where are all the active floorstanders

C

crossover

Audiophyte
browsing around there seemes to be a lack of a good selection of active 3/4 way floorstanders.
Why arent active speakers (other than monitors) common
There are actives for 20k but where are the 5k ones ?
Should I just spend 2k on active XO's and amps and build them myself ?
 
JerryLove

JerryLove

Audioholic Samurai
There are. Look up "wireless speakers". Portables, soundbars, surrounds (lots of surrounds), etc.

Why aren't there many large floor-standing mains that have built-in amps? Because there's little call for them (they are downright inconvenient). Those that do exist usually have built-in players/streaming clients.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
browsing around there seemes to be a lack of a good selection of active 3/4 way floorstanders.
Why arent active speakers (other than monitors) common
There are actives for 20k but where are the 5k ones ?
Should I just spend 2k on active XO's and amps and build them myself ?
I think you are over optimistic. I don't think a 5K active speaker would be much good. I think you need to be in the 10 to 20K range at least. If you want good active three ways you need to look at ATC who make a range of really fine active speakers for professional monitors and domestic loudspeakers.

I think if you have never designed and built a speaker before, the chances are you will fall on your face with a very bloody nose by starting with an active three way. Even if you did you will not come out for 5K.

Certainly you need to have experience of design with some simpler speakers first. You definitely need to start with a two way. You will need a capital outlay for speaker design software, tools and measuring equipment. If you go about it the right way there is nothing to stop you becoming an experienced and skilled designer. But you have to gain experience and it is all great fun and certainly not to be discouraged.

Now in an active speakers you still have to design the crossovers to the speakers acoustic responses.

Certainly there are advantages to going active, and for some designs in my opinion it is mandatory.

At crossover points below the 400 to 500 Hz range I think active designs are mandatory. Even in that range I think an active design is to be preferred. In the higher ranges, the advantages are less clear and there are certainly downsides. For one thing it is a really good way to blow tweeters if you don't include tweeter protection in the design. Even a small turn on thump is death to a tweeter.

So there is a lot to be said for hybrid designs where the lower crossovers are active and the higher crossovers passive.

If you can get a few good two way passive designs under your belt, then you are ready to may be undertake the design of three way speakers and active designs.

If you think you can buy off the shelf crossovers, amps and drivers and easily cobble together a first class speaker or even one that justifies the investment, then you are mistaken.

Certainly your aims are on target, and I agree that there should be more active speaker choices than there are. However few are able to justify the cost.
 
Swerd

Swerd

Audioholic Warlord
I got to agree with TLS Guy. His language may be blunt, but his advice is correct. In general, home audio has lagged behind pro audio when it comes to implementing active crossovers and internally powered speakers.
 
C

crossover

Audiophyte
ok thanks for the advice, sorry for the stupid queestion
 
John Parks

John Parks

Audioholic Samurai
ok thanks for the advice, sorry for the stupid queestion
First of all there are no stupid questions... Well you should know the rest. That being said, there are quite a few powered bookshelf speakers, the KEF LS50W first and foremost in my mind. As far as Tower of Power speakers, Dynaudio, Dali and Elac all have them, Elac falling right in your $5K area:
1581957798008.png
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
ok thanks for the advice, sorry for the stupid queestion
Who said it was a stupid question?!

It's one I didn't know the answer to myself, even if I had a guess or 2 with cost being up there pretty high.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Guy I know loves these but are more than 5k...
 
G

Grandzoltar

Full Audioholic

Buchardt has an active tower releasing soon called the a700. If you’ve never heard of Buchardt check them out. You can find many measurements of their s400 passive bookshelf speakers and a500 active bookshelf speakers. Even the bookshelves are 3 way.

If you don’t want to pay Dutch and Dutch 8c money. Those Buchardt a700’s are going to be the ticket.
 
JerryLove

JerryLove

Audioholic Samurai
No question is stupid if you ask it to learn the answer. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask :). So keep asking.
Officer, do you think it's morally correct to be letting me off with a warning when I was, in fact, speeding?
 
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