From pro to hi-fi and a little confused...


I didn't want to bother you guys with another "which speaker" thread, but I've been on the fence for three weeks and could really use some advice.

Right now, I have an HSU VTF-2 ready to backup whatever loudspeakers I find and because I already have pre outs on my soundcard and mixer, I'm really looking hard at active speakers. My budget runs up to $2,000 and I'm setup in a mid-sized room that won't allow for floorstanders. Also, I listen to everything from classical to rock and need something that will not bust my eardrums, but allow me to be on-stage with the band to feel the music as well as hear it.

The Dynaudio Focus 110a's seem to have the sound quality I need, but I just don't know if they can represent rock music well?
mtnrnr3
The problem with actives is that when the amp goes south, so do the speakers. Common sense (not always followed) would indicate that neither the speaker nor the amp should be too pricey, since they're getting married...

There is also the consideration of whether you want the heat of the amp and the speaker coils in the same cabinet, or the rocking and rolling of the speaker being passed on to the amp, and probably some other things I have not thought of. Upgrade paths get complicated as well, since you have to upgrade two separate components simultaneously.

I don't mean to rain on your parade but those are the reasons I stopped looking for active speakers.

Being acquainted with pro sound, have you looked at Klipsch and Tannoy? If you buy used, you can get lots of decibels for your coin.
The problem I have with active (owned them twice) speakers is they are a pain to turn on and off. I'm not one of those who leaves equipment on 24/7 and it was a pain to reach behind the speakers for the power switch.
This may not concern you if you intend to leave them on or maybe have them situated for easy access. Something to consider.
Genelec 8040a or ATC SCM 16a are also worth checking out. Both will be a lot more accurate than the 110a which is kind of warm sounding from the low port tuning.
I second the comment about looking at Klipsch & Tannoy. The only component you would need to add if you use a passive speaker, would be an amp. No pre-amp, or receiver would be needed, as a matter of fact, you would most likely be able to save a bit on cables, since speaker wire is usually less $$ pr.ft. than interconnects.

I'd suggest listening to a pair of Klipsch Heresys, and mating them to a nice amp. Heresys can be found well under a grand used, and don't require any more than a good 100wpc to blow your hair back. there are countless excellent amps out there (new, or used) that would fit the bill for whats left of your 2K budget.

Cliff
I just looked them up, and Klisch Haeresy IIIs are only $800 NEW! That would leave you $1200 for an amp & cables... now I'm even more confident in my recommendation. LOL!
Cliff