M&K 150P vs 150 Passive? (1 Viewer)

[Chris Bone]

Has anyone heard both the ACTIVE and the PASSIVE version of the M&K 150's? Did you notice any better sound from the powered version? What benefits do you find with active speakers?

Chris

 

[Greg_R]

I haven't heard the M&K actives but I can tell you that true active bi-amping is a significant improvement. The amps are custom designed by the manufacturer to drive a specific driver over a specific frequency range. The crossover is before the amp which should improve clarity, imaging, & possibly other factors (bass, dynamics, etc.). For comparison, I auditioned Paradigm Active 40s vs. Studio 40s + Theta amplification. The Actives were clearly better in every respect.

The big disadvantage to actively bi-amped speakers is that you (rarely) can switch out the amplifiers. If you like to tweak and upgrade, this may be a detriment to your enjoyment. Also, you'll need to run power to each speaker. This may be a problem if your theater already has walls.

At any rate, you owe it to yourself to audition the 150p if you are considering M&K.

 

[RandyKudor]

Hi Chris,

I have heard both of the S-150 speakers. In fact, I owned the 150's (passive) for a while. Great for HT, a little to bright & forward for my music tastes.

The 150 powered sounds tighter, faster, and cleaner. It is hard to describe exactly but all instruments seemed to have better attack. The transients on this speaker are exceptional. Is it worth the huge expense? Hard to say, from what I understand they are used by recording engineers everywhere.