Is there any Future for high-end PASSIVE multi-way

Status
Not open for further replies.
Jump to Latest
#42
High End has always been about separated specialized elements. For Hi-End customers 1 Preamp + 1 Power amp is better than 1 integrated amp, and the best vinyl player is made of the best turntable + best tonearm + best cartridge, etc, etc...

I don't think that hi-end customers are ready to accept the idea that a pair of speakers stuffed with electronics can do any better than a classical big multiway speakers with a passive xover, mainly because active will limit their freedom of choice.

For the moment brands like B&O are not really recognized by hi-end customers, and their customers are more professionnals and techno freaks than ..." discerning audiophiles"...😀

Acceptance of active and dsp among classic audiophiles requires a revolution, not simply an evolution, as has happened in the pro audio market.
 
#43
JonBocani said:
Pros for passive:

1. Cost (unless exotic components and/or complex crossovers)
2. Simplicity (for the designer, not for the user)

That's about it.
So basically, it's all about money. Again.
Click to expand...

I disagree - active are always cheaper because of not needing amps

Pros of passive:

1. Compatible with stand-alone amps and receivers.
2. Not tied into the shitty active amps some manufacturers put in them
3. Can run with class A (I doubt there are any powerful class A actives out there.
4. Fewer points of failure that leave you with a system you can't repair (you can swap over a broken amp).
5. Leaves you with all the fun of trying different combinations of old, classic, new highend gear .

Essentially going active says you are no longer interested in amplifiers as objects within themselves. I have a few big amps I want to keep hold of because of attachement either because of their physical design, the designer or topology or even their rarity/high-end status back in the day. At the same time I plan on going active for better sound...
 
#44
NATDBERG said:
Essentially going active says you are no longer interested in amplifiers as objects within themselves. I have a few big amps I want to keep hold of because of attachement either because of their physical design, the designer or topology or even their rarity/high-end status back in the day. At the same time I plan on going active for better sound...
Click to expand...

Plate amplifiers are a convenient and a perfect mainstream low cost solution.

Hi-End separated elements active systems mean tons of gear very few people are ready to pay for and live with, even in a dedicated room.

In this way, passive is a KIS compromise, convenient but not necessarily flawn nor made on the cheap, that will survive for ever... as have survived full range speakers.
 
#45
youknowyou said:
ime, DSP sucks the life of music a little bit. class d sounds pretty bland compared to tube or class a discrete ss and vinyl is still much better then any DAC ive ever owned or heard.
Click to expand...
:checked:

( I didn't really found out the first and the latter just because of the very middle part of the sentence 😛 )

And...multi way 3 way is the best
Because...

and passive must it remain

Because...
 
#50
Most mass market ''big'' electronic devices these days; Laptop, desktop, HD/4K TV are all priced between (more or less) 400 and 2,000 USD/Eur.

I don't think sound systems/speakers are so attractive, for most people, that it can avoid that price range. People will invest big money into their house or their vehicle way before any electronics...

So, what's left beyond that ? A niche market.
 
#51
Just take a look at that. A glimpse out of our DIY world...

Amazon.com: Polk Audio RTI A7 Floorstanding Speaker (Single, Cherry): Home Audio & Theater

That, my friends, is one the most popular and appreciated Floorstanding speaker on the (mass) market today.

Distributed by one of the biggest retail giant on earth: Amazon.

I once had a customer who had one pair of those. I don't know what i expected but sure as hell not that, not from 500$ per side... All included, all ready to play.

The guy asked me to help him and i just used a PWR-250 plate amp DSP and he was the most happy... And i sure was shocked. You just wouldnt believe what i could do with these Polk speakers and a DSP... 😱

So, yeah, high-end stuff (real expensive stuff) must start to think about upping his game.
 
#52
JonBocani said:
I don't think sound systems/speakers are so attractive, for most people, that it can avoid that price range.
Click to expand...

For most people sound systems, especially speakers are not important at all. Convenient features like wireless, or battery operation are more important than sound quality. Provided it sounds loud and rich enough, most young people are happy enough in mono, and what's in the box, passive xover or dsp, class D amplification or whatever is the least of their concerns...😀
 
Last edited:
#53
GDO said:
For most people sound systems, especially speakers are not important at all. Convenient features like wireless, or battery operation are more important than sound quality. Most young people are happy enough in mono, and what's in the box, passive xover or dsp, class D amplification or whatever is the least of their concerns...😀
Click to expand...


yeah, that is the elephant in the room indeed. :apathic:
 
#56
A disadvantage of some active systems is the need to run power to each of the speakers, in addition to signal cables. So i doubt passive crossovers will die off soon.

And there is life in older formats too, a new generation want to hear music playing on the format it was originally meant for. Hence vinyl sales in the uk are at a 25 year high.
 
#58
From a DIY convenience stand point, I am leaning more and more towards skipping passive filters for active analog xo, dsp still bit too difficult for me, just such a thing as when the voice coil resistance changes by temperature due the volume knob is cranked up will upset the filter, the xo frequency isn't anymore working with the same load and hence the frequency will start to wander as well as the phase between elements can wary due to different type of music material where some type of music are more bass heavy, others more mid heavy loading the mid range more.

For the market I believe passive will still be there even although active will increase it's market share, yet another threat is the young smart phone generation who care much more about mobility, they are happy with even just earphones, wireless of course. 😀

edit: here's any interesting article
R.I.P High-End Audio? | Stereophile.com
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom