Powered speakers show audiophiles are confused

@sokogear , I was making a reference to the 80/20 rule. By focusing on the 20% of a system that gives you 80% of the results you are going to save time and money. I have active systems in my HT and my desktop and a passive system in the man cave. The active systems are more satisfying and required less effort and budget to setup for the equivalent result. I still like the man cave system though.

My desktop system is a good example of the 80/20 rule. It has a pair of Paradigm Shift A2 active speakers and a Paradigm PW Link preamp with ARC room correction. I have 0 room treatments in my office and no space for a subwoofer or a rack. It was easy to setup and not meant to be end game and doubt I could do better for the $600 investment. This is without room treatments in a less than ideal space for audio. The active speakers use dsp and ARC works really well with them for $600 I would say I got the 20% (the speaker, the amp, and the room) right.

@brianlucey , would really appreciate some pics of your atmos setup either in your virtual system for your profile or in that other thread re: atmos music. 

@kota1 i came here only to refute this absurd thread. Not here to post pictures. None of the rooms you posted have the cohesion plus dynamics plus resolution plus DA/amp/cable quality here. Photos are PR ... means nothing. Atmos done right is 12 or more speakers where any pair would be an excellent stereo system. Cohesion is always DSP related. Could be external or internal. More or less depends on the system. Quality of DSP is huge. I use trinnov with passive speakers because ? It’s better. I use Trinnov in part to make my room sound like Evolution MM3 Exact x 12.   Everything is about positive compromise. So many moving parts. Any dogma is foolish. The OP is lost.  And rude.  This thread is based on a rude assertion.  Beware of those who are certain about hardware.  Only certainty lies in our principles and process. 

@brianlucey , well I can’t argue with your results and I really appreciate your response. You took the time to curate each piece of gear you use to create a chain, like many members here. I would hope your setup would be a good example of the proper way to do atmos,that is why I asked for pics, Like you said, certainty lies in principles and process. if you don’t feel the need to post them I understand. As for the other studios I posted the point is not that they are better or worse. it is that they all use the same "principles and process" of the Dolby specs for Atmos.

I disagree that the OP's assertion is rude. If you go through this thread there absolutely is confusion about active/powered speakers, YMMV.