Is this a crazy idea.

"Is Flamb suggesting that only active speakers are ideal for HT?............if so your crazy."

Yeah, no, I'm informed, and plenty experienced! (about 23 solid years around and/or in high end audio/video. But thanks. Infact, just run your statements and comments on active vs passive through any high end custom speaker designer, and see if he's crazy too! Let me know, I've spend time at at least 4 speaker designers plants or homes, and it's just all achedemic here.

Chadnliz, there's a HUGE difference between active and passive speakers, that goes beyond just having some amps in a cabinet (although it doesn't have to be that way to be "active"), vs your favorite, choice amp driving passives!!!! Yeah, HUGE DIFFERENCE! The difference in large is that the active speaker has the amplifier dirrectly coupled to the drivers (woofers/tweeters), for SUPERIOR CONTROL, DAMPING, AND RESPONSE FROM THE DRIVERS!...that's what!!!
A Passive system uses (unless it's using no crossover design, or minimal, like Druids, Old Sonus Faber, Triangle, similar) passive, "current limiting" resisters, coils, caps, whatever, which restict current flow, and thus the actual control the amp has on any given driver.

So, to answer the question, as to whether active speakers are superior to passive speakers--All things equal (same drivers, same cabinet, even same amps (minus a passive crossover network, substituting likely an "active electronic crossover", or minimalist cross-over design), an active speaker is superior, hands down, yes!!! Ofcourse, it likely needs to be designed that way to begin with, mostly.
I once heard a demo of a pair of passive NHT 1.5's vs pro active 1.5's, and the difference was not suttle! The actives stomped a mud hole in the passives, threw mud in it's face, and threw a soundstage that dewarfed the passives!!!
Yeah, I'm very much into higher efficiency actives, even modified horns, and other that offer superior transient response, dynamic transparency, and realism, you bet!
I've yeat to be blown away by ANY, even high end passive HT setup, even driven by the best amps money can buy!
The Avantgards play in this arena, but then they're 110+ db horn speakers, crossed over to active woofers!!

Geared4me, you are correct it seems, I called oppo on this, they say they can run a Phantom mode, however its just not called that I guess in the player.. very interesting..      

Active speakers are not superior, that is simply a biased opinion, sure they can be and are very good but not the best......one size does not fit all.
" just run your statements and comments on active vs passive through any high end custom speaker designer,"

So???? If ANY high end speaker designer would agree then why are such a minute fraction of makers doing an active?

This isnt a contest so you dont need to feel like you are going to win or loose if you dont shout from your soap box.

Chadnliz

FWIW, I have to agree with both you and Flrn. You are absolutely correct, actives are not the absolute and will not be the cure-all of speakers. (Cure-almost-all...) There is no such thing as "the best speaker". There is no clear winner; partially because the lines will never be clearly defined and opinions will never allow them to meet and surpass the "superior" points. It is what it is.

IMO, actives trump passives on many levels...but superior is such a relative word.

"So???? If ANY high end speaker designer would agree then why are such a minute fraction of makers doing an active?"

My 2 cents, FWIW...there is an even smaller, minute fraction of makers that make really good high end speakers. Those that do...build active!