I didn't understand what active speakers meant till I found out it has its own plug in. Then it made sense. I'm that sort of dummy when it comes to this stuff and why I need it put into layman terms. Much more a visual learner I'm afraid.
Yeah, that's the type of question which is easy to Google, but is fine to ask for additional clarification.
I mean, yes, active speakers have their own plug. But what does that mean?
It actually means that they have a built-in amplifier. Most subwoofers are considered 'active', for that very reason.
A passive speaker requires external amplification. In home theater, most speakers are passive except the subwoofer.
Most computer speakers are active, or have a subwoofer module which provides power to them.
It's always best to not overcomplicate things IMO. Instead of trying to learn everything up front, you will want to just figure out what your goals are, then focus on that. If your goal is to build a nice HT setup, then you need a budget and a room and then just ask and talk about it a bit. Some numbers may need to move. But there are often people that can help direct you towards the best options for your money and room size which saves a lot of guesswork. From there, you can ask about why people are making those recommendations.
But, often, it is your own personal tastes in music, listening, viewing, etc. which can help dictate a choice, and that isn't something that can just be put into a book and answered. You must listen to different speakers and decide for yourself which sound you like the most. Even if it disagrees with what some others recommend.
