Audiophile Rants about Powered Speakers! I Hate Them - Starring the ELAC Debut ConneX DCB41
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- čas přidán 9. 12. 2022
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Hi, Kef q100 or Sony Sscs5?.
I *LOVE* my Active ("powered") speakers. I've had 3 "high end" stereo systems of "component separates" that I'd carefully built up, first starting in 1982; each one was more elaborate and more costly as I bought and sold my homes and refined my listening taste and evolving space arrangements, the last one was started in 2001. When my Infinity speakers started to show signs of age as in cracking of the surround of the woofers, I decided it was time to retire them. Having spent MANY thousands of dollars over the years to find the best systems I could accommodate, I again started looking at what was being offered and available. My current listening room is smallish (12 x 15) so I thought I'd look at some of the new Active speakers being offered. I was BLOWN AWAY by the amazing sound of many of the new Active systems. I now have the Kanto TUK and a CV sub. AMAZING and amazingly affordable! Including turntable, dacs, headphones, cables, and related audio paraphernalia, for less than $6k I have what I consider the best sounding system I've ever had! I am astonished at how incredibly good the technology has developed in affordable high end audio!
I have high expectations for my home listening, mostly classical, acoustic jazz and lots of world music, thousands of vinyl records, cd's and digital files. I enjoy lots of live music and my S/O is a professional studio session artist. She is a contributing artist on over 50 CDs and plays all over the world. I enjoy your entertaining reviews, thank you. Life is good!
Hey bud! Sony SSCS5 at Amazon $98.00!
Why don't you review JDS labs Element, El stack, Atom? I really want to know if you recommend them. I know a lot already do, but I would like to hear your opinion. Please and thank you. Btw I'm subscribed. If not what would you recommend.
You should evaluate the Adam Monitors T7V or T8V. They are apparently insane.
What might be a negative for the typical audiophile is a positive for more casual listeners who just want something that sounds nice and is easy to use. I absolutely recommend powered speakers to my friends who just want good sound without worrying about system matching.
Studio monitors are ideal for audiophiles. Powered speakers get a bad rap because people think it always means lifestyle products.
People act like it’s all this extra gear they need and a huge pain to manage.. all you need is an amp. you can get a decent amp like AIYIMA A07 for $65. Plug it in and boom. How is that any more impractical?
System matching is largely overblown. I’d much rather encourage people toward passives that will last years, possibly decades depending on the person, than a system where you have two built-in amps that have to be matched to each other and will be subject to much greater heat + vibration than an amp in its own enclosure. Not only do the amplifiers in powered speakers or monitors fail much more quickly than those in a standalone receiver or amp, but you always end up having to throw everything out once one amplifier fails and you can no longer easily find a complement for the surviving twin. Some people end up swapping out the amps on their old monitors but that kind of surgery is usually beyond the scope of a casual listener
@@cartilagehead6326 I have seen exactly zero active speakers ever broken. I have seen a ton of blown passive speakers, though. I think the likelihood of electronics breaking is significantly lower than just blowing speakers. Maybe your experience is different, but I think having an amplifier that cannot blow a speaker is very valuable, not to mention the lower crossover distortion and ability to contour the frequency response so that it is more even.
@@stevenswall you have seen a ton of blown speakers because probably....there are much more? I've seen many subs with blown amps...
After decades of recording in studios and listening to playbacks and thinking “man, imagine having that kind of sound at home” I finally asked an engineer “what are these speakers!’. He told me they were PSI audio powered monitors. Monitors? huh? I realized at that moment that what I really love are speakers that sound like live sound, the kind I make and hear in the studio. Being faced with a big move to Japan I had to rethink my future audio options. I was moving to a small apartment and didn’t see myself filling the space with audio gear. Instead I remembered my experience with powered monitors. I ended up purchasing Buchardt A500’s for the living room and Hedd 07 Mk II for my desk. The Buchardt give me versatility, DSP and room correction for difficult rooms and my HEDD give me nearfield incisiveness. Both are enormously engaging to listen to and not one musician who walks in my door isn’t astounded by either one or both systems. Although I will concede I don’t always feel like picking up my phone to control my system, I do use my phone a lot for practice and work (zeroing in on songs to learn, sharing material from the bass at a rehearsal, slowing down musical passages and looping things etc etc). Do I think I would love a McIntosh system with some La Scalas? You can bet on it. But that’s going to require a very different listening space. I’m not sure why you think all powered speakers look alike, there are bold and creative designs all over the place: BUCHARDT, KEF, HEDD, PSI, VIVID, Q ACOUSTICS, KI, GENELEC. You seem to be heading into the Steve Gutenberg camp, all-things ELAC (not a fan) and separates rocking classic dad-rock. Totally cool. But I realized that my consumption of audio has changed radically over the years. I tried vinyl with my Arcam and Dynaudio towers. But the truth was, it left me wanting. I stream from multiple platforms, constantly sample new and old music crossing all genres, constantly am called upon to learn new material. Powered speakers sound incredible and fit my lifestyle. I’m more of a Darko/Jay/Crinacle. These guys are leaning forward. I love vintage but I’m more looking forward than back by nature. Perhaps companies are just jumping on the bandwagon and racing to offer a powered speaker that won’t aesthetically rock the boat for traditionalists. I’m not really interested in those manufacturers and prefer those that are truly moving the needle forward.
