New game with active speakers

Not surprising.  ENORMOUS spectrum of performance exists in and between all system genres. This is one example of how wildly different systems can sound.i experience such  changes regularly.  Tubes have not assured better sound for many years.  

It’s one of those things where we kind of know that active is better, must be better, certainly in theory, but can’t be bothered to deal with all the hassle (or the imagined limitations/restrictions we’d be subjected to?).

Reviewers naturally enough, with product to promote, don’t seem to endorse it very often either, so here’s asking.

What’s the simplest way of going active?

Don’t know the simplest but the KEF LS50w is a pretty simple way to go.

Can also depend on your source software. Tight, digital, multitracked recordings can be amazing with SS but an all-analog late 50s record best with tubes. 

@celtic66, the poor performance with a tubed preamp could be from mismatched impedance, either high output impedance out of preamp, or low input impedance on the active speakers? A SS pre almost always has a low output impedance and that just might be a much better synergy to the active speakers?

+1 @klh007

AFAIC, these days active speakers are almost always the way to go. My Swiss-built high-end professional PSI A21-M active studio monitors are entirely analog, no DSP jiggery-pokery, and they've completely extinguished my upgradeitis itch. They'd be perfect for the mid-sized home environment as well, although for true 25Hz & up full range a good, actively crossed over sub, would be necessary.

Those ATC SCM40a’s are amazing speakers! That is my someday speaker. I listened to them at my dealer and the seed was planted.

Same results as OP, although was a solid state guy, now have Kii Threes and very happy with this setup.

@tdwolf1414,

The ATC SCM 40a's also come in a passive version.

So comparisons should be fairly straightforward.

From what I've read most everyone prefers the actives.

Nothing of much value to add here but I’ll say this — living in urban apartments all the cabling has to go. In seeking simple but high quality setups I’ve been through KEF LS50W (least impressive to my ear)... Edifier S3000 Pro (quite surprising if paired with a good interface like RME with Mac Mini as source; the whole chi-fi bad rep is misplaced)... and recently HEDD Type 07 and Genelec 8341A SAM. I haven’t heard ATC as it’s hard to find with dealers here. But of all of the above I can say with my own hearing that Genelec is by far the standard bearer. 
If I was suggesting a starter active system for someone, then it’d start with Edifier S3000 at the economical end and maybe Buchardt A500 in the getting-pricier category. If one could swing for Genelecs, one would never look back.

Call me convinced also.

Audio fan since 78. Bought KRK Expose E8B monitors 6 years ago.  They are frankly amazing amps and speakers in combination.

I too will be looking at pro active monitors exclusively from this time on. One's Source component had better be excellent if the system uses pro active monitors.

I think we are at the beginning of a sea change.  Active speakers make way too much sense and apparently a few manufacturers agree.

Meadowlark Audio is back up and running and they are going active for the most part.

@julie_priest,

At those prices the Edifier S3000s must be strong contenders for anyone wanting a second system.

Currently I’ve got some AirPulse A300 active bookshelves sitting in my Amazon basket just in case a need for a 3rd system arises.

Those Genelec’s you mentioned would be 1st system contenders. One this wu-flu is finally banished there’s going to be one hell of a queue of shows lining up.

That’s assuming that the morons currently running the UK haven’t totally destroyed our economy by then.

Meadowlark Audio is back up and running and they are going active for the most part.

They are again making speakers and all of them are active. They do not build passive speakers any more. They look awesome, BTW. With a designer as talented as Pat, I am sure they sound awesome too.

Carefully viewed the Meadowlark website.  I found it odd, exhibiting a near complete lack of design details and bereft of any pricing schedule.

Mind you, I listened to their previous stable of product and liked them.  I wish them well, but find this marketing direction untenable.  Hope they sound great.  No mention could I find of auditioning, return policy or access other than special order and purchase.

Thanks for responses regarding active speakers.

