Active speaker, the future? or another fad?

The major marketing disadvantage is the fact that hifi addicts like to change their equiptment, and with 'Active' you cant change your speakers or amps independent of each other. Its the same reason you see such big discounts on the MF one box CD/Preamp on the used market. The greatest advantages are, amps tailored to the speakers, usually a separate amp for each driver, no cables with the inherent problems and variables, and less electronics to find room for. Meridian has been marketing 'active' speakers for as long as I remember, ATC and other companies that produce professional sound reinforcement have been doing so for quite some time also. Most speakers available as 'active' or 'passive' are said to sound their best 'active'. I think its a very good solution to the matching aspect of amp/speaker interaction. Not a fad, a well tested solution for some. I myself would love to have some active ATCs someday.

I know that Onhwy61 and I are polar opposites when it comes to this, but that's what makes life interesting.

I fully believe that the ATCs will knock your socks off. That is also true of a lot of pro audio gear.

However, looking at the progression that the vast majority of audiophiles go through, combining an amplifier and speaker in one package just does not appeal to most people. Me among them.

In my experience, different speakers work to varying degrees in different rooms, and for different tastes. Partnering amplifiers work to varying degrees with different speakers, and for different tastes. The ability to not alter this equation as I go through my audio journey represents a hindrance, not a benefit to me. Although, I would like to think that if I hear something that knocks my socks off and is the best I have come across, presuming I could manage the cost, I would buy it. But, somehow I just know there is enough evolution in most of us audiophiles that over the long term, I would eventually come to want something else, and the freedom of having these two components decoupled be represent a major appeal to me.

Just one man's opinion...

mackie makes lots of powered speakers and their technology keeps getting better. I use their SA1521 (one 15" and a horn) for amplification (live music) and it's scarily good for the $ (about $850 apiece). The imaging could be better, not surprising given the width of the thing, but it sounds very natural, not at all tinny and plastic, like a lot of PA stuff does (including their lesser models), and you could fill a concert hall or two with it. Plus they're incredibly reliable. It would be interesting to build a two channel system with pro audio gear - the price/value ratio probably would be way better than 'audiophile' gear - except that the wife acceptance factor would kill it!

Linn has had Active systems for a long time now. I am one who owns one and can say the step up from passive, even passive tri-amped to active was huge! That said, my system is incredibly cumbersome to dismantel and reassemble, which I unfortunately will have to do AGAIN as Linn just recalled all 7 of my amps, and the amp in the subwoofer!!! The cabling is redundant to say the least. Power conditioning becomes a huge issue, and forget about a simple amp upgrade!!!! That said, I couldn't go back to the speakers in passive form...

All that said, I love the sound and ease with which they play music and movies and will likely keep them for quite a while. I haven't heard the Genelec's yet, which are more to what you are asking about (IE an all in one) nor have I heard the Avante Garde Solo's, which are similar, but I thing they represent a positive move in audio, and should they get established, I suspect many would feel as I do and use them.

Just my .02.

I would like to adress what Trelja commented on, in that I understand an "audiophile's" desire to "tinker" and find combo's he feels best match his speakers/needs. Really however, whether an amp is built into a speaker or not makes no difference from one scenario to the next. If that amp is maximized to sound it's best, and perform to highest standards, it's a much better proposition than doing "passive amplification/crossover" approach BY A LOT!
i WOULD TAKE ANY DAY A BETTER ACTIVE DESIGN with built in amp over my best amp sellection on my favorit speakers, yes!..that is if I like the overall sound of the active speaker to begin with. If a speaker has the ultra refined transparancy I've come to appreaciate from companies like Thiels, Wilson's, Magnapan's, Merlin VSM'setc), and has kept that integrity in an active design(only better in dynamics and soundstage/realism), then I'm all for it! If a company can make a successful effort with the above mentioned speaker designs, I wholehartedly feel they can keep "that sound" with careful amp sellection in an active effort, yes!!!...why not?
If that's the case, I wouldn't sweat the "amp selection" any. I'll gladely take the "active advantage", yes sir!..much more control, dynamics, pressence, realism, power, finnesse, speed, wow, you name it! (if you want a tast in a "quasi active design", go hear Avantgardes).
Although, you don't have to have "built in amp's" to have an "active speaker design". Avlar out of Systems Design Group in Redondo Beach, California makes a very high end sounding "active speaker" ($12k-30k/pr I think), that is basically a "speaker enclosure with drives(although well designed ones)" minus crossover. You use an external crossover(they used Krell at one point), with their own amplification(was Krell). In this case, you could use whatever amp's and crossover you chose!...YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE STUCK WITH THIS COMBO! you could use any amp/crossover you chose...this might be a better OPTION for those who want to tinker..and those speakers sound exceptional! I'd take those over any typical passive high end design, if willing to spend the money, indeed...very very dynamic/powerful(stomps passive designs in the dirt!), yet very refined and high end sound. The best I've heard in an active design personally.
Speaker makers can offer a choice of "built in amp/crossover" or "external amp/crossover" and still maintain an "all active design"! The latter let's you chose your weapons, the former just offers a simpler, yet effective approach, like I presume ATC offers.
I've not yet heard ATC's, only heard reviews on the $90K one's.
Anyway, It would be "nothing" for a company to build active speakers, and offer an outboard external active crossover that works extremely well, then let you either chose your amp's (like we already do all the time anyway), or chose theirs! Simple really. Yet, every high end speaker maker has given me all the excuses why they are "not interested" enlarge in active speakers. Mainly, "heat"(although digital amps run cool), space(BS if you ask me), cost(what cost?!!) marketing problems(I guess they think everyone is stuck in a "passsive speaker rut" in the home market..dunno.), etc.
I've said it before and I'll say it again..."high end speakers are stuck in the passive realm with limited dynamic transparancy and realism" If you think not, just pop in any heavy rock, techno, rap, ESPECAILLY FULL RANGE MOVIE TRACKS FROM dd/dts, and listen to your pathetic full range speakers distort, flatten out, and cry for dynamic help!!!! Basically, most all high end passives sound pathetically whimpy and laid back dynamically for the most part. When you feed em the goods, they go "bye bye"! (ok for Dianna Krall and "pawn shop", but not for Metalica sorry).
MORE ACTIVE SPEAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I'd promote Avantgarde's if you din't have to sit right between the freakin things....)