Powered or Passive

[bluishbob]

What do you chaps go for ....powered speakers or amps. Also why....any reasons?

[Dragonfly]

have to say my decision to go active was based purely on weight ...... just lug 2/3 speakers to and from the transport as opposed to 2/3 speakers and 2 heavy flightcased amps.

[groovy-nights]

Powered here also best speakers i have ever got the mackie srm450

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I've got a mixture of both - it really depends on the application.

I have Mackie SRM450s and 1501 subs, EV SXA100s which are active and Mackie C300Z, KAM INSPRO10s which are passive and 2 sets of the Yamaha StagePAS 300 which use a powered mixer.

[Corabar Steve]

2 sets of the Yamaha StagePAS 300 which use a powered mixer.

Does that make them semi active? :dhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/contrib/scorchio/sgrin.gif:d

[Vectis]

Passive every time. Lots of flexibility to cope with the extreme variations in venue sizes/acoustics that are found in my neck of the woods.

[Vibrant Sounds]

I went over to Powered/Active, I thought it was the best move I ever made. Then I downsized, better move, many B&Gs want a more discreet appearance from their evenings entertainment, not a massive tower stack of speakers more suited to a Wembley performance.

Big stacks of speakers and large Bass Bins are ideal for banging 18 and 21sts but not the more intimate event like a wedding, so I use one or two powered subs discretely hidden under my deckstand and either a pair of Mackie SRM350s or for bigger events SRM450s. Looks smart, great sound, plenty loud enough and takes up little room. Just wish I was better at the DJing bit, that only comes with experience though.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Passive every time. Lots of flexibility to cope with the extreme variations in venue sizes/acoustics that are found in my neck of the woods.

And why couldn't active be as flexible? :confused:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I went over to Powered/Active, I thought it was the best move I ever made. Then I downsized, better move, many B&Gs want a more discreet appearance from their evenings entertainment, not a massive tower stack of speakers more suited to a Wembley performance.

Big stacks of speakers and large Bass Bins are ideal for banging 18 and 21sts but not the more intimate event like a wedding, so I use one or two powered subs discretely hidden under my deckstand and either a pair of Mackie SRM350s or for bigger events SRM450s. Looks smart, great sound, plenty loud enough and takes up little room. Just wish I was better at the DJing bit, that only comes with experience though.

Do you use the Mackie subs or something else?

Do they fit under your stand OK?

I've got a bit of an issue at the moment, as I have a different mixer case which needs to be lower on the deckstand, so therefore the bars on the stand need to be lower and the sub won't fit underneath anymore.

[Dragonfly]

Do you use the Mackie subs or something else?

Do they fit under your stand OK?

I've got a bit of an issue at the moment, as I have a different mixer case which needs to be lower on the deckstand, so therefore the bars on the stand need to be lower and the sub won't fit underneath anymore.

speak to callum Daz hes got some bose he might let you have :D :D :D :D :p :p

[Vibrant Sounds]

Do you use the Mackie subs or something else?


I use a pair of DB Tech opera 41.15s, one fits absolutely perfectly under my ultimax stand when it is set at 600mm with the SRM350s on the outriggers, and two fit better under the stand with the 1200mm sides attached. It actually sounds better with the two subs together as they are then acoustically coupled and I use these with the SRM450s on tripod stands much more power and a great sound. If required I can then use the SRM350s in other rooms or to act as boosters in a really large venue.

[Jiggles]

speak to callum Daz hes got some bose he might let you have :D :D :D :D :p :p

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :( :( :( :( :D

[Vectis]

And why couldn't active be as flexible? :confused:

OK so they could be as flexible.... but at a price!

I carry two amps (plus a spare at home) and have a choice of 4 sets of full-range speakers ranging from 150W 12" up to 500W 18", plus a pair of subs. I usually take two pairs or two pairs plus subs with me depending on venue.

For the occasional large venue or outside gig I can go up to all 3 amps and all 5 sets of bins.

[spin mobile disco]

Go for passive myself, prefer the idea of a spare amp rather than relying on a single built in one. I know the mackies have 4 amps per pair and that is fine but a bit to high a budget for me.

[PropellerHeadCase]

Yeah, I'm with Spin, I'd rather have an amp with which something could go wrong and a speaker with which something could go wrong, as opposed to both in the same box with which twice as many things could go wrong :o

Plus all of my amps are in one box (though I am going to split them out, for various reasons) so I'd rather carry one heavy box and several relatively light speakers than several heavy speakers.

[Vibrant Sounds]

I know the mackies have 4 amps per pair and that is fine but a bit to high a budget for me.

