Question Suggestions for an active speaker please.

I've been pondering actives off and on for a while, although I've never heard any. However, it does come with a couple of conditions: Firstly, they'll need to be medium sized standmounts or compact floorstanders and secondly, I will need to use the Leema as a preamp... the in built analogue inputs of any actives isn't enough, as I don't want to ditch any of my current sources.

I know PMC produced a TB2 active, but as they're only available second hand now, I wouldn't want to take a chance in case I can't return them.

Budget? No idea at this stage as I'm just readdressing, so I'll look at budgets further down the line.

Any ideas would be helpful.

Cheers
 
D

Deleted member 188516

Guest
dare i mention avi ?!
a lot of people really rated them.
will be available again soon...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Al ears
Possibly look at Dali Callisto 2C or floorstanding 6C?
They are primarily wireless but it does state "Connection In: ADC-in (RCA)" and "ADC IN cabled connection. Connect the CALLISTO C speakers to a PRE OUT. The speaker will in this case operate with fixed gain. DALI recommends using high quality cables that preferably do not exceed 3 meters"
Not heard them though
 
  • Like
Reactions: plastic penguin

RBinDC

Well-known member
Aug 21, 2020
59
22
545
Visit site
Seems to me that the two most obvious options are the KEF LS-50 Wreless II and the Bucharest A500.

The Bucharest system is significantly more expensive but provides room correction and also enables the listener to modify the sonic signature by changing crossover frequencies. Thus, the Bucharest is aimed at The Hi Fi enthusiast who wants to tinker with the sound while the KEF system is for someone who wants a plug and play system. However, to get comparable bass response the KEF system will require adding a subwoofer, which will narrow the price gap.

Both provide multiple options for accepting analogue inputs. However, both convert those inputs to digital format, process the signals, then convert back to analogue. I’m not sure whether this is a deal breaker for you.

The Bucharest system is phenomenal but the company is small and relatively new, thus lacks the legendary track record of KEF.

I’m seriously considering an audition of the Bucharest system.
 
  • Like
Reactions: plastic penguin
dare i mention avi ?!
a lot of people really rated them.
will be available again soon...
AVI is a good call. Although they come with a good reputation, one reoccurring criticism is a slight lack of bass weight. Can't be doing with faffing around with subs... that's why I mention medium sized standmounter.

Same for the Kefs. I had a home demo of the original passives, and although excellent sounding, there wasn't quite the texture of a larger mid/bass driver.
 
....and even WHF thought so:
Cheers. Just read the review and it looks promising. However, the review did say they can sound analytical. That's a no-no for my tastes. In reality, though, it might be very different.

My TB2 and the Leema has a kinda old skool feel to it, in the same way as the Harbeths I had on home demo a few months ago. In real world.... Much prefer natural over analytical.

I won't discount them at this stage....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gray
D

Deleted member 188516

Guest
Longer review here PP:
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/pmc-result6
Seems they are the successor to the TB2 active.

Before the purchase of my new kit I had been pondering about going active for many years and these were on my radar along with the TwoTwo series. I stayed passive in the end but there's always that "I wonder" thought rolling around my head.

plug that class cd player you have into some actives (that include a dsp function) of a similar price to your amplifier and current passive speakers combined and you may never look back !
 

jjbomber

Well-known member
I'm always wary of anything suggesting there's One Best Way, and any reviewer who claimed to have tested all possible combinations within a given budget would be lying, I fear.
I've got a Naim/Focal system at £3.5K and a Dynaudio active system at £3.5K. I prefer the passive system.
Yes, I know all the arguments on crossovers. However, looking at the actives out there, what are PMC and B&W like at building amps? The same applies across most of the active market. Great speaker companies, but not at the level of Naim or Leema.
So if I was PP, I'd do some listening first. I still think passive will win.
 