I’m really interested in active speakers but what I am looking for is active speakers designed for actual home listening, not studio work. I want a pair of powered speakers to sit back and enjoy the music, not analyse and pick it apart - i.e. have all the things a good passive setup does, just in an active implementation. Two things keeping me from trying active solutions are 1) many of them are of the studio monitor type designed specifically for professional purposes - unforgiving, sterile and analytical to the point of being fatiguing (I need something more forgiving, musical, something that could be listened to for longer periods without fatigue); 2) the in-built amplification in cheaper models is probably compromised and not as good as one might achieve by building a similarly priced passive setup using an external amp (again, I am not an expert and this is just my personal perception, by all means correct me if I’m wrong).

Can anyone suggest a pair of affordable powered speakers to meet the above needs?

No one can answer that question but your ears.  I swam in audiophile waters for decades seeking the resolute yet warm waters of non-fatiguing amplification and transducers.  Tube guy I was.  Rogers LS3/5As.  Give me some more safe moderate aural schmooze.

In the end analysis I’ve bolted and ran towards exciting, dynamic, slamming, immediate attack when I want it.  I run my ATC SCM 40 actives moderately 95% of the time.  When I want Shostakovich in my face at 112 decibels, then I open up the throttle and bathe in a symphonic tsunami.

I’m convinced only active can get you there.  A bit disheveled perhaps, but you will arrive!

Sorry, got carried away.  Affordable.  Really?  With no parameters?  Throw out a number please.

I think serious money starts at $10k. Isn’t that what the Dutch & Dutch sells for? I haven’t heard it yet but reviews are promising. 

I agree about the Meadowlark website. It is not very good. The information is in there in respect to design, but you have to dig around for it. I can't say for sure, but I believe he is looking to stay small and not get into the dealer network, etc. There is one mention of price on his website for the low end of his line. I talked to Pat on the phone and asked base price on two models. It sounds like he is very busy and getting interest. I understand the reluctance to deal with a company that is not openly discussing return policy or having places to demo. On the bottom of his contact page, there is a link to a forum that discusses some of the newer models, how he is designing, building and testing. It also has a long thread showing the processes he uses to builds cabinets, etc. Meadowlark is just one option in the market for fully active speakers.                                                                                                                              I currently have a fully active pair of Legacy Audio Calibre speakers with crossover duties handled in the digital domain by the Wavelet processor. Each band of drivers has its own amplifier wired directly to it. It really is an advantage to not have passive crossover parts in between the amp and driver. The ability to control and tweak the sound is addictive, plus they sound very good to boot.

Good number.  ATC SCM 19A tower.  
Just purchased that speaker for a friend of mine.  They wasted his Merlin Black Magic monitors with Master Zoebel caps mounted on massed 24” Sound Organization stands driven by Manley Mahi Mahi mono blocks (upgraded tubes) with appropriate cabling and equipment stand.
No slouch pairing, regardless, annihilated.

It is curious that active speakers haven't become more popular given the considerable advantages they offer - elimination of passive crossovers and the matching/direct connection of amplifiers to individual drivers. 
Audiophiles seem very resistant to the idea, perhaps because they desire the flexibility of being able to constantly change and experiment with amplifiers and speaker cables etc.
Personally I'm glad I got off that tiresome, expensive merry-go-round.
I now luxuriate in the sound of music via my active SCM100's - all ATC 'in-house' designed and built drivers and dual mono tri-amps. They play any genre at any level with unfazed musicality and accuracy.

SCM 100s.  A gold standard to be sure.  It’s like the V12 of transducers.  Smooth, powerful with hair-raising velocity.  Good for you. 

All in one packaged active speakers certainly have their appeal. As I understand it, the most problematic new products tend to be (mostly Class D) self powered subwoofers. I'd be more comfortable with this concept if they were more modular in composition. So much of this gear seems to be wrapped up in proprietary software. What happens when some of these new companies are no longer around? What happens when the technology is based upon software that is no longer supported? All eggs in one basket? Does, what previously might have been be a simple fix, now turn these not necessarily inexpensive items into expensive boat anchors?