Passive vs Active...Again!


My wife and I have made the rounds and have listened to numerous speakers now, not as many as we'd like, but as many as we could within a 3-hour drive. We liked some both active and passive, but it seems most of the active speakers we saw are not that pleasing to the eye (eg: Genelecs).

Not having a dedicated listening room, our room itself is a big problem. We have lots of hard surfaces to deal with.

If we go with passive speakers and the associated gear to go with it, we will need to spend a whole bunch of money on acoustic treatments.

We have a ton of artwork as well and with already limited wall space, we would rather look at the art than a bunch of sound-absorbing panels.

So here's my question: Will active speakers, that may come in cheaper, with room correction software (DSP) be able to tame the sound to a pleasing level in my lively room, or do I go with passives and break out the Rockwool!

Just a side note, I had some Martin Logan Spires in a very similar style room, that was much larger with little acoustic treatments and they sounded pretty good. But in this house I don't have the room to pull the speakers 3 feet of the back wall.

I know there is no perfect answer here, but appreciate any feedback, thanks.

 

high-amp

Sometimes, stepping back is the best approach. No shame in considering a ’lifestyle’ solution that meets your needs. You may be surprised with the versatility, aesthetic integration, and level of sound quality some of these products offer.

 

After watching Darko's videos on his expensive and evasive accoustic treatments, I'm almost ready to pack it in and purchase a Sonos speaker and call it a day! If I have to spend that much money and turn my house upside down to attain some decent sound, I'm starting to lose interest...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8ptXHiIljs and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N-yG_Y7XEc

Take a look at products along the lines of the Bowers and Wilkins Formation Duo, the Devialet Phantom II, the Naim Mu-so II, etc. to see if they meet your needs. Most are sold with return privileges, depending on the seller.