Opinions and recommendations on active loudspeakers

@ garydt

would be very interesting to hear about your personal experiences from (larger?) PMC actives. I’ve got some ATC, Quested and Westlakes, both actives and passives, but so far miss PMC.

I recently purchased the Dutch and Dutch 8c, and to say that I'm blown away would be an understatement.

For the last 20 or so years just about every recording was done with active speakers....except those studios using Yamaha NS10M’s...then what amp did they use?....usually a pro audio amp of some sort or Bryston from what I’ve seen.

Depending on your budget go listen to
JBL LS series
Yamaha HS series
Barefoot
PMC
Hedd
Focal
KRK
Adam

I current have a little listening set up in a bedroom with a computer, Schiit preamp and JBL LSR305. Wonderful accurate little system.

From an engineering and design standpoint powered speakers provide the ideal solution for reaching the goal of maximum control over the final results.  As an established dealer and integrator with almost 40 years of experience we have migrated towards powered speakers as a solution for both our personal systems and many of our clients.  Currently Meyer Sound (Berkeley California) and Genelec, out of Finland, are among our recommendations. Many professional musicians from all areas of music, producers, and casual music lovers, have found the powered speaker as an ideal solution for the temporary suspension of disbelief.           

The primary reason I've preferred passive speakers for home use (and live stuff, although I do use active speakers and subs in live setups) is simply because I like the ability to try different amps from time to time. I'm addicted to my small single ended tube amp's sound which requires an efficient speaker, so there's that...but having experienced an active PA speaker dying during a show (not my show luckily, but a live gig run my a friend who owns a recording studio) and you simply can't quickly "field fix" the damn things, where you can stick another amp on a passive speaker which I've done. Otherwise powered stuff is fine, which I'm saying mainly to make others feel better as, clearly, I'm a giver.