Fidelity
The main benefit of active versus passive speakers is in the higher fidelity associated with active crossovers and multiple amplifiers, including less IMD, higher dynamic range and greater output power.
[1] The amplifiers within the loudspeaker enclosure may be ideally matched to the individual drivers, eliminating the need for each amplifier channel to operate in the entire audio bandpass. Driver characteristics such as power handling and impedance may be matched to amplifier capabilities.
[2] More specifically, active speakers have very short
speaker cables inside the enclosure, so very little voltage and control is lost in long speaker cables with higher resistance.
An active speaker often incorporates equalization tailored to each driver's response in the enclosure.
[14] This yields a flatter, more neutral sound. Limiting circuits (high-ratio
audio compression circuits) can be incorporated to increase the likelihood of the driver surviving high-SPL use. Such limiters may be carefully matched to driver characteristics, resulting in a more dependable loudspeaker requiring less service. Distortion detection may be designed into the electronics to help determine the onset of protective limiting, reducing output distortion and eliminating
clipping.
[15]