Passive or Passé?

I love to overhear enthusiastic conversation. I love it even more so if it’s something I take an interest in (be that an active interest or a more passive one). I find that when I’m utilising my spy-like eavesdropping capabilities I often learn interesting views and opinions.

At a gig in Birmingham I was once given the delightful opportunity to listen to why, exactly, Funktion 1s are the best systems in the world (this was explained to me far too late in the evening by a rather excitable fellow who seemed to be having some issues with standing still). He proceeded to explain that his system ‘gives off a lot of renaissance man’ to which I had no reply. As he explained how certain frequencies vibrate the walls of the warehouse we were stood I couldn’t stop a rather large grin from playing across my face. It’s ok I survived the tale. Never mock a man, his vocabulary or his system.

Viva la Resonance!

It’s important to realise that PA system owners are a special breed (especially when they talk like proud parents of their system ‘child’). Often I have found myself sat in the middle of an (unnecessarily) complex discussion about the pros and cons of Funktion 1 vs Mackie….

I’m not qualified to answer, or even give my opinion on such things, but I have lifted enough systems to have an opinion on the broader Active vs Passive system mass debate.

There’s less bits to an active system but the bits that there are tend to be heavier.

They are quicker to set up and seem to deliver a better size to gain ratio.

Simple

So why do I own a passive system?

Money.

Isn’t it always the way.

If you are in a small to medium sized venue, maybe around 500 capacity or less, you’re fine with passive speakers. You don't get a lot of headroom, but, you also don't need that much with a small amount in your venue.For anything larger then that, you going to need an active crossover network and therefore you’re going to need to go and visit that nice chap at the bank who, in the nicest possible way, explains that you’re not eligible for that additional overdraft facility.So why is the choice size dependant?

Headroom. By limiting the amount of frequencies and maximizing the power going to each driver, you can increase the headroom by a large amount.With an active, you need an amp channel for each of the drivers in your box. In addition, you also need an active crossover as well. Plus all of the cables going down to each of the amps.

This adds to the weight…. But…

When the active approach is taken, the most critical 'match' in the entire path of the audio system (the amplifier/crossover/loudspeaker chain) can be approached as a whole, far more efficiently, each component working in its most optimal scenario, yielding potentially superior results to a more "conventional" passive approach.

It’s matched, there’s no need to tweak or fiddle, you can just turn up and play.

I like it.

Colin Miller has gone into much more depth than I could so to learn more please visit http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_9_4/feature-article-active-speakers-12-2002.html