Who actually uses digital speakers?

I respectfully and strongly disagree with the broad statement that DSP applied makes music sound like crap. Broad and adamant statements are a disservice to the audio community. DSP is applied everywhere there is digital, from recording to mastering to playback. Unless you listen to analog masters through an all analog system DSP has been applied. An all analog audio chain has analog manipulation and an audio chain that has digital has DSP. Analog signal processing is not without sin either especially if over used.

+1

Certainly a passive cross-over, not least the more complex ones, is a sonic bottleneck many if not most don’t realize the severity of.

I respectfully and strongly disagree with the broad statement that DSP applied makes music sound like crap.

I have to agree with @arion  here.  I'm sure you can find a DSP based system somewhere that's terrible, but my recent experiences are much more positive than negative.

@erik_squires --

Well, I’m all sorts of different types of audiophile when it comes to active vs. passive. I like my passive speakers exactly because I can pick my amp.

You know you can, right - choose whatever amps you like with actively configured speakers? There are great digital cross-overs/DSP’s out there with both IIR or FIR filters, pro options not least like Xilica that doesn’t cost a fortune. And no, it doesn’t have to be FIR filters to sound great, nor is a digital input of vital importance (to avoid A/D to D/A conversion), not do they have to cost gazillion. Then choose your amps for each speaker section, wire it all up with the DAC and you’re good to go.

That is: if you’re comfortable "tailoring" your own passive filters (and even if you weren’t), setting up your digital ditto will most likely feel like a breeze by comparison, even if it takes some getting-to-know the platform, navigating in it and being familiarized with all the filter setting options. You can then sit in your listening position with your laptop/tablet and make the filter corrections on the fly.

@phusis

I’m way past wanting to have multiple stacks of amps in my home so when I think of an active speaker, I think of an all in one unit that has built in everything.  The OP was not about active crossovers by the way, but active, digital speakers.  Meaning, the amp is built into the speaker and it has a digital input.

Yeah, I know what I could do with digital crossovers, I’m just not about to run a stereo amp, or more, per speaker here.

I’m currently planning a fully active 3-way center channel using a plate amplifier. The only thing that stops me from building it is the kitchen remodeling that I have to do first. 😁

Best,

Erik