Powered speakers are great. Kanto YU6 or TUK for example. They are good solution for people who want a good sounding system but do not want to dedicate their lives to trying different audio equipment. They are a great 'no fuss' good quality music system. If you want to be trying a new amp, new dac, new bookshelf speakers, new towers, new cables every few months and constantly be fiddling with components, that's fine. Not everyone wants to do that. If 'audiophile' means playing with equipment all day and always being dissatisfied, then these are not for audiophiles.
This video as especially bad I thought, because he gives no specific reason why powered speakers are bad. They all look alike? That's silly. They look alike no more than all passive speakers look alike. 'I don't like them, but I can't explain why' is what it sounded like. If you make a living reviewing various components, then you prefer a system with 10 different components that you can keep reviewing, I guess.
This. As soon as the major argument was that they look similar… I was out. Most passives look the same as well, st least while you’re in the “budget” range. I generally like Randy’s videos, but this one was a dud. I own a pair of Kanto TUK’s which look amazing in my opinion and sound great.
His complaint of them all being similar is because that removes the fun of trying different speakers. Who cares if it’s an elac or a u turn if they have the same drivers and same timbre? You lose the joy of each brand having a sound. Imagine if kef sold a q150 level powered speaker and it didn’t have the uniq driver? Get it?
@@tylerhackman6832 nope, because they don’t. My powered speakers have an AMT tweeter and a 5.25” aluminum driver. They have a built in class D amp.
My brothers powered speakers are Bi-amped (class d, class a/b) with a Uni-Q Driver Array.
Both have DSP to get the most out of the hardware as possible. Something that I used to get by buying yet another component (a mini dsp 2x4)
But other than most powered speakers being in the bookshelf range size wise, they can vary significantly. So again, I don’t believe the argument is valid.
@@s2photo he didn’t say every single one is the same 😂 cool story though
@@tylerhackman6832 no, but you did. “Who cares if it’s an elac or a u-turn if they have the same drivers and same timbre?” I’m just letting you know that powered speakers are just as diverse as passives these days and getting better every year. Yes you lose out on the ability to mix and match some components, but for some that’s more of a pro than a con.
If powered speakers lead people down the path to separates and passive speakers instead of soundbars, then that's a good thing.
I couldn't find a soundbar I liked at a price I liked. But my family needs simplicity. Costco ran a special on Klipsch The Fives and subwoofer. Family and I are happy.
Powered speakers are, IMHO, a much better option than soundbars. For critical music listening, they are not the best, but for TV or even computer uses, they are cool.
@@stonefree1911 Isn't critical listening what they do in studios, almost exclusively with active/powered speakers?
@@stevenswall Yes, but they're usually bigger and with more power (and far more expensive) than what we're talking about here. Studio monitors are a tool designed to allow the engineer to get the levels and panning of the tracks just right, not to enjoy the music, per se. Now, I'm not saying you can't enjoy music on studio monitors, because I've done it for years, but that's not their primary purpose and you can't always guarantee they'll fill a room with enjoyable sound or be at their best in anything but a near field environment. These little powered speakers are basically an all-in-one system for someone who wants to hook them up to a TV, PC, or streamer.
@@stevenswall Do you think those are the powered speakers that we are discussing in this video?
In pro audio land we like powered speakers (they are now the norm) because we want audio purity and transparency from our speakers. So having the exact amps required for the drivers as part of the speaker design process ensures we get this.
Audiophiles don't like it because they fetishise and want to buy their own amps, preamp etc.
Mackie SRM user myself. Couldn't agree more.
Adam Audio user here, also agreed!
Paradigm Active 20v2, absolutely love them!
I don't really make music anymore but I do still use my little KRK Rokit 5s in the bedroom and I still love them deeply. For such a tiny and cheap speaker they really sound awesome.
The truth, it burns.
