First time system - advice please :)

Active speakers and a Meridian 207 CD player, which has a volume control built in.

Second hand (you will have to for the Meridian) you could get a very serious set-up. Active speakers from Mackie, HHB, ADAM etc.. are worth a look.

Don't go for a pathetic integrated amp and five star what hi-fi speaker system.
 
Syva

As always, listen to both types if you can and let your ears be the judge.

There are some good integrateds around.......also active speakers (I have never heared any it must be said) have many devotees.

In case you are wondering ....active speakers have their amplifier built in.


The purist argue ( a "naim" thing especailly I think) that its best to keep the pre amplifer away from the power section as the pre is sensitive to the voltages in the power amp.

I wouldn't loose sleep over it though.
 
DavidF said:
The purist argue ( a "naim" thing especailly I think) that its best to keep the pre amplifer away from the power section as the pre is sensitive to the voltages in the power amp.

I wouldn't loose sleep over it though.
Click to expand...

More to the point David, active speakers have active crossovers which means the amps (one per driver) have an easier time and also have direct 'grip' on each driver. IMO, its better in every way.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Tenson said:
More to the point David, active speakers have active crossovers which means the amps (one per driver) have an easier time and also have direct 'grip' on each driver. Its better in every way.
Click to expand...



For goodness sake Simon I thought we'd seen the last of that sort of statement.

Syva, you know both options are available to you.
 
DavidF said:
For goodness sake Simon I thought we'd seen the last of that sort of statement.
Click to expand...

Since when? :JPS:

I can't think of any way an active speaker isn't better than its equivalent passive brother. You get better technology, and better value for money.
 
Tenson said:
Active speakers and a Meridian 207 CD player, which has a volume control built in.
Click to expand...

Fantastic sound but straight away, you've made a lot of your CDs unplayable:

Won't play anything > 65 minutes.

Won't play CDRs

Won't play some CDs because it just doesn't like them ;)
 
Tenson said:
Since when? :JPS:

I can't think of any way an active speaker isn't better than its equivalent passive brother. You get better technology, and better value for money.
Click to expand...

Imagine my surprise then, when I followed the link in your signature block and found that the only speakers for sale there are passive. :JOEL:
 
I would say that the advantage of a passive crossover, is that you have a shorter signal path.

For hifi enthusiasts, another more important advantage of course is that changing from one passive pair of speakers to another requires little to no 'kit' changes.

This article is quite good, if a little biased towards active solutions.

http://sound.westhost.com/biamp-vs-passive.htm
 
Seeker_UK said:
Fantastic sound but straight away, you've made a lot of your CDs unplayable:

Won't play anything > 65 minutes.

Won't play CDRs

Won't play some CDs because it just doesn't like them ;)
Click to expand...

Hi,

I didn't know that. Perhaps a Shangling or other affordable player with volume control then.

DavidF said:
There we go then...so every one who buys a passive pair of speakers is wrong?

;)
Click to expand...

No David, just you :p

Honestly don't be so pedant, I'll go back and put 'IMO' on the end if thats all it takes to make you happy.

It may not be the most practical solution for someone who already has a system built around a passive speaker, but as a device to reproduce the music signal put in one end, I can't see how passive is better. Especially if you are building a system from scratch.
 
Seeker_UK said:
Imagine my surprise then, when I followed the link in your signature block and found that the only speakers for sale there are passive. :JOEL:
Click to expand...

Yup! They are a commercial product, and many people already have systems built around passive speakers and don't want to change it all. However, they would sound even better than they already do if they were made the same, but active. :cool:
 
Tenson said:
Yup! They are a commercial product, and many people already have systems built around passive speakers and don't want to change it all. However, they would sound even better than they already do if they were made the same, but active. :cool:
Click to expand...


So I wonder if people can expect to get unbiased advised if they come to you?

As the previous gent implies if you feel so strongly that actives are so superior in every way, perhpts thats what you should be selling??


"IMO " never does any harm......IMO of course.

I'll look at all the passives ina new way now knowing how inferior they all are. :eek:



:p




:D
 
Actives can be taken to a level its impossible to achieve for a passive. I really can't see why these old dinosaurs still exist. There is no choice for me, there's only active now.
 
I think people are afraid to open up the back of a commercial product, and risk ''ruining'' their re-sale value..

If I was selling a pair of speakers, I'd design them passive for the reason that you can't expect people to buy active crossovers and start fiddling.

I bet Simon would sell his Kensai speakers without a crossover if people wanted them that way, maybe even a bit cheaper! :)

...or there's always a pair of IPL's in the classifieds, already DIY design just ripe for that kind of change ;) hehe
 
lbr said:
Don't the valves get too hot stuck inside a speaker cabinet? :D
Click to expand...
2-0-Valve-Active-Speaker-for-Hi-Fi-M30-.jpg



... now is that ugly or ???
 

Latest posts

Back
Top