Active crossover speakers/systems - what are current options?

mirekti

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Feb 3, 2015
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I wondered what is currently in the market of active speakers that is worth being discussed on this forum i.e. price no limit, but low price should be a limiter? ;-)

I am aware of Linkwitz 521 with nCore amps, Kii audio three. What else is there? Please exclude active speakers which use passive crossover and have the amp in the box.
 

c1ferrari

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Grimm Audio LS1/LS1s, ATC.
 

Nyal Mellor

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Jul 14, 2010
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I wondered what is currently in the market of active speakers that is worth being discussed on this forum i.e. price no limit, but low price should be a limiter? ;-)

I am aware of Linkwitz 521 with nCore amps, Kii audio three. What else is there? Please exclude active speakers which use passive crossover and have the amp in the box.

ATC.

Many active options: 19AT, 40A, 50A, 100A, 150A, 200A, 300A. e.g. http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/hi-fi/loudspeakers/tower-series/scm50asl/.

They have two levels of amp pack for everything 50 and over. The standard amp pack and the fully discrete "anniversary" amp pack.

Honestly one of the best speakers I have heard.
 

Rodney Gold

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Jan 29, 2014
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Meridian make some excellent DSP actives
8000 series , old 6000 series etc
I had old ATCs as well, scm50a , not like the meridians but very good
 

awsmone

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Apr 6, 2014
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Canberra Australia
I wondered what is currently in the market of active speakers that is worth being discussed on this forum i.e. price no limit, but low price should be a limiter? ;-)

I am aware of Linkwitz 521 with nCore amps, Kii audio three. What else is there? Please exclude active speakers which use passive crossover and have the amp in the box.

ATC
ADAM
Goldmund
PMC
Meridian
Grimm
Linn
BMW

not exhaustive
 

dallasjustice

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Apr 12, 2011
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The Linkwitz LX is really good. And the JBL M2 might be the best available at this time. From your OP, it appears your question is limited to digitally active speakers, right?
 

bonzo75

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mirekti

New Member
Feb 3, 2015
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Dallas, TX
It's been almost a year since I've started searching for my dream setup. The times are really exciting and I keep having a feeling something great will pop up just next week.
There are more and more active solutions and usage of well designed DSPs, hence this thread.

My current top 3 choices (not all active) would be:

1. Linkwitz 521 and Hypex Pro amps and dsp.
2. Used Devialet and MBL 116F setup (passive, but with SAM it could get a bit corrected).
3. Kii Audio Three

I must admit I've seen JBL M2, but wasn't interested. After reading a bit, they might end up being quite interesting.
The interesting part is they have huge sweet spot which is something I prefer so I can listen to the music with my wife.

Anyhow, thanks for the replies so far. I am looking forward for more.

From your OP, it appears your question is limited to digitally active speakers, right?

Correct.
 

bonzo75

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Is that the one JV loved?
That was Avantgarde's trio with bass horns, different animal, can be made active, my favorite. The Zero is their bottom range model but I only like their biggest, though the Zeros are good as a kit for someone who wants a basic set up without the mess of separates in a small room
 

nicoludio

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Apr 15, 2014
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FrantzM

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Apr 20, 2010
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Hi

We, audiophiles, regularly dismiss barands that do not bear the audiophile seal-of-approval and yet. Honest audition would convince us some items are worthy of our times and perhaps our investment.
The brand? Bang and Olufsen, that of the "Lifestyle" products. The Beolab 5
beolab-5-2gg6.jpg
however is a good to serious sounding product. at <$20K. It is Full range and correct sounding. Would mop-the-floor with many so-called audiophile speakers costing by their lone selves much more. Its reviews in Audiophile publication has reviewers dumbfounded and quite hesitant: They would love to hate it but find themselves quite attracted and frankly so would many of us but then we would lose a good deal of our audiophile creds wouldn't we? ;) :D...

I would like to hear their last attempt at the SOTA in speaker active speaker design:
The Beolab 90 @ $80K!! , I find it quite ugly however :)
BeoLab-90-Pair.jpg
 

Phelonious Ponk

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Jun 30, 2010
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I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think that beolab 90 is much more attractive than a lot of high end-approved speakers. And for anyone who finds the JBL M2s interesting, those are pro audio speakers, and there's a whole world of them out there to explore if you can get past the high end-approved mind set.

Tim
 

bonzo75

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I have heard JBL K2 6000 twice in different set ups, 4520 in another set up (pro-audio), and the Beolab 90. I prefer most other high-end (and low-end) speakers. The K2 6000 was pretty expensive, btw, even a used pair will go for around 25k EUR.
 

Rodney Gold

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Jan 29, 2014
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The beolab is a tour de force on paper..I would love to hear and fiddle with them.

I suppose their looks could grow on you if they lit up your sound quality world.
 

FrantzM

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The beolab is a tour de force on paper..I would love to hear and fiddle with them.

I suppose their looks could grow on you if they lit up your sound quality world.

Same hear (here? :D)
 

FrantzM

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