Opinions and recommendations on active loudspeakers

From an engineering and design standpoint powered speakers provide the ideal solution for reaching the goal of maximum control over the final results.  As an established dealer and integrator with almost 40 years of experience we have migrated towards powered speakers as a solution for both our personal systems and many of our clients.  Currently Meyer Sound (Berkeley California) and Genelec, out of Finland, are among our recommendations. Many professional musicians from all areas of music, producers, and casual music lovers, have found the powered speaker as an ideal solution for the temporary suspension of disbelief.           

The primary reason I've preferred passive speakers for home use (and live stuff, although I do use active speakers and subs in live setups) is simply because I like the ability to try different amps from time to time. I'm addicted to my small single ended tube amp's sound which requires an efficient speaker, so there's that...but having experienced an active PA speaker dying during a show (not my show luckily, but a live gig run my a friend who owns a recording studio) and you simply can't quickly "field fix" the damn things, where you can stick another amp on a passive speaker which I've done. Otherwise powered stuff is fine, which I'm saying mainly to make others feel better as, clearly, I'm a giver.

Elizabeth, you need to get your backside in a house. Put subs on those 20.7s and they will rock!

ATC make sense to audition if you have a 20K budget. They aren’t cheap but are regarded as a reference by many golden eared folks.

ATC sound is very consistent across their professional series both in various models as well as over the years.

Other actives have more variability - so more specific model dependency and vintage/age variation to their sound.

ATC are highly consistent even when new models come out - great if you like their sound - not good if you don’t as there isn’t a lot of choice as they are all voiced in a similar way.