Kinda like my 80 year old mother when I take her shopping. She can never find my car cause she thinks all grey cars are the same 😂
I have a question for you’d sir. Good audio in small spaces can be difficult. Looking for a 2 channel setup possibly 2.1. Speakers that are small, 8-10” or less in size can fit on a desk yes. But a good compact subwoofer that plays at low to medium volume seems to be hard to come by. I see the Kanto SUB6. What’s your thoughts for say the Kanto Yu2 or the AudioEngine A2+?
While I understand how you're arriving at your conclusions, the U-Turn product is made/assembled in the US right alongside their turntables --so they are not coming out the same factory as the Elac (or other powered speakers), and is why they are more expensive compared to say the Elac, which is straight out of China (not judging). While the driver compliment and design/style may be similar, one only has to pick up or interact with the U-Turn to realize it is in a whole other class with respect to build and finish (not to mention uses a Class A/B amp, which is rare). Also, while I agree with you about Elac's accessories and whatnot, U-Turn's speaker cables and accessories are anything but cheap, another way they (U-Turn) differentiate themselves from the masses in this market.
Welcome Andrew! Love it when discourse like this organically occurs.
Great Video! I am in need of some powered speakers for my TV living room. I've tried several soundbars, but they are all crap. I don't have the space for a receiver and separate speakers. What do you recommend under $400, sound great, and have a good kick on the bass for gaming and movies. I can go oprtical or HDMI. Thanks
When they make speakers, they calculate the speaker cabinet size to be such and such so this particular speaker sounds the best, right? And you have to be very precise with those dimensions. But then all of a sudden they throw an amp into one cabinet thus making the effective size of that cabinet smaller. Does this not make the speaker with the amp in it sound crappier?
Can someone explain this to me, please.
I don't see what the problem is. Do the sound good for the price? Is this a better value than buying speakers, a DAC and a amp? Those are the questions that matter.
Also how are these powered speakers any less or more differentiated than all the tons passive speakers of a similar size on the market?
Hi, thanks for the review. I bought it but there is a problem of delay. When I connect it to destop with Bluetooth, there isn't any delay but when it connects it with USB cable to destop, there is about 1 seconds delay which is really annoying to me. When I pause and play any CZcams video and any movie, there is no sound of the very 1st second. I inquired it to Elac by Email but for a week, there isn't any reply which is another disappointing.. It is clearly sounds good compared to the price providing various connectivities but whenever it goes into sleep mode when I connect it by USB, it is real problem... Do you also have this issue?
When getting my daughter into HiFi she didn't want anything complicated. There is no way she wants to deal with complex hardware - it just needs to work, be enjoyable to listen to, and be managed by her phone. She can just bluetooth Spotify from her phone to the speakers and doesn't need anything else. Active speakers make things super easy for someone like her.
Since then I have added a Fluance turntable (with internal phono amp) straight into active speakers with a Wiim streamer and subwoofer also connected to the speakers. Still simple and sounds better than average.
This is exactly the kind of setup I'm looking at putting together, I appreciate simplicity.
Something apparently missing from the comment section (and the video) is that powered isn't the same as active. Unlike the powered sets in the video, actual active speakers have active crossover, i.e. each driver has dedicated amp circuitry after the crossover. This allows for much finer matching of the amp and each individual driver, and subsequently better transparency. This may or may not be what you like in you hifi, but there's a reason active speakers are everywhere in pro audio.
I wasn't a fan either. At a recent audio show I was forced to change my mind. I listened to some Lyravox Karlos (which are expensive but not crazy expensive) in a small untreated room and the sincerity of the midrange brought me to tears, literally. with good records it sounded a lot like reality and with bad ones it managed to get some magic out of it. Mind you, I've been an audiofhile for 30+ years. I've heard glassier highs, punchier bass drums, crisper snares, deeper soundstages possibly, but I never experienced such a deep connection with the music and the artist. The idea that you can hook a streamer and enjoy music, stop worrying about the interconnect or the spikes under your amp has been life changing. A powered speaker can sound unbelievably good
13K USD a pair.... do you realize what can be bought for that money....
@@jungtarcph well unfortunately I do. I did not buy those speakers myself because I may be able to afford them with financing but can't personally justify spending so much. Actually I may find them second hand around 7k and I'm still thinking about them daily after two months. Anyway at this hi fi show there were cables that costed more than that and in general high end is getting more and more expensive.
13K not crazy expensive in Cheapaudioman's channel? Does anybody have a map to show this fella and his brags a way out? :)
@@ChuckNorris-bf5cj you got a point.. to me 12k is very expensive, 250k is call the cops crazy batsh1t expensive ;)
I used to believe active/powered speakers were inferior tp passive/externally amplified speakers. THEN I found Vanatoo powered speakers. I have both the desktop Transparent Zeros and the bookshelf Transparent One Encores. For my rather small office both of these, I'm lovin'! Really liked your review of the Transparent One Encores.
