Powered speakers show audiophiles are confused


17 of 23 speakers in my studio and home theater systems are internally powered. My studio system is all Genelec and sounds very accurate. I know the best new concert and studio speakers are internally powered there are great technical reasons to design a speaker and an amp synergistically, this concept is much more important to sound quality than the vibration systems we often buy. How can an audiophile justify a vibration system of any sort with this in mind.

128x128donavabdear

 There is no practical way to repair a D-class amp.

 

No but plenty of plate amps with DSP built in to replace it with.

I’m not sure if in this thread I already said it but here:

My main speakers use passive crossover which allows me to use a Luxman amplifier which I love. My next project is a 3-way self-powered center channel. That will allow me to avoid a lot of part soldering, and optimize the components in the time domain, and the final system in the frequency domain while sitting on my entertainment center.

I don’t understand the zealotry of either approach.

The active speaker will be a lot quicker to assemble, and give me time alignment features I need due to the driver arrangment, as well as higher order crossover angles, All of this helps with creating wide-dispersion. My main speakers, by using a single channel per speaker, let me select exactly the sound of an amplifier I want, and keep things simple.

For home, there's no clear cut winner.  In a professional, high power situation there's no contest, line level crossovers and DSP wins every time.

@erik_squires

Sounds like a good project with the CC. In my system I have two CC, one active connected with the XLR output connected below my screen, and one passive connected with the RCA output connected above.

Question, right now I use two subs and I am happy (you can see the measurements in my profile). My room is not that big, would their be any benefit to adding more subs? I am thinking about adding one for my Atmos height channels and mounting it high on the wall (it is a flat sub designed for wall mounting). Do you think it would add any value? Thanks

BTW, those Butcher Block racks in your system look great.

@kota1  - Properly integrated a sub is not directional. 

There are two things to consider when thinking about adding subs:

  1. Total output power and dynamic range
  2. Response smoothness

If your bass response is ragged due to room modes and you are unwilling or unable to fix it via other means then another sub placed correctly may help, but the placement is driven by the modes you are trying to remove.

@erik_squires 

Thanks for the reply, my bass has sufficient dynamic range and is smooth. You answered my question, just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I really don't need to go beyond the two subs I have now. Thanks!