JimJ, you realize only about ten of us here actually know what an L-pad is without having to Google it, right? lol
I will say this - even with identical setups between active and passive, once a certain level (caliber, if you will) of drivers and amplifiers attained, and levels are matched and all that happy horseshit, the active setup will yield better overall dynamics, due to a better "grip" on the coils, and quite possibly, better resolution, to an experienced listener. It may not be night and day but it will be there, and would probably be best appreciated by listening to the active setup for a continued period of time (weeks, possibly months) and then switching to the "identical" passive setup. I would defy you to find it not lacking in "something" even if you yourself couldn't identify what that might be. This effect would, of course, differ with various equipment being used as with anything else of this nature.
I will say this - even with identical setups between active and passive, once a certain level (caliber, if you will) of drivers and amplifiers attained, and levels are matched and all that happy horseshit, the active setup will yield better overall dynamics, due to a better "grip" on the coils, and quite possibly, better resolution, to an experienced listener. It may not be night and day but it will be there, and would probably be best appreciated by listening to the active setup for a continued period of time (weeks, possibly months) and then switching to the "identical" passive setup. I would defy you to find it not lacking in "something" even if you yourself couldn't identify what that might be. This effect would, of course, differ with various equipment being used as with anything else of this nature.