Swaying between these or the new Bose 600 soundbar. Does anyone know if the connex hdmi port supports 120fps gaming content? I've heard the ps5 struggling with lip sinc and latency issues with some audio gear.
I use powered speakers (Edifier R2000db's) as my computer speakers. They are superb for that - everything I need is already built in. I play music while working or listening to ads for the latest Sith Audio product and they are awesome. They also look great. I don't think they would fill a room, but as near field monitors they are just excellent.
Exactly, I got the Presonus 4.5. Getting an amp and large speakers for your computer setup seems weird and too large.
Edifiers are spectacular powered speakers I got the 980s and they sound phenomenal rite out of the box and I listen to alot of variety of music
What are your thoughts on the swam os-10?
So what are your reasons? The only reason I didn’t get active speakers is the difficult repairability of the built in amp.
What is the best 2 speaker and center channel with amp setup for movies and music? For around 2k
Would a preamp work properly with powered speakers?
It's all about the music for me and powered speakers makes that easier. I'm enjoying my Kanto TUK and Bluesound Node combo.
Love my audiophile separates system but also dig my minimalist set-up; with powered speakers & a Schiit stack for a gaming & mini home theater in a small room. Future-Fi solutions are as appreciated as much as spinning vinyl and glad we have so many listening options these days.
I got my first component system when I was a teenager, and while I loved it, it was a pain dragging it everywhere as I moved like 15 times in 10 years from age 18-28. A lot of times I didnt even have the room to set the whole thing up (just used headphones). So on form factor alone I can get the appeal of something like this for young people.
i have only one question: did you composing, mixing, and produce music or just a audience????
I have to say thanks. Your relentless marketing of wiim has resulted in one of my favorite purchases of all time. I love that little box. I didn't even know it existed or that I needed it in my life
The big thing with some high end powered speakers is that there's some kind of active crossover magic going on.
I pretty much 100 % agree with this and was so happy to see it pop up. I'm only just getting interested in a possible speaker purchase, and am having all the same newbie confusion again. I kept seeing other regular youtubers with speaker videos, but only talking about powered, and my exact thoughts were hold on though, I'm into all my Amps and dacs for a reason, but I suppose the convenience factor is there.. so in general are powered speakers more expensive than passive?. Peace
I bought the Wiim on you recommendation. Glad they noticed. By the way that actually looked like coffee in your cup. Was it Irish?
Hey Randy! I generally agree with you in that I find most powered speakers very unimpressive! However I have to add a caveat that certain (very expensive ones) Genelec in particular are the exception! Have you ever heard them? If not you should give them a listen. If you have then what did you think of them?
Is this problem known? TV connected to Elac via HDMIarc and once a day or once in a few days no sound, while Elac are on.
When I turn on the TV, the speakers also turn on but no sound comes out. LED lights are on, but there is no sound at all. Only restart helps. I showed it below in the videos. I use PCM output and used Auto - problem remains.
I love power speakers but I have been rocking Focal studio monitors for a decade now I love the small form factor of them. Studio monitors are something you should maybe take a look at.
I feel like many people overlook pro audio gear, I used Adam's powered speakers for listening and producing. My brother uses cheap Yamaha hs8's purely for listening and I think they're great, they fill a large room with good sound. Just because it's marketed to a different crowd doesn't mean it can't be used for casual listening.
@@canepaper967 i do get it you tube can sound horrible SM just seem to do a better job in reveling flaws good or bad
Audiophiles hate pro gear
Not because it sounds somehow different but because it's good value more often than not
Studio monitors have been doing this for years. Check out Adam A4V, Hedd 07, Neumann KH80. I run Adams in one room, excellent. Balanced input, DSP, it's the future, it's already here.
Exactly. I bought a focusrite 2i2, and some JBL 306's for my laptop, and im never going back!
Powered or Active? There's a difference.
@@funkyfurballs1078 there are few non powered these days, guess you know about the ones mentioned. NS10's not good for hifi😉
Hedd 07 🤘...I don't miss my old passive setup at all
I have no problem with powered speakers as a 2nd or third system where it is impractical to place traditional audio equipment. Like the bedroom or a desktop. I have had a set of Vanatoo T-zeros for a while and with the addition of the WiiM (thank you Randy) that system gets more use than ever.
100% agree. As a soundbar replacement or as computer speakers I totally get it. But for my main hi-fi where I have 6 different sources connected it seems like it would be rather archaic to manage all that without a dedicated receiver or some kind of audio switcher. Not to mention adjusting the volume on most powered speakers either requires reaching around behind them or using the little fiddly remotes that they often come with.
