A good speaker system is a new level of pleasure that a person can get while listening to their favorite music or watching a movie. When choosing a speaker system, is it worth giving preference to more expensive active speakers, or can relatively inexpensive passive systems provide high sound quality?
How do passive and active speakers work?
Any speaker system is a sound emitter packed in a box of a certain design, which is called sound design. But in order for the speakers to sound, you need a receiver - an audio frequency amplifier that amplifies electrical vibrations in the range of sounds available to human hearing.
If the speaker system is equipped with such a receiver, the sound from the player is output directly to the speakers, which amplify the sound themselves. It is these systems that are called active. Passive speakers do not have a built-in receiver; to use them, you need an amplifier in the form of a separate device. Thus, in the case of passive speakers, the signal first passes through the receiver, and only then goes to the speakers.
Passive acoustics: it's so hard
Passive speakers tend to be cheaper than active speakers. However, this cheapness can be deceiving, as the user is forced to separately purchase the receiver, the cost of which can be quite substantial.
The choice of amplifier itself is not an easy task. So, the function of the receiver is not only to amplify the sound, but also to match the power and other indicators in the operation of the sound emitter of the speakers and the player. Therefore, when choosing a receiver for a passive speaker system, it is important to choose exactly one that can ensure a truly harmonious operation of all the devices used.
The difficulties that the owner of a passive speaker system will face are not limited to this: in order to enjoy music or a movie, the user will have to tinker with connecting and adjusting the amplifier.
Despite all the difficulties, the use of passive speakers also has its positive side: if desired, the owner can replace the old receiver with a more modern one, and the old speaker system will sound in a new way. An active speaker system is not upgradeable.
Due to their low cost, passive speakers are often used in home theaters and music centers. In addition, it is passive speaker systems that are used on large venues: during mass concerts and other public events, professionals have to tinker with setting up an external receiver in order to ensure high sound quality in any conditions.
Active acoustics: simple and high quality
Active speakers are equipped with a built-in receiver, and therefore will not create any difficulties for their owner. All you need to use them is to connect the system to a computer or turntable. The user does not need to worry about choosing and setting up an amplifier: the problem of matching the power of the amplifier and sound emitters has already been solved by the speaker manufacturer. Therefore, unlike passive speakers, active speakers will sound equally good, regardless of the player to which they are connected.
Active acoustic systems are professionally used for sounding small concerts and discos. Also, active speakers are ideal for use with a home computer, since they provide powerful and clear sound without additional costs and efforts on the part of the user.
