Powered speakers show audiophiles are confused


17 of 23 speakers in my studio and home theater systems are internally powered. My studio system is all Genelec and sounds very accurate. I know the best new concert and studio speakers are internally powered there are great technical reasons to design a speaker and an amp synergistically, this concept is much more important to sound quality than the vibration systems we often buy. How can an audiophile justify a vibration system of any sort with this in mind.

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thespeakerdude Atmos object oriented mixing is a good bet for the future, systems will become smaller and more efficient in terms of efficiency and specificity in accurate imaging, it's all over the place now, even theaters can't keep up with properly holding the specs of the sound. Holographic glasses will show the artist in the metaverse and concerts will be wonderful.

 

Great topic, though the tenor of some is off.

I agree with the OP. Confusion.

I recently sent my Focal SM9's to a new home after enjoying them for many years. They sounded fantastic! A revelation of the music! As a 2 way near field set up they were extraordinary! Is that enough exclamation marks?

Oh well, they're gone now.

Replacing them are JBL 4367. I have posted about my experience with different amps in  "How do I establish a Reference Level?"

There is a new amp in the mix now Look there.

@kota1 , you answered your own question. They only use AB on the low power HF amplifier. With a DEQX I can use class A amps at all three levels. And there is another problem, 3 way. I vastly prefer one way plus a subwoofer. 

@sokogear , I do not think your analogy works. You can not define "winning" for sonic quality. The target is purely subjective. Athletes do not have to be perfect, they just have to beat everyone else. 

I know exactly which recordings can fool people. I have a grand piano in my media room and my daughter plays violin. I can fool anyone into thinking someone is playing the piano, same with the violin if my daughter is home. I have done it to my wife. 

What this thread does is convince me that the majority of us have never heard a system that approaches the Absolute Sound. As sokogear suggests it is a confluence of the equipment used but most importantly it is about the speakers and the room. The rest is just icing on the cake. 

@mijostyn , you get my compliments, you have done a great job with the system you have posted. I think the wall with the LP’s and the turntable is stunning, then you change gears and post your room correction curves from Tact. Those loungers look like once you sit down you will not want to leave those seats, wonderful and very inspirational. Question, how long did it take for you to curate the system you have now? It obviously was a step by step process. The PJ makes it OTT (or icing on the cake as you say), you seems to have the best of analog, digital, and HT at the click of a remote. From your workshop it seems if anything breaks you are on top of that too. Must be nice to custom build stuff to your exact specs.

mijostyn I have a wonderful Steinway Grand piano it is a Spiro/r which means it uses a digital mechanical mechanism that will play the piano every key hits the strings with a resolution of 1000 levels of amplitude, the /r means it records also. I've recorded pianos for many decades even once for Elton John (he was a pain). This piano is the definition of hi fi it's the only perfect recording I know of. Pianos are really hard to record grand pianos sound better from farther away but then you are really depending on the room. I think pianos are the worst recorded instruments in all of music. Do you have a favorite piano recording?