Intriguing inquiry, are floor-stand speakers always better than active speakers?

As was pointed out, it's a moot sonic argument. Both can have stellar measurements and superior sound. The Op I think however was getting at cost/benefit analysis. Interestingly, in the 100 year history of stereo, in 2022 we may be witnessing the time when the cost verses sonic quality paradigm is rapidly shifting. It might not be there yet, but the graph surely is converging and the writing is on the wall. 

@spenav it appears like you follow Erin’s work.

The point I was trying to make was that the Kii is indeed a top contender as is the Genelec. Those two are active.

And also on Erin’s site was a passive example.

So all three are in a multi-way tie for first place.
Which sort of means that one can achieve something nice, any way they choose to go, in that cost range of ~4-8 k$.

I do not see active getting a whole lot cheaper on the higher end.
There will undoubtedly be cheaper offerings, using cheaper drivers, and other corners cut… That will make the economy side have a better SQ, but they will be lacking SQ wise compared to the Kii and Genelec offerings.

I do miss millercarbon's input.

Personally I prefer separates and I don't like to idea of being stuck with a speaker manufacturer's choice of amplifier.

@preston8452 - yeah I’d read that about it being available for the Raspberry Pi.

It’s just that my hardware is possibly better than the Silent Angel hardware, and I have already got it.

8Watt Intel dual core commercial integrated CPU on mainboard, Jcat Femto USB card, HD Plex 200Watt linear power supply (separate runs for mainboard, SSDs, and USB card), Fanless case with copper heat pipes. Now I don’t know which is better, obviously, I haven’t heard it. But the OS, man that’s got me fully interested.

@rixthetrick 

Haha that sounds indeed fantastic, the only to find out is to give it a try haha, maybe you can contact their local distributor and ask if they can lend u an unit to do some comparisons or something.