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


Hi guys,

Just a general wondering though, nowadays I've seen a lot of new active speakers, and truth to be told, I find them quite professional indeed, when I go into an audio shop and ask some advice, some might even encourage to purchase the bookshelf speakers, as they're more cost-effective and space-saving hahah.

All that asides, regarding the sound quality matter, it ain't bad at all, but I'm not sure if it's my living room just not that big or some technical matters, the sound experience is actually vivid, but yeah I also think when you put the extra circuit inside the speaker for amplifying use, it'd certainly affect the original performance more or less. Especially under this digital streaming era, every part seems to be specifically separated, so it can perform to its fullest, and lessen the interference between each device.

Anyways, let me know what you think, I'd be grateful, or maybe share you existing setup with us!

Best,

preston8452

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.

 

I can try and fill MC’s role if you like?

@preston8452 you might consider Moab Tectonix, on a bunch of valve springs from a 6 liter LS1 engine, and power it all using a Raven amplifier, with the speaker cable held in the air with wooden trestles…

~Da def MC

@ghdprentice 

That said high quality floor standing speakers out perform active ones at this time.

The folks at KII Audio would take offense in that statement 😊. I would have to agree with them. 

Not just the folk at Kii, but also Dutch and Dutch, ATC and Aqueo Audio.

My current setup is a Silent Angel Rhein Z1 which runs a Roon Core, then Munich M1T as a Roon Ready streamer, then to PS Audio DAC, then KEF active speaker, which the streaming is all based on Roon I'd say, the SQ ain't bad at all, I'm quite content.

But just not sure if applying passive speakers with separated Amps would be so much better, cuz I know for sure that'd cost my wallet so much more

Do you need the PS Audio DAC, and the Munich M1T?
Can you just do all that in the KEF?

The only difference is where you put the amp.  For active the signal from source to speaker is line level all the way (except for vinyl).  For passive you take the amp out of the speaker and put it somewhere else, running an output level cable between.

Oh, and the amp of course.  Generally there isn't a whole lot of space inside a speaker and the amp needs to be cooled.  So you can't put a big valve amp in a speaker.  You also can't have Class A or probably Class AB as there would be too much heat.  So you are left with Class D - small size and little heat.

If you like Class D, that's fine.   If not.....

Focal uses class g and ab amps in some of their active speakers. ATC uses ab amps.