I have a pair of T-zeros at my desktop. They are fantastic! I feel like they are different than most powered speakers tho, with each speaker having its own amp, and a sub out that takes the lows away. Im not a fan of powered speaker systems that just have one powered and one passive.
Is a small desktop amp really that impractical?
@@NickyNicest not at all. Before my t-zeros, i had a SMSL Sa300 amp powering a pair of mission ms-5s at my desktop. While i love my t-zeros and i do think they sound better, i dont think it’s considerably better.
@@nshandy I have the T-Zero's thanks Z-reviews. But I am pretty certain they don't have seperate amps in each speaker.
What's the difference between speakers for critical listening, and speakers for studio/mixing? Seems like powered monitors are used almost exclusively for studio and mixing/mastering scenarios.
The majority of studio monitors are powered...what do they know that audiophiles don't?
Would these powered speakers be a usable product for a computer gaming computer in lieu of headphones? They've got to be better than come Creative computer speakers, even with they\ woofer?
I love my Edifier R2000DB, they sound great, have a ton of features, and only cost me $289 when I bought them. That being said, I only use them for my desktop, and they are amazing at doing that
i use the edifier s350db for my desk top and love them
@@uglykidmoe150 I think Edifier is very underappreciated
I just got the Edifier 980s and for 100 dollar speakers I was actually blown away by how good they sound for something so small
Powered/active speakers come in lots of shapes, sizes and prices. With small speakers add a subwoofer and you will have big, clear, dynamic sound.
Have you tried the JBL 306p mk ii?
I have a pair of Peachtree M24 speakers that are kind of like this. Phono stage, USB dac, RCA in, sub out etc. They’re so good though! You can totally pimp them out with an external dac and external phono stage and make them sound really good. They come in a gorgeous bamboo finish too-I got a Geshelli J2 dac with a similar wood finish and it’s a really cool looking system in a small room.
Go figure.. Almost all if not 90% of the monitors used to mix and master music .. are powered.
The irony.
I just got delivery of the Triangle bro2 BT active speakers, they look larger than those on show and so far a nice neutral sound.
Keep up the great content my man 👍
I have a pair of Tannoy Reveal 802 that I bought for 169 euros each. A few months ago they were at Steelwater for $109 each (now back to their original $199 each).
I believe that they are the best VFM speakers ever made. For 340euros I have a pair of 8" studio monitors and an amplifier together. And they sound amazing even at really high volume. I really can't see how passive speakers + amp can beat that, especially for a speaker with an 8" woofer that can play at reference levels at 2.5m (8ft) with ease.
I love them and I don't think I will ever go back to passive speakers.
Passive speakers are not better than studio monitors with price being the same.
Neumann KH420 which is under 10k a pair is objectively superior in every metric to something like Magico S5 that is what, 30k? 50k?
how about the Vanatoo?!? they pretty darn good for me on my desks at home and at work.
Have you tried swan speakers?
Ever heard the Fluance A61 (I think) or the Edifiers in the $300+ range? Always hear of Elac, venture out a bit.
You made a video about how you hate powered speakers. In this video you list three great options, and highlight perfectly the people for whom these speakers are an absolutely ideal solution. Then you go on to list a few minor niggles or observations about how they were made with someone other than you in mind. You don't hate powered speakers at all (!), you've just come to them at a point when you've already got equipment that's well past them.
Those little things are great!
I am so sick of this guys schtick. He is the worst kind of audiophile there is and people don't seem to realize because he uses the "cheap" bs to act like he's not. Like:
His main act is to just rant and bash on things because that gets him the most attention. That's why this video exists because Wiim wants ads out today and he needed an idea for a video fast so he does what he does best and find something to hold his nose at.
He gives glowing reviews to products that literally sponsor him, sometimes even sponsoring his their own review.
His number one consideration of an audio product is how much it costs. He literally makes lists judging products based on price.
He goes to audio shows just to bash on everything there talk about how much better his equipment is.
Despite claiming that audiophiles only care about how much something costs to show off their worth all his content is filled to the brim by sponsors and requests for money, seriously just click that "show more" button in the description.
He claims to be able to hear the difference in things like "power cords" and at the same time exposes just how little he actually understands in that somehow unironic video by using 2 separate amps.
And it goes on.
