hijacked?

Do you guys have any thoughts on the Buchardt A700’s?

Did you see my room?

Sorry musicaddict with my wife and I’s 10th wedding anniversary coupled with the Christmas holidays, I took a brief hiatus from this thread.
Currently I have no speakers, I had Martin Logan Spire's before Covid forced me to sell not just my 2 channel system but also my house. Now I have purchased a smaller house and am looking to rebuild. Would like to purchase a system in the next 6-9 months and was looking at the Buchardt A700’s active speakers as a all-in-one set-up.

lonemountain wow, very informative Brad, thanks.

crouse99 sorry for your troubles with the Mac. The Buchardt A700’s are more of a modular design from what I understand, most components can be replaced with a simple screwdriver in a couple of minutes. Which I could have done that on my old Mac!

Great thread, Happy New Year to all, can’t be any worse than the last one...

Interesting:

https://youtu.be/hkeIanGsKYA

Although way out of my price range, this is an interesting take on active vs passive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkeIanGsKYA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms0WLy7dAlk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1em2renxds

Although he's incorrect with the clutch analogy, at least with the Buchardts. According to Mads Buchardt, the components are all modular and can be swapped out, simply with a screwdriver. No need to send the whole speaker back for repair.