Powered studio monitors

[Joe Schmoe]

I enjoy my passive studio monitors enough to be interested in trying powered models. Are any special electronics required, or is a reciever with pre-outs enough to hook them up? Since they have variable gain, could one perhaps skip the preamp and connect them directly to a CD player?

 

[cornelius]

Powered monitors are great - a quick and easy system could be an Oppo DVD/CD player directly into the monitors. The Oppo has a variable output via the remote. It's digital, so you may lose a little bit when lowering the volume, but it'll sound pretty good.

 

[avliner]

I enjoy my passive studio monitors enough to be interested in trying powered models..

Would you mind telling what's the make/model?

Regards, Chuck

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Would you mind telling what's the make/model?

Regards, Chuck

I have a pair of KRK ST6s. Sometimes I prefer them to my Boston floorstanders (not sure why, just a different sound I guess.) I am powering them with a Carver CM-1090, which sounds great, but I have read that powered monitors are even better (I have no special love for KRK, and would consider other brands.)
I tend to take a "set it and forget it" approach to volume, so all I would need is to obtain an appropriate volume once.
(I have speakers that I like, so this would be mostly an experiment. I wouldn't want to spend a lot.)

 

[fmw]

Just understand that there is no advantage to putting amplifiers inside the speaker enclosure when compared to putting them outside. This is done in the pro audio world as a matter of convenience, not because it represents some sonic or engineering advantage.

In the case of powered subwoofers, the purpose of the inboard amplifier is to relieve the amplifier of the duties of driving the bass which requires the greatest percentage of the available power. Different thing.

There are some fine powered speakers in the pro audio world. Genelec is a good example. They would be just as fine with the amplifiers somewhere else.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Just understand that there is no advantage to putting amplifiers inside the speaker enclosure when compared to putting them outside. This is done in the pro audio world as a matter of convenience, not because it represents some sonic or engineering advantage.

In the case of powered subwoofers, the purpose of the inboard amplifier is to relieve the amplifier of the duties of driving the bass which requires the greatest percentage of the available power. Different thing.

There are some fine powered speakers in the pro audio world. Genelec is a good example. They would be just as fine with the amplifiers somewhere else.

I see. So unless I were to buy monitors significantly better (thus also significantly more expensive) than the ones I have, I am unlikely to hear any improvement?
(I guess I thought that the advantage came from the speaker and amp being engineered to work together.)

 

[snickelfritz]

Elimination of the passive network is the benefit of active speakers.

Speakers such as the Genelec 208 are actually far less expensive than an equally accurate passive speaker system plus the amplifier.
That's assuming you could find a passive speaker for less than 10 grand that is as smooth and flat as the 208.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Elimination of the passive network is the benefit of active speakers.

Speakers such as the Genelec 208 are actually far less expensive than an equally accurate passive speaker system plus the amplifier.
That's assuming you could find a passive speaker for less than 10 grand that is as smooth and flat as the 208.

You are discussing a radically different league than the one I am playing in. I was thinking in terms of moving from a $200 pair of monitors and an amp that was around $800 new (and is now only available used around $400) to a pair of powered monitors in the $300-$600/pr range.

 

[johsti]

I just picked up a pair of used Mackie hR824's on craigslist. I purchased them for recording, but now they double as my 2-channel setup since they sound so much better than anything else for the money(used). They are widely available on the used market in your price range since the new MkII's are out. Any decent transport with a variable output should work fine.

 

[fmw]

I see. So unless I were to buy monitors significantly better (thus also significantly more expensive) than the ones I have, I am unlikely to hear any improvement?
(I guess I thought that the advantage came from the speaker and amp being engineered to work together.)

All I'm saying is that powered speakers won't improve the sound of your system unless they are better speakers. Just having the inboard power isn't the deciding factor. If it were, powered speakers would be the norm in the industry. You might save some money with powered speakers and some room on the equipment rack but you aren't likely to get any sonic advantage - all other things being equal.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

My conclusion is that is is best to stick with what I have, since I enjoy listening to them.

 

[abefroeman]

All I'm saying is that powered speakers won't improve the sound of your system unless they are better speakers. Just having the inboard power isn't the deciding factor. If it were, powered speakers would be the norm in the industry. You might save some money with powered speakers and some room on the equipment rack but you aren't likely to get any sonic advantage - all other things being equal.

I tend to disagree with this but I don't want to turn this into an active vs. passive thread.

"If it were, powered speakers would be the norm in the industry." Powered speakers are not the norm due to the difficulty of running power to each speaker and the consumer’s unfamiliarity with the product.

To the OP, go listen to Mackie HR824s, they are in your price range and will sound noticeably better than what you have.