Powered speakers are definitely more cost effective than passives when the cheapest decent integrated amp is at least $400
I wanted speakers for my PC. Started out by looking into powered speakers. Went for monitot style (AE1 active) active speakers because the electronics isn't built in the speakers, just the amplification. Way more future proof if you ask me. Would love to see tests of active/monitor speakers on your channel. Keep ut the good work 🤘
I’m not crazy about powered speaks either, but i will defend their position. There are a LOT of high quality (maybe not CHEAP) , beautiful, unique, audiophile grade powered speakers out there. I would guess (just my guess, opinion), not unlike tube amps, you don’t really know a lot about them until you dive in a little and maybe find one you think is really cool, good sounding, etc, as apposed to hearing a few “cheapies” and then generalizing all powered speakers are the same. I also think they are more popular in places around the world where less living space is common. I love your channel Randy, love you really, would never want to make waves, just felt like this one was slightly…narrow minded (oh i hate saying that, so negative, just can’t think of other words, too early) thank you
Hes just trying to cause controversy... he literally used "hate" on the thumb lol.
I purchased the Abramtek X50s based on your recommendation. At the price ($279 on Black Friday), they're great deal and with HDMI ARC input it is now my soundbar replacement. It does an excellent job, but my audiophile sensibilities are offended at the thought of any bookshelf powered speakers for my main 2-channel music rig. I'm old and trying to work my way through it by watching your channel. :/
but do you still like the vanatoo offerings?
@cheapaudioman can you pls recommend a powered speaker with optical in, but a bit smaller and cheaper than this ELAC, something like a $100 Presonus E3.5. Its for PC so no desk space. Thank you
Kali LP-6 and JBL 305 powered speakers totally convinced me that powered speakers provide the absolute best value. Ain't no problem here. Don't get it.
Yeah I mix and master with Kali LP-8s. They are fantastic sounding, crystal clear.
@@lescobrandon8045 Sure. . I don't get the "I prefer to spend money on an external amplifier which compromises frequency response but gives me audiophile cred" line of thinking at all.
I'd be curious for recommendations on passive speaker/amp combos that beat/compete with the Kali LP6v2 or similar on raw performance for similar prices? I'm not saying it can't be done, but I'm wondering what combos people have actually heard that might compete. I considered trying to figure that out when my prior monitors died, but it likely would have involved a lot of trial and error and futzing around with system synergy. Powered monitors often come with built-in settings for bass alignment, different room placement, built-in DSP to flatten response of the drivers, etc. All of that is more money up the chain if you go passive. But if you're into figuring that out for yourself, by all means live it up! Other people like me are lazy and want something more plug and play. ;)
@@Philberts No consumer electronics speaker sounds as good as a studio monitors. I promise you that. I have had owned some 80s Pioneer amps that were nice, but consumer electronics are a big ol rip off.
@@JeffMudrick The only application monitors don't sound good in are huge open spaces. Most all of them are near field anyhow.
Iunno, not that i personally would get them for my main listining room but the powered kefs are pretty spectacular for a turn key solution.
I have a Kanto YU6 and Sub 8 which I am extremely happy with. Going to try the passive speaker with amp set up, just starting to get into this
I wonder what you'd think of the Emotiva Airmotiv powered speakers. They're discontinued but one of the Emotiva guys said they were one of their favorite Emotiva products when you were at their facility.
I owned and still have Airmotive 4s speakers and you would be amazed. I bet they would BLOW away anything mentioned. They were balanced, ported, and had EQ adjustments.
I just bought my pair of Klipsch R 51PM.
I may have had the budget to get cheap passive speakers and a semi vintage integrated, but I preferred to cut corners. I don't have much space so these speakers will do the trick until I get a better system, but I prefer to spend that extra money on more records.
Powered monitors are the best option for impoverished sound enthusiasts.
Of course, the quality might not be the optimal, but for the price, I think they're building more interesting speakers.
I see them as the future for people who want to have several options where to listen to music and movies without the hassle of a home theatre/ audiophile set up
This entire industry is in a race to copy.... Great testimony Randy. Cheers and have a great weekend.
Thanks, brother! You are too generous
Used Pair of T7V, a $350 DAC, and a JBL LSR310s. This will leave you completely speechless. It's insane the amount of clean, precise, and a wide range of sound you get for $1k. Way better than any hodge-podge of cheap audio components.
Would you really want a high end passive bookshelf being released as a powered speaker considering it would only have a class D amplifier? I think it would kind of negate the performance benefits.
I have a pair of Audioengine HD6s in my office at work and they're great. They're complete overkill for computer speakers but work well in my space, and fit well on a desk where I wouldn't have room for an amplifier. They also haven't changed the design in over 7 years and still don't come with HDMI eARC or a phono input. I'm now realizing I should hook them up with an optical cable to my iMac and do 24/192 from Apple Music.
I'm older than this guy, and this attitude takes me back to reading hifi mags in the early 80's like to see your review of the Edifier s3000pro
I have been looking at some powered speakers for my office (not at home). I want them to play deep and sound large while at low volumes like my big system at home. Considering new klipsch nine’s
Powered speakers are bad for profits. DSP crossovers, DSP response correction, and built in equalization eliminate the nonsense of amp/pre-amp synergy, crossover mods, dumb speaker wire voodoo, various other separate components, etc.
