I disagree. Active loudspeakers cost a lot more than passive ones. It costs less to get a passive speaker and a good separate amplifier. There are good active speakers on the market, but you have a lot more options with passive speakers. Also, active speakers require AC power which necessitates outlets close to each one. I doubt that the situation is going to change soon because of the popularity of decent AVRs.
Until pre-pros become cheaper, a receiver with pre-outs is at present the way to go if you need or want more powerful amplification. It is cheaper to get an external amp repaired than the inboard active speaker amp should you have to ship for service.