D

Deleted member 108165

Guest
plug that class cd player you have into some actives (that include a dsp function) of a similar price to your amplifier and current passive speakers combined and you may never look back !
Cheers Plus (y) I was lurking on eBay for about two years tracking prices of used PMC TwoTwo actives but in the end I chose the Ruby passive path for two reasons: 1. I narrowly missed out on the Pearls some years earlier; 2. I managed to get the Ruby's on interest free credit.

If I ever come into some cash I might just try some TwoTwo's as I like the idea of DSP as an option, At the moment I am more than smitten with what I currently have.

We all have these itches but sometimes they are best left as just that... hi-fi forums are not the best places to be if you have an itch :)
 

Gray

Well-known member
....looking at the actives out there, what are PMC and B&W like at building amps?
That's the question I'd ask too.
lf you believe the reviews though, it would appear that PMC's first attempt at an integrated, the COR, was at least as good as any other 5 grand amp (audibly if not visually).

Let's face it, there's quite an incentive for reputable speaker brands to ensure the amps in their actives don't compromise overall performance.
(And PMC have been fitting amps in pro actives for a few years) None of which means the same money couldn't buy you a better passive system - but, given the chance, I'd give those Results a home.....if they give me more of what the twenty21 give me.
 
Last edited:
D

Deleted member 108165

Guest
That's the question I'd ask too.
lf you believe the reviews though, it would appear that PMC's first attempt at an integrated, the COR, was at least as good as any other 5 grand amp (audibly if not visually).

Let's face it, there's quite an incentive for reputable speaker brands to ensure the amps in their actives don't compromise overall performance.
(And PMC have been fitting amps in pro actives for a few years) None of which means the same money couldn't buy you a better passive system - but, given the chance, I'd give those Results a home.....if they give me more of what the twenty21 give me.
Blimey Gray, I'm shocked, just seen that the PMC twenty5 21i are the same price as the Result6 @£2195 o_O Can the twenty5 range really be that good?
 
Longer review here PP:
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/pmc-result6
Seems they are the successor to the TB2 active.

Before the purchase of my new kit I had been pondering about going active for many years and these were on my radar along with the TwoTwo series. I stayed passive in the end but there's always that "I wonder" thought rolling around my head.
Just read the link (ta). They said the TB2s are too long in the tooth. Really? In that case Harbeth have even longer gnashers.
 

Gray

Well-known member
Blimey Gray, I'm shocked, just seen that the PMC twenty5 21i are the same price as the Result6 @£2195 o_O Can the twenty5 range really be that good?
Really wouldn't have thought so Doug.
I realised they were the same when I was looking at prices last night.
It made me wonder if I was seeing an old price for the Result (as some of its reviews are a few years old).
Maybe that basic finish on it keeps the price down (can't believe I'm talking about 2.2k as if it's cheap!)
If PMC read threads like this.......much as I love 'em....they don't need any encouragement to up their prices.
 
D

Deleted member 108165

Guest
Really wouldn't have thought so Doug.
I realised they were the same when I was looking at prices last night.
It made me wonder if I was seeing an old price for the Result (as some of its reviews are a few years old).
Maybe that basic finish on it keeps the price down (can't believe I'm talking about 2.2k as if it's cheap!)
If PMC read threads like this.......much as I love 'em....they don't need any encouragement to up their prices.
It's relative :) The Result's are "cheap" if you consider that you don't need to purchase an amp to make them work.... that's a necessity with the twenty5's! As you say if the Result's are a notch up from the twenty21 then it doesn't need much brain input from me to tell you where my money would go if I was in shopping mode.

I remember when I bought the DB1's, they were £800 I think, your twenty21 were the successor to the DB1 and if my memory is correct they were around £1200ish. Their entry level speaker is now nearly £2.2K. Don't get me wrong, PMC make magic speakers but they are fast becoming out of reach for the normal hifi enthusiast.

Harbeth are the same, overpriced, but I must admit that I was very surprised how heavy the P3's were when I got them out of the box, and the finish is top-notch, (yeah I like the exposed screws on the rear :)). I know that weight is no judge of quality but just sayin'
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gray

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts