Gene, with all due respect, for me, I see no use in these audio showcases from the standpoint of an end-user. Of course, that’s me and I’ve been around for a million years.
Having been disgusted with the way that the advancement of digital audio has proceeded, the majority of my next system is going to be in software. It’s much cheaper and more efficient. The only problem is that it’s a lot of work. I am up for it.
The other part is that I’m designing my own loud speakers and they will be fully active. Obviously, I’m not your average audiophile.
Also, I am a musician so this is not a hobby to me. It’s a way of life. It’s a large part of life. To make the best possible music mixes, you need the best audio system. I’m not going to pay ridiculous prices for top line loudspeakers and most especially if they are passive.
Active loudspeakers are the best speakers on the planet. That’s not even debatable and I’m not even starting that debate here. It’s just a fact.
And, if you know enough that you can make your own active speakers, the return on investment is incredible. You can make the best speakers in the world and pay drastically less than anything that is comparable that’s a commercial product.
Basically, it costs a lot less to cook at home than eat at restaurants. That analogy is perfect.