New game with 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.