Anyone with passive subwoofer/s with external amplification?

@ted_b wrote:

I have a pair of Cerwin Vega CLS-15S (15" ported) subwoofers and one of the plate amps failed (cheap power supply caps). I converted both to passive, powered by a Crown XLS-2502 amp, which features an internal DSP with adjustable 24 dB/octave low pass filter. 

Myself I would call your "converted both to passive" step for 'converted to outboard active config.' I know that stripping your CV's from their plate amps/DSP technically makes them passive, but viewed as a DSP-amp-woofer/enclosure combo (in that order of connection) it's an actively configured system with outboard, separate components. 

This was definitely a step up in performance and reliability from inexpensive plate amps.

Glad to learn you've come to this conclusion. The interesting thing from this outset is that one can experiment with the choice of power amp for the subs and find out the difference it makes (and it really does make a difference), and hereby make for a more optimized integration with the mains and performance at large. It also gives you the freedom to experiment with the particular sub design and go further down the rabbit hole, so to speak, other than your typical anemically sized, low efficiency and sealed or (more rarely among audiophiles) ported solution.

I find it paradoxical almost that many audiophiles fail to consider this area and the improvements that can be had with outboard active sub systems - from a wider spectrum of choices, that is - that can be more readily tailor made to one's particular main speakers, setup overall and how far you really want to take it. I mean, look at the care and consideration invested in the main speakers and the amp chosen here - why not go that last step with the particularities of the sub design, amp and DSP?

And then there's the aspect of reliability that you bring up, where using a quality pro amp will be a vastly superior choice (remember the built-in fans can usually be replaced by low noise variants), not only with regard to reliability. Moreover the very high quality pro woofers that can be used in higher efficiency sub designs will last a lifetime with their sometimes extremely high power handling, excellent heat dissipation, rugged build, treated cones and cloth surrounds. 

And to answer the OP: yes, I use an outboard actively configured, high efficiency sub setup myself, and will never look back. 

@m-db I appreciate your response.  I agree that placement near the node like in the corner requires less gain adjustment then at the nulls. My subs ard placed 1/3 inward and so far it sounding the smoothest with the correct parameters. 

@phusis  

Agreed on all points and very well articulated.

I now view integrated plate amps purely as a convenience item, albeit one that is complex and unjustifiably expensive, always subjected to a violent environment, and largely regarded as disposable upon failure. However, convenience sells, and we have been collectively conditioned by the industry to accept this as normal. Count me among those who have extricated themselves from this narrative.

On a note about pro-audio amps and fans - the Crown XLS series fan is inaudible even when sitting next to it. The largest XLS-2502 is popular choice as a subwoofer amp among the home theater crowd and I can recommend it for anyone who follows suit.