Active Speakers Don't Sound Better

....as one who’s applied DSP since the ’80’s and quasi-active monoblocks (L-07 mono-blocks with 1 m. supplied cables...will that ’stand-in’ for active speakers? Getting ’close to concept’ in practice if not ’inboard’ within the cabinet....), I’d be onboard with ’active v. passive’ approach....

...given a more than average amount of ac plugs about your listening space...|
...a uptick in the count of ’improved’ ac cables And IC cables ’twixt pre- and active drivers...which begins to look like ’shaving peaches’ imho....
...one is relying on the ’amp in the box’, which may/may not to be your tastes....

Even dialing in a self-powered sub can be a bitch....and varies from source to source.....
Micro-management to the point of excess? Perhaps....

...why would I lie?

Ultimately....what we’re searching for is making the means.... do This.

...why should I lie? ;)

Any and all options are open to be applied, per your mind, ears, space, budget, and Intent,....like me. *S*

Try this......the backing is nice...varied....

My hill to climb is vibrations. Just on the most simplistic of evaluations placing an amp inside a speaker seems problematic. But seems more and more popular. 

I understand the simplicity, and especially time savings. Passive crossovers can take a long time to evaluate, change, burn in, re-evaluate, etc. ...But...there are pro and cons with every option, and like most things, execution of a given principle is a key factor, as is the objective.

+1 jpwarren58 … vibration isolation

There are even benefits (in passive speaker design) to having the xover Not in the Box… but separate, isolated and protected from physical vibrations. Biggest surprise/improvement in the evolution from prototype to “finished” unit I have experienced (in my most recent build). (Small sample, not a Universal Statement or Pontification… just sayin’…)

A major growth in part counts and crossover complexity

If I ever get active speakers, it would be to go in the opposite direction (towards a lower parts count). I bet this is a big motivator for many others who switch.

The question then is, if I get the active version of exactly the same pair of speakers I now use (and like), will it sound even better? Enough to justify the cost and inconvenience of the switch? My speakers are the JansZen Valentina P8s. JansZen does offer an active version, the A8. Or maybe someone can compare the active/passive version of a more popular speaker (such as a Kef product).. But you’d need to constrain the comparison so it’s as close to apples-to-apples as possible (in terms of the component quality etc.)