To those that are ACTIVE or want to or plan to

[SSS 18734 5,000+ posts]

Why be limited to a single set of crossover points and a single set of slopes that both change with impedance and divert energy from the drivers themselves? Why would I want to design or buy new crossover networks every time I wanted to change components?

There's nothing inherently wrong with a passive setup, but splitting the signal so that the amplifier only reproduces a smaller portion of the audio spectrum has big advantages.

 

[Jeremy M 10+ year member]

I went active cuz i read soo many good things about it. I wanted to see what i was missing out on by using passive x-overs.

Once I made the switch, I liked the fact that i could gain more control over each speaker seperately and also i wanted to get a taste of what it's like to have your sound stage (think shakira on your dash) set in a SQ fashion....vocals from the mirror, guitar from the left and horns on the right, etc etc.

 

[XaznKewLguyX 10+ year member]

way to post something that has already been posted twice. good job.

whats your point? I didn't want to read the whole thread so kiss my ***.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I think someone just got served.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

I did it first, people copied.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[smoka 10+ year member]

Well, one reason to go active is so you can pick out your own components. While researching component sets I kept hearing "This set has great tweets" or "This set has great midbass". Everyone wants the best of both worlds so I decided to handpick my components.

I went with a seas tweeter and CDT midbass with a total of $160 for the set. Not installed yet but if I don't like one of them, then I'll just replace ONE set of speakers and not the whole component set.

So thats why I'm going active.

 

[shaneb 10+ year member]

dbl

 

[shaneb 10+ year member]

Why?
Why do you want to go active? because everyone else is doing it?

Added tuna, and no.

What is your goal with it? What happens after you go active?

I think you asked the same question twice...hmph

You set the crossover points... then what?

It's starting to look like you are answering your previous question.

Will it automatically make your speakers sound better just because you get to set your own crossover points?

No

What if you set your crossover points that's exactly like the passive crossover of the comp set (assuming it's a component set)?

Then good.

What's with this new active movement?

Too much fat people.

Please try to reply without using the term "SQ."

Improved Sound Qualities, not quality.

 

[ls2poweredgoat 5,000+ posts]

1) Independant t/a and level control for each speaker.2) Being able to choose whatever slope I want at all of my crossover points.

3) Less expensive buying raw speakers than buying a new comp set every time I want to try new speakers out.

You hit the nail on the head.

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

I did it first, people copied.

Psshh...

nG

 

[mobeious 10+ year member]

alot of people think that since they go active they have a SQ setup ... not really .... alot of people don't even know what real SQ is unless u can place instruments on the hood of ur car and about 6- 12" off each side of the hood u don't have SQ.. i guess the only real benifit of running active is to choose what speakers u want to run if u dont want to run a standard comp set. i went from ID OEM and NX30 tweet active to Focal 164vr3 passive and love them

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

Yes I can, however not very well. After rereading it I see your talking about the biamped set sounding better, i thought you went back to referring to a active set, my bad. However ive only seen one set of biampable passive, I think it was some BA z6's maybe? And from the looks of it I thought it just had a place for another input effectively just allowing you to apply more power? So could you not do the same by just giving the same amount of power threw the passives?

A 50x4 amp on a bi-wireable a passive doesn't have any advantage over that same amp bridged down 100x2 other than independent gain. Go for the power and attenuate with the passive if it allows, the HU, or an L pad?

Another advantage to having active control is L/R EQ-ablility, which to me, is essential in getting the left and right sides of your ummmm "stereo" to play together across your noggin. Nothing worse than hearing speakers.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

someone said independent gains/levels? is that for every single speaker? or in pairs, as tweeters separate from the mids?

Independent levels for every speaker is nice. you'd be able to balance both left and right channels much easier, whether it be tweets, midrange, or midbasses.

Being able to set your own xover points and slopes is just the beginning. You pick and choose speakers to your liking, tonally.. cool. next? soundstage. now that you're active, you can start to try and achieve a stage. yes a stage. not a front stage. no need to say front stage. that's just redundant. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

independent control for every speaker. levels. delay. eq. you use that control to reproduce the recorded material/stage.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

Tell them to get a set that can be bi-amped. It's one step closer to going active. and we all know active is the shiz. It'll give them more flexibility and make their setup 'sound better'

Why restrict yourself to the very small handful of component sets that are bi-ampable, when you can use any speakers in the entire world to go active?