Subwoofer, Active Vs. Passive


I recently saw in a thread that most powered subwoofers usually have crappy amplifiers.

Any thoughts on this?

Which is believed to be better? Active or Passive?

If most subwoofers have somewhat crappy amplifiers, would you be better off using an bridged stereo ADCOM to drive a passive subwoofer?

Thinking of that, I dont see many passive subwoofers out there. Are there any good reputable companys that specialize in passive subwoofers?

Ive been looking into building my own subwoofer, just for the experience. Who out there uses Passive Subwoofers, what do you use to drive them and why?
slappy

Showing 1 response by lugnut

Slappy,

I think that you really need to consider whether you are doing a music/home theatre project vs. music alone. If it's music that you're after you may wish to consider the cost of a quality sub and look at the total cash outlay. Adding this amount to the main speakers/amps is what I would do. Understand though that my recommendation is based on what I believe is primary in my life. Yours may be different. I want the fewest components possible with as much good sound as I can afford. I'm willing to give up the lowest octave to rid myself of the clutter and associated problems with integration and maintenance. The definition of high end audio eludes me since I've heard many very expensive systems that are only a very small percentage better than my modest mid fi system. The last bit of improvement to be gained is too rich for my blood but I appreciate those that acheive it. By the way, I don't miss the last octave one bit and neither has anyone that has listened to my system. It's flat to 40 cycles.