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

@thespeakerdude what is your view on the damage the internal vibration inflicts on the amp fidelity in active speaker designs? Have you ever tested this. 

Yes to test. For a DSP based crossover, virtually non existent. There is nothing anywhere in the system that a signal passes through a capacitor which can be susceptible. Weak potential analog signal level crossover, but that is mainly a component selection issue. We use a soft silicone encapsulation in some areas in some speakers and our electronics are not open to the interior, but that is as much for reliability. If the speaker is cranking 100db, the distortion is probably already climbing, and the simply large levels mask anything low level, if it was happening. I can't go into details of testing, but as you would expect, multi-tone stimulus comes into play, a tone that could perhaps resonate something on the boards, and then a second reference tone(s), with both of them monitored.

 

@kingharold How did you get into active horn speakers? I would love to hear some not PA horn speakers. I think Im going to go to the audiophile event in Illinois in the spring, hopefully there will be some there.

 

@donavabdear Last year's AXPONA had Avantgarde playing their Trio model fully active w/sub......amazing....must audition.....SPENDY! Hope it is there this spring. I never cared for the sound of horns in general until hearing that system as well as the Aries Cerat Aurora (half spendy) last year. Listened to the Trio in years past in passive version.....no thank you. Good topic. There are many audio enthusiasts out here/there that are not confused about this topic but choose not to post because most of these things turn into goofy imbroglios rather quickly.

@kingharold Hello fellow DEQX enthusiast (homebrew 3-way open baffle D'Appolito array)! Lovely system you have there.

@kota1 Not looking for the big trophy, just a participation certificate (3"x5" cardstock) or maybe just an "Attaboy!" 7.2.4 theater all active. 🤣

Shout out to @phusis I Enjoy/appreciate your posts.

@closenplay looking forward to checking out horn systems and omni speaker systems at AXPONA, thanks for the note. I have made equipment mistakes in my audiophile system because of my lac of experience. I've spent millions on professional equipment through the years and made really good equipment choices but the new audiophile part of my life is much more difficult. There is so much misinformation about equipment and so much grey area mythology. The only way to be content in your system is to not listen to better systems, seems like a sad endeavor. 

Contentment is poverty of desire.

 

@closenplay

Thanks for your post, and appreciate your sense of humor. Would be great to check out your virtual system if you could post something. Do you have two systems, one for stereo and one for home theater? In honor of your five year anniversary of being a member here and your 52nd post:

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