What is the most overlooked consideration?

@oberoniaomnia Absolutely. Also, feelings of inadequacy, FOMO, and blind faith and willful ignorance sometimes lurk in the background.

@bigkidz It sure helps to understand what's inside the case, but isn't auditioning the primary decision-making criteria here?

This way (i.e.: both getting rid of the passive crossover on the output side of the amp and having each amp channel drive a limited frequency span) the individual amp channels will see a significantly easier load presented to them, thereby making more effective use of their power envelope and quality potential; finally control the drivers better with direct driver connection and harnessing more of their potential as well.

@phusis 

I do agree with this approach. In addition to the benefits you cited, you can match amplification with frequency range; for instance, those old Bryston monoblocks you have laying around will do great on bass duty, leaving you free to spec SS Class A amps on mids, etc. or as your heart desires.

Active crossover implementation is far from trivial, though, especially if you wish to avoid the AD - DA conversions a digital crossover entails.

You could put together relatively inexpensively active speakers with onboard modular amplification and a USB-programmable DSP module or even a SBC running Linux. Thermal management is going to be tricky if electronics are integrated onboard the speakers. I've been kind of mulling over something like that.

@phusis 

I'm actually of two minds. I believe the "external" route is actually easier to implement, gives better flexibility, and is likely to yield better sound quality.

On the other hand, I think there is a certain elegance to a high-end system that consists of nothing more than two speakers, especially when those are pleasing to the eye.

Dutch & Dutch, Burckhardt, KEF, a French company whose name I forget right now, and others have produced examples of the latter. If only Dutch & Dutch could manage to get out of its own way, the 8c could be the best system 98% of people will ever own. Instead it's an unmanageable walled-garden mess, albeit a fantastic-sounding one.

imho, people underestimate importance of clean power. I put in a new dedicated 20amp service for my "rig". I also spent 500 on a high end Furutech plug in the wall. These two actions made a Huge difference in sound.

That's two separate actions. The 20A home run to the panel may very well have made a difference for the better, depending on the state of your home wiring and the specifics of your system.

And, you know, always put the cart before the ox.