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If Thiel, Wilson, Sonus, made active speakers?????

Lately I've seen a few "active speaker" threads on the gon.
So, I'm curious...if some of the more well known high-end speaker manufacturers, like Thiel, Wilson, Sonus, Merlin, Audio Physic, Verity audio,B&W (or whatever) offered "active speakers" in their lines, would you as audio consumers be interested in possibly buying them? That is of course assuming the same great clear, pure, refined sound you've come to love from your favorite line, only the befefits of an active speaker(more power, finess, controld, dynamics, pressence, soundstaging, etc).
Also, knowing you'd have to give up your favorite amp/amps and the flexibility of choice there(again, assuming the manufacture "got things right" in the amp sections, yielding stellar sonic results, bettering the passive designs they already offer), and would likely end up paying more for the speaker (if offered with crossover and amp's, as opposed to "adding those yourself"), do you still think you'd be interested?...or does your passive high end speaker you're likely using now suit you just fine, and you'd likely never consider changing?
I simply see no reason speaker makers can't come up with a speaker with an electronic active crossover, and maybe offer matching amps, or let you chose your own!!! The potential benefits surely have to out-weigh the potential downsides (if any, I don't see them), ya think?
Anyway, curious as to what people think.
Once again, if your fav speaker designer came out with the same superb sounding high end speakers in active configuration, do you think you'd gravitate that direction, even if it ment a cost premium(of course, you'd have to subtract your amp cost you'd otherwise have)?
exertfluffer
metralla
945 posts
 
Not sure about B & W
Two blokes - Bowers and Wilkins.

Regards,
exertfluffer OP
270 posts
 
I also see no reason(not fully understanding driver matching/integration/mating with amps or whatever) why speaker makers couldn't produce active speakers, find or develop a perfectly matching electronic external crossover box, and then either simply recommend matching amp's or let you chose your own!!!
Avalar makes this, and they're like $12k to $30k/pr depending on models. They happend to be using the Krell crossover ($5k) and amps(forgot which) on their speakers, and it sounded glorious from what I breifly heard!
Not sure, but I presume you could chose, say, a Bryston 10b and your own amp choices if you chose, or any other combo! To me, this makes more sense for "high end" applications.
I'd much rather go that route, and take advantage of the active thing. This would allow you to use potentially tubes on top if you chose, or just SS all the way through. You could also fine tune the sound to taste, as normal.
Now unless there's A LOT MORE TOO IT THAT THAT, I see know reason other more established high end companies couldn't or wouldn't follow suit!...and maybe make some smaller monitor versions, and offer options for crossover or amps, whatever if they so wished.
Heck with this route, all the speaker maker would be doign is doing all their tweaking in the electronic crossover! OTherwise, they wouldn't do that at all, and they'd let someone else make the cross or amps for them. Or they could just do the cross and not the amps, etc, etc.
Either way, I'm sure it's not that big of a deal.
I remember years back when I first was exposed to high end audio, and my Mom's friend's boyfriend was a high end audio store owner and tweek. I remember going to his house and hearing his system, which was comprised of some custom active speakers, with some weird amps and pre, with a cool turn table setup. MAN THIS GUY'S SYSTEM ROCKED! it not only sounded so increadibly real, but the dynamics were so viserally powerful it actually hurt! Now that was some power and dynamic ability!
I think I was affraid of the system If I remember correcctly. Not really, but I remember how awesome it was...just can't remember any of his gear brands, as I was too young at the time. Oh well.
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
Pass Labs new speaker is active and they obviously designed the amplification for that model.

One of the nice things about a design like that is that the builder knows exactly what is going into the cabinet, and therefore does not have to design for eventualities that can never take place. The money can be spent where needed rather than to cover any bases.

I don't know if speaker design is that difficult. There are so many studies and papers out there already for a person to use as a reference, that a builder does not ahve to redesign the wheel, so to speak. It would be interesting to hear this setup, but where I live that ain't gonna happen!

If anyone has the chance to hear the Pass Labs or the newer Meridian active speakers, let the rest of us know how they sounded.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,326 posts
 
A high quality solid state power amplifier is probably the easiest high fidelity component to design. It's a very well worn path. Active speakers are a marvelous engineering concept, but the market reality is that audiophiles are resistant. Regardless of their merit, some of the above comments about "trusting" a speaker manufacturer are illuminating. Powered subwoofers seems to be the only area where audiophiles are embracing the active concept.
cdc
1,918 posts
 
"Wilson and others could pull of similar feats with better results "
Compared to ATC? Doubt it. Wilson is focused on marketing not design. That's why recording studios use ATC, not Wilson.
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