Dear Shardone/Ajahu: I'm with both of you about active speakers, I like the whole idea. I never own/owned active speakers but in some ways I was on part of that concept when I was triamp/tetraamp my speakers.
The active subwoofers integration in full stereo way is part of that active speaker concept that has several advantages: almost no cables and each amplifier/speaker driver specifically matched for its own each driver characteristics are two subjects in active systems that means lower distortions that a non-active speaker can/could match, lower distortions means more " music " and means a step further on the music enjoyment.
I know we can go on on the active speaker concept, I heard some systems about: ATC, Pass, Meridian, etc, etc . each one sounds different and like always room/system dependent.
Over the years I try to go lowering my audio system's distortions ( any kind/everywhere ) and I like what I have even with more distortions/colorations that in a full active system but nothing is perfect and all of us have to make some system performance choices that means: trade-offs, I think that my overall trade-offs put me near to the music.
I love the active speaker concept but what I heard through the ones I name here are good alternatives but don't fulfill my quality system performance priorities.
IMHO, I think that the concept on active speakers is a great one but it is more easy to " accept/like " in subwoofers than in other frequency ranges where all of us are more sensitive and where belongs our music-sound reproduction priorities because it is not only that the driver/amplifier is totally matched but that that driver and that amplifier meet our individual/subjective expectatives and this issue ( I think ) is ( between other things ) what till today preclude a more " normal/massive " marketing on that active speakers where you not only " married " with a speaker but with an amplifier too.
+++++ " One of the way to build a good sounding system is the employment of subwoofer. But still there is a problem: integration into system.... " +++++
Ajahu, IMHO nothing comes for free: we have to make our job and yes I agree it is a hard work and not an easy one: I take several months before the subwoofers integration in my system goes seamless but it is worht of it.
Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.