I have a pair of fluance ai41's and really like them. They sound pretty good overall, but the versatility of them and simplicity is why there is a real benefit to them. Basically they connect to almost everything and without much fuss or needing extra stuff and allow far better audio than some cheap Bluetooth speaker. I use them mostly as laptop speakers, but sometimes i do use bluetooth on them, sometimes I use them as front right and left surrounds to my 7.1.4 system using the optical and they blend well and benefit the sound. They aren't the loudest with 45w rms, but they are just solid all rounders. I will say i mostly made the purchase because they did go on sale, not sure if I would have otherwise tbh.
I’ve had powered fluance speakers hooked up in my bedroom tv for years and have loved it. Very clean, minimal, great sounding system. The only improvement would be an HDMI in.
Is the element 3 worth the money? @cheapaudioman
Love my TANNOY GOLD5 Active monitors. Use with an SMSL M500 Pre DAC balanced as my desktop setup 🙂
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this, but the Sony SSCS5’s are currently $98.00 on Amazon (12/10/22).
Yamaha HS8 powered studio monitors sound nearly identicle to Elac DBR62 Reference speakers.... Hummmmm... How could that be? Could we use a tube preamp, into an EQ, then into line-in on powered speakers? Yamahas are only about $850. A pair... And you may get a remote... Am I on to something?
Or tube preamp with EQ? Some kind of box must exist... Or just put some EQ on powered speakers. For home use, not studios...
so far, my favorite powered speakers have been Swan. I would definitely recommend checking out their speakers.
I am more than a casual listener, but I have severely-limited square footage in the form of a tiny apartment. I literally do not have room for separate amplification. This is why my powered speakers (Kanto TUK + SVS SB-2000) work well for me. I can have higher-end audio in a small, cramped space. You may be assuming that everyone lives in an expansive 5000 sq. ft. dwelling.
I still LOVE my pair of The Fives from Klipsch
A friend asked me for suggestions for his new in-home office. I suggested an Aiyima T9, Sony SSCS5 and a WiiM Mini, for under $400, all in. He went to a stereo store and bought KEF LSX II powered speakers for $1,400 plus tax. At least they have streaming capacity and look different. The appeal is there’s nothing to think about. You can’t make mistakes if you don’t make choices.
The only powered speakers I own are the Proton 301s. They are bi-amped, well built, and sound great. They also have tone controls.🖖🏼
Pop quiz then hot shot: give me an example of a system I can setup for clear tv dialogue also with the benefit of arc so that I can control volume with one remote and when I power the tv off, it turns everything off . Oh, and I don’t want hiss when it’s just sitting there. Soundbar is no good for my setup as I want a true stereo separation. Was looking at Elac, Klipsch, SVS and a couple of others I can’t think of. I want clean sound without distortion as dialogue is the most important without resorting to closed captioning. Is there a small (physical not output) class d amp and dac/dsp with hdmi arc input you could recommend? That’s why I’m looking at powered speakers, ease of use to solve the dreaded tv sound we have nowadays.
Just got the SVS prime wireless pro speakers. I am amazed and enjoying them so much. People talk about exciting speakers - these have a transparent balanced sound, but when they kick man they kick. Now back to a quiet evening of Royal Trux and a fine brandy, or whatever was in that glass.
I have the SVS Prime Wireless Pro paired with a SB1000 on my PC and Xbox rig. Great for my uses, and I dig being able to rock them when guests are over or relax for some critical listening. But I also have a 7.1.4 setup in the other room, so... Best of both worlds.
got some hivi swan os-10s for about $160 after taxes recently. They are for something I'm giving to someone and not for myself, but I was reasonably impressed by them for the asking price and footprint. If they're ever back in stock I'd say they're a pretty good sale for sound bar replacements
What the market needs is a small class AB 2 channel integrated amp. Desktop sized. Properly priced.
Wonder if Schiit is considering something like that..
And classy digital UV meter display.
Bought Klipsch The Fives on BF for hooking up to the TV. HDMI e-Arc, DSP with bi-amping, phono in and tone control but sadly only via their app... Takes no room, and since I havent heard a good sounding soundbar in my life and dont need the bass with an old appartement with neighbours, I bloody love these things. In the future, they can be downgraded and work flawelessly in the garage or in the office.
Dont think it can be beaten for $550 bucks and real wooden faner. Love'em!