Quite a few Powered speakers are Bi-Amped, even Thomann's "The Box" active range are all Bi-amped with active x-overs built in, and they are not expensive The 12" 400watt RMS Full Range cost about £170 each. The 15" ones are below £200 each.

I have owned both sets and they are really good, I would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone starting out.

I would rather take a pair of active subs and a pair of bi-amped active tops.
6 separate amplifiers, within 4 cabinets. Plenty of inbuilt backup and also very, very versatile.

But in this wonderful world of ours, "each to their own", they say and the powered system suits me down to the ground.

But I think the main difference is:-

The manufacturer will have installed the optimum amplifiers into the cabinets for that size speaker and with good design they should be optimally matched.

This is not always the case with passive systems as often the beginner has little idea of audio signal requirements, often buyers choose the speakers and/or amp he thinks will work together or to match something he already has, or usually based on his budget, rarely has a beginner any idea of how to set an active x-over (most common fault of poorly set up systems). The Powered/Active systems can help combat this as it is pretty foolproof and the beginners sound will benefit from this.

Just my two-penneth.

[Sapphire Disco]

Passive for me, I just don't like the idea of running 2 cables to speakers & one being 240volt mains.

[Candybeatdiscos]

Passive here also - never had active's before and as they say if it aint broke dont fix it - might try actives at some point but cash thin at moment and would rather spend cash on advertising at the mo

[jamesh]

I have a mixture of both powered and passive speakers and bass bins but have to say i do prefer the powered as it's saves you carrying the amps in seperate...

PLus if anything goes wrong with one of the powered speakers at a gig i still have the other one that can continue the music while the problem gets sorted or the back up is set up. Should something go wrong with an amp on a passive system unless you have a main back up you are screwed and while your setting up the backup there is no music....

[Dragonfly]

now i know im the forum technical numpty (wired a plug to the wrong end of a lead) but im sure someone told me that the amps in powered speakers work more effeciantly than amps with passive speakers??? maybe those with a better knowledge of such things could enlighten us??

[Vibrant Sounds]

now i know im the forum technical numpty (wired a plug to the wrong end of a lead) but im sure someone told me that the amps in powered speakers work more effeciantly than amps with passive speakers??? maybe those with a better knowledge of such things could enlighten us??

Whilst I cannot say for certain that the following is true. It would stand to reason that any reputable Major Brand Manufacturer (Mackie, EV, Bose etc) would install the most appropriate amplifier to match both the speaker, horn and the cabinet they are in. Both in frequency response and power. They can also tailor exactly the active x-over to match the output from the amp so that less power is wasted on it's way to the speakers themselves.

It would take a serious amount of work be the end user to get the same results from a passive/separates system as he would not have access to all the engineering and technical design teams the Manufacturers have.

I would hazard a guess, that many more drivers and horns from passive systems are blown during use than are from powered systems. I would expect that this would be due to mismatched and poorly set up equipment, offset by inaccurate information as to the speakers capabilities/expectations.

[Dragonfly]

wow .... what a fantastic reply i understood every word of that plain english .... ta muchly that man.

[flatliners]

active for me i have two jbl eon 15 g2 and carlsbro gamma powered but the only time i would get passive is if i go for the nexo sub and satelite system i have been eyeing up just not sure anyone used nexo

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Not sure anyone could afford it!

[symo]

Any of you lot had any experience of the B52 matrix system? I know that comes in a 800 and 1000W flavour, very popular over the pond or so I am led to believe.

[Twinspin]

I have had passive speakers. But i went active not long ago. With the
HK Audio Lucas 1000.

The satellites that connect to the lucas 1000 are passive. These connect to the lucas sub using a speakon cable. The HK Subwoofer houses all the systems amplifiers. The system sounds great and its been reliable. So i cant complain.

active for me.

[Spirits High]

Have both but the passive are purely back up.
My actives are W Audio PSR15's and I love em!

[jamesh]

Any of you lot had any experience of the B52 matrix system? I know that comes in a 800 and 1000W flavour, very popular over the pond or so I am led to believe.

Yeah i heard the B52 Matrix not so long ago at the speaker demo in Coalville..... For the size of the system i was very impressed. It was punchy but not too toppy as some of the HK clones can be... If you want give me a pm and i can give you the contact of a guy who uses one week in week out...

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Yeah i heard the B52 Matrix not so long ago at the speaker demo in Coalville..... For the size of the system i was very impressed. It was punchy but not too toppy as some of the HK clones can be... If you want give me a pm and i can give you the contact of a guy who uses one week in week out...

Barry by any chance? ;)

[jamesh]

ha ha ha hit the nail on the head.... Think he's still very happy with the system too...