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Are active speakers worth it now?

I've been paying attention to recent reviews and product announcements for active speakers.  Mind you, I'm a convert, I think active speakers are the right answer for many, but I'm a conditional fanboy.  For me it's conditional on the overall value. 

In the residential high-end ATC has long been a darling of audiophiles, and of course many studio monitors are active.  Recent reviews for the Grimm, Focal and Dynaudio active in Stereophile make me hopeful this trend will continue, but at what cost? 

That question is literal.  Admittedly these speakers have amps built in so that is one less component and cables to buy, but ahem, those prices leave me unimpressed.  I'm just one minor voice though, so I ask you, A'goners, if you've been thinking of going fully active like me and what do you think of the price/performance of the marketplace, both in the pro arena and residential high-end?  Do these prices say "bargain" to you or "simplicity for a price?" 

erik_squires
maam522a
161 posts
 

I am snakebit by active speakers.  I designed an built this Modern Console around Klipsch The Sevens.  They are literally incorporated in the cabinets and veneered in place.  They have failed and Klipsch has sent me two other plate amps and they both failed.  Now Klipsch has partnered with Onkyo for the new Sevens and will not respond to my messages for repair. 

 

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ghdprentice's avatar
ghdprentice
9,423 posts
 

I have a friend that has struggled for years with problems from the internal amplification on a set of speakers. Had to take apart the speaker and send the am in... that was not it... then some other active piece. My intuition has always been to stay away from them, his continued experiences have solidified that. 

Determining the value would probably have to be done with a dealer who would have listened to dozens of speaker and amp combinations over time with the same streamer / DAC / preamp inputs to come up with a judgement. 

parkergetdean
1,036 posts
 

Klipsch sells the highest volume of speakers on the planet  and pretty much consists of a mid-fi and a hifi division. I never heard the Sevens but wouldn't be surprised if it was in the hifi realm. But generally not a fan of the Klipsch sound.

roadcykler
338 posts
 

You can sure tell the old, "get off my lawn" kind of guys in this thread. 

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