Just gotta add my 2 cents here. My first foray into powered speakers was actually not powered but a similar setup by JVC, a mini stereo with 4 amps. Essentially, it was a bi amped system. But the amplifiers were matched to the speakers. It was a really sweet system that would even turn itself on and record the radio onto dual cassette decks any time you like. Fast forward to today, a favorite speaker is the JBL LSR 3 series, a very dynamic and enjoyable speaker. So, I'm all for powered speakers. My only caveat would be that sometimes, the integration isn't that straightforward.
Powered speakers are like passive speakers. Some are awesome, some are okay and some are cheap sounding. You often get what you pay for. There are more cheap sounding passive speakers than active speakers.
Imagine a powered version of the Emotiva B2! It existed, but Emotiva discontinued its Airmotiv line. Wish they'd bring it back.
Ask Dan to dig out a old pair of Stealth 8's, they rock. I have a set of the original Airmotiv 5's and I was expecting the B1's to be their equal but sadly they weren't not even in the same neighborhood.
The similarity between different powered speakers may just be that all bookshelf speakers are rather similar anyway? My problem with with powered speakers is that they often include good speakers with a disappointing amplifier or, less commonly, vice versa. If the $1500 NAD/PSB confuses you, how about the KEF LS60? Approximately $10K for a powered speaker with a noisy amplifier.
Had a Powered 2.1 system for years I didn't know any better. Then I purchased separates and now I know better.
I don't know if I would ever look at powered speakers outside of either smart speakers (like the original HomePod which I have a pair of) and powered studio monitors (I have Adam A7X monitors).
It would seem that the audiophile market that would be interested in powered speakers are the ones who don't want to deal with picking out or can't afford a separate amp/DAC
Some higher end speakers are a combination of active and passive, particularly for powering bass. But I've never seen a completely active speaker system that I'd use in a dedicated 2 channel system. They tend to function better as near field speakers for desktops or used for streaming in a small bedroom system. Some people believe that a powered speaker system has better control over the sound signature that the engineers are shooting for, but individual tastes may disagree and demand more flexibility with how the sound is tuned. I'm open minded and would give a dedicated powered speaker system a try, but I just haven't seen anything yet that would convince me to replace my current passive system.
I had a set of powered and ones I liked really well, like top 5 bookshelf speakers good. The edifier s2000 pro, had a planar type tweeter, 6.5 inch woofers, very solid cabinets. Only thing I have against powered speakers is if and when the plate amp goes bad, which some do in a year or two, and some don't, and also you can't switch amps out just to change the character of it a little, but I do like the convenience of a remote and Bluetooth and done, so I get it, but not into anything powered that much, Klipsch subs, plate amp died, Emotiva subs, plate amp died, both in short time, so that's my point. The edifier s2000pro I can stand behind tho.
I think that powered speakers without passive crossovers, but with advanced DSP are future. Each speaker could have their own built in amp with DSP. I think that only wire needed to connect will be AC plug. Sound have to be sended wireless without compression and delays like old BT connections.
It's interesting because powered speakers absolutely own the market for near field studio monitoring and I have a lovely pair in my home studio, but all of. my stereo systems use passive speakers.
Powered “active” speakers have been around since the mid ‘60s in studio & later some limited PA applications, but probably became most familiar to the residential hi-if customer with mainstream products like the Advent PAL and several innovations by Boothroyd Stuart Meridian in the early ‘80s - including some of the first DSP products.
While the advantages of modern DSP and efficient class D amps in terms of compact footprint / internal real estate packaging requirements can’t be ignored by aesthetic & production designers, as anyone who’s experienced failure of custom OEM plate amps in mainstream makers’ sub-woofers can attest, the main issue with them is when (not if) any portion of the internal signal processing or amplification stages fail, repairs can be “problematic”, to say the least. A local hi-if shop has one corner of their service basement reserved for dead subs where the plate amp has died and neither repair parts or even full replacement amps are available, and can only be resurrected by trying to find a third party amp of comparable performance that can be shoehorned into the enclosure, or resorting to a kludged DIY outboard solution, which of course defeats the product’s whole design purpose.
Add to that the comprehensive feature sets incorporated into the likes of models described herein - or the ever increasingly popular soundbar/sub combos that can deliver amazing performance in compact packages - and the potential for a fancy bricked paperweight increases.
Yeah those "wireless" subs that don't have a wired redundant connection are then separated from the soundbar and are next to useless. Imo they should all have an RCA input just in case
You were gushing all over the new SVS powered speakers, and now? Is the honeymoon over?
Dynaudio XEO 10 sounds fabulous! But the price is eye watering like the KEF LSX.
Totally agree Randy good passive speakers with great amplification gets the best audiophile results but for usability I’ve found my Yamaha wxc50 streamer hooked up to a set of KRKs Is brilliant for Spotify and much better to my ears for dance music as I know a lot of this music is laid down using the krks which would kind of explain it