Why are we so passive?

both a lover of chamber music and a heavy metal fan in one design it would have been achieved by now.

Good point. The desired tailored coloration of many audiophiles means that "foolproof" active speakers are unattractive in many cases.

However, funnily enough, Michael Bishop at Telarc (well respected classical audiophile recording label) and ACDC (no introduction necessary) both agree on the same active speakers. So it might be possible to make a design that satisfies both camps.

with enuf $$$ a single package ultimately may be produced to satisfy all. makes me think of the car homer invented in the simpsons. btw, in that episode did anyone notice the thiel like speakers in uncle herbs' mansion? danny devito did the voiceover...

does a manufacture who is a speaker designer necessarily have a good ear ? he may select an amp which creates an unbalanced frequency response. when it comes to audio or life, one size (sound) does not fit all.

if i like set amps, and like a speaker, i might not purchase the speaker if it is designed with a solid state amp. it's an inflexible approach, regardless of the technical justification.

it's an inflexible approach, regardless of the technical justification.

True. It is certainly not popular with anyone looking to tailor the sound in a specific manner. Definitely a good reason why it may never get traction with audiophiles despite all the technical advantages.

It would be hilarious to speak with engineers some 20-40 years ago and ask them where they think we'd be in 2007. Fastforward...and the same people want tubes, vinyl, horn's...which really begs to ask a question...where will we be in 20 years and how much progress has the 'hifi' world made?