We Compare Active, Powered and Passive Speakers

If you’re in the market for a brand new set of speakers and all of the terminology is throwing you off completely, you’re certainly not the only one. of the things that people new to the world of speakers get confused about most are the differences between active and passive speakers, and in some cases, they may even buy the wrong option for them entirely due to a lack of knowledge. In this article, we take a look at the key differences to give you a much clearer understanding of which might be the right option for you.

Understanding powered and passive speakers

If you’re finding all of the audio visual installation services in Melbourne to not offer very clear guidance about which speakers are ideal for which situation, let’s get things straight – these terms refer to how a speaker is (or isn’t) powered. When it comes to speakers, the terms active, passive and powered relate to the speaker amplification, while the crossover element relates to how audio signals are sent to the drivers. Although they are often compared, powered speakers are different to active speakers. Powered speakers feature their own amplifier, so consider them like a plug and play option. These speakers are often quite compact and are commonly used as part of a desktop (or similar) setup. These are a good option for people who can’t be bothered with additional setup, which also usually makes them a more affordable option when used as part of large setups. Passive speakers. Active speakers contain separate amplifiers that power low and high frequency ranges, which is why they are often mistaken for powered speakers. Passive speakers on the other hand provide passive crossover components that amplify an audio signal and split it up between all of the drivers in the speaker using a single speaker amplifier.

What works for your budget?

The cost can make the choice confusing for some people, as although powered and active speakers can often be more expensive than passive speakers, the built in application is what is contributing to the cost, rather than the quality of the audio output. On the other hand, this can make them much better value for someone who isn’t interested in the often exorbitant cost of adding an amp to power passive speakers – this option adds much better upgrade paths in the future, however. At the end of the day, though, people serious about audio recommend that as many separate components are bought as possible as part of a system, as these will produce better sound due to each component providing a dedicated role.

What is right for you?

It might still be a bit unclear whether powered, active or passive speakers are for you, but having some rough idea about you needs can help you work this out to a degree – if you’re looking to build a system that emphasises quality regardless of all the extra components and related cost, you should probably look into a passive setup, but if you are instead looking for a pair of zippy speakers that don’t necessarily require an amp. We would recommend you invest in a pair of good active speakers – these will do a great job in dedicated PC setups or as a small bedroom kit. You can always ask audio visual Installation technicians