Passive Speakers: Good Sound, Fair Price

All speakers - no matter which brand, type, or model - fall into two different categories known as active and passive. How these speakers are classified depend largely on the amplifier which the speaker uses. The majority of speakers these days are passive speakers. Those are speakers which do not have their own power source, as they do not have an internal amplifier. They have speaker binding posts on the rear, which are meant to be connected to an amplifier with a wire. They draw their power from an amplifier which is located outside of the loudspeaker enclosure. Passive speakers have been on the market for several years. If you invest in high quality, they can go all night long for years and years to come.

Passive speakers are very different than active ones. Active speakers have their own built-in amplifiers, and are able to be connected to a mixing console or sound source without an outside amplifier source. They are fed by a line-level signal, which passes along the interconnect cable at the controller, or preamplifier. They require two different lines, one for a signal and one for a power source. Any active speaker will need a power source, so you will need a power outlet for them. A good example is a subwoofer, which represents the basic majority of active speakers currently.

Despite all the different qualities, passive speakers are more affordable and lighter than active. Unlike active speakers, they require only one signal cable instead of two, and generally all speakers are produced as passive speakers. Active speakers limit your selection of amplifiers for your audio system, normally to more expensive amplifiers. They are also harder to find than others, unlike passive ones, which can be found in almost any electronics store for a large range of low and high prices. They are known to be heavy, produce poor cabinet acoustics due to their internal amplifier, and they require two cables for signal and power. This is unlike passive ones, which are lightweight and only use one cable for a power-source. Also, passive speakers do not produce as much heat, which lowers their chances of overheating or causing a fire. When searching for a speaker for personal use or concert use, it may be best to start off with a set of low-priced, reliable passive speakers.

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Article Submitted On: September 28, 2010

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