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New game with active speakers

Been at this audiophile game for some decades and felt I had a handle on most parameters, until active speakers.  I’ve been a tube guy for years since leaving my Sugden Class A integrated:  Manley stuff and the latest, a deHavilland Mercury 3 preamp.  Now I find that active speakers do not necessarily like tubes.  At least mine don’t.

Decided to send my deHavilland in for upgrades and went to using the preamp section of my Sugden A21SE.  Wow!  Better in every way.   How is that?   More dynamic, better attack.  Now I have an ATC CA2 preamp to drive the ATC 40As and the synergism is terrific!  

A dealer of ATC speakers echoed the observation.  He stated he too was for years a tube guy, until active speakers.  Now I’m back to solid state after years of sneering at those clots still mired in SS.  Those neophytes, Philistines.  Oh, how humbling.


celtic66

Showing 1 response by tobes

tobes's avatar
tobes
436 posts
 
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.
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