Thoughts on Active/Passive Speakers? Looking for pros and cons.

@ironlung  Way to hector us. Really uplifting.

Srajan over at 6moons has a whole series of articles exploring the use of active and passive crossovers from them being implemented in a pre amp to outboard devices, from his search for the best way to integrate his subs. Worth the read.

All the best,
Nonoise

@hilde45 the OP asked a question which @fiesta75 provided the best, most helpful, and technical explanation as to what the pros are for active systems.

Pretty much everyone else's comments were not useful as far as I could tell. Just trying to point out that many audiophiles are not helping OP with his actual question.

The only "pro" for a fully passive system is that you can use a single amplifier and thus save on expense. That's pretty much it. Everything else about a passive speaker is a "con" - even the best passive crossover is susceptible to noise and interference, let alone the fact that it is an inefficient use of the amplifier's energy.

OP, if you would like a great breakdown of the actual benefits of active systems, why they are used to record and mix the music you listen to, why they are used in live professional applications, and why so many loudspeaker manufacturers are beginning to integrate this principle into their current and future designs, read the last point on ATC's FAQ page:
http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/faqs/

Concerning the OP  Paradigm Founder Series 120H, they are basically 3-way with built-in sub, so I wouldn't say these speakers are active in the traditional sense.

mtbiker29, Like everything in this life it all depends. I have not heard an active speaker get to the absolute sound which does not mean it can not be done and I have listened to very few active speakers. The Sonos speakers that I use around the house and in my office sound great for what they are. They are background music. None of the active speakers on the market excite me otherwise from a design perspective. You can have DSP management of any speaker on the market. You do not need to buy an active one. You have to listen and judge on your own.