We hope you found this quick guide to passive and active speakers helpful! Got a question? Let us know in the comments, then hit those like and subscribe buttons for more!
Is passive speaker is good for small worship hall, or Active speaker... Kindly please tell me, We builted a small church, & we were looking for sound system, is we need to purchase Active or passive.?
@@sushantmalagittimath348 Active speaker best for you. You won't need an external amplifier aside your mixer. Active doesn't blow easily but passive speakers do if the power amp signal is too high.
@@SuperMboli we don't have budget for active speakers now and have passive speakers with us at the moment ..we are planning to purchase 2000 watt amplifier with 12 channel mixer (5 mic for vocals and 4 instruments).we are thinking of investing in active speakers; will it be possible to run both active speakers and passive speakers simultaneously??
I work in a band. My magic weight/cord management/hassle set-up is active sub and a powered mixer driving passive tops. My powered mixer (600x 2 of class D) doesn’t have to be super heavy because my sub is self-powered. Passive subs mean an additional amp which adds weight and setup time. 600 watts of main and 600 of monitor is usually plenty and I have active tops that I supplement if needed. I’d say 4 levels of complexity: - Rudimentary: powered - Working band with day jobs: unpowered - touring band without roadies and guitar techs: powered - famous people band with roadies: unpowered.
Like many, you seem to be classifying all loudspeakers with an amp in the enclosure as an active speaker which is a major error. It is a powered speaker but not necessarily an active speaker. Active speakers have an amp matched to each driver (i.e. four amps for a pair of two way speakers) and importantly, the crossover operates a line level rather than post amplification. Like for like, they are more accurate speakers in high fidelity terms than ordinary powered speakers or passives, which is why they are ubiquitously used for studio sound mixing. The other thing is that actives may have all the components inside the speaker enclosure (like powered speakers) or outside the enclosure, similar to passives except for the line level crossover and separate matching amps to each driver.
I've been using a Passive Speaker system for around 30 years. Yamaha, or EV power amps, through, EV T53 3 way speakers, front of house, and EV 2 way speakers, for foldback. I believe the warmth and feel from my Passive system, is much nicer then the bright spikey sound and feel of powered speaker systems.
I had the rcf 312a powered speakers and they sounded amazing, but my passive system out performed them at the lowest volume nice bass and highs so passive is just better
Power distribution is my main objection to active speakers. Now you need 2 wires. Second objection is long signal runs are subject to more interference and noise, especially if you run power and signal in the same cable tray or bundle. 3rd objection: what if sound/power needs require a different amp or an amp goes down? amp swap is not an option. There are uses that I can see at times like lowering studio clutter or tightly integrating a matched amp to a reference or studio monitor or making self-contained battery powered Bluetooth wireless units, but overall active speakers are a step back IMO.
Just leaving this input as a DJ.. On active vs passive.. I prefer much Passive if I'll be playing supper loud banging speakers in Parties.. Why? Active speakers sure they are great, superior when it comes to portability.. The problem is if you crank up this guys mostly Active subs. They tend to get so vibration causing some connection to loose not even that, it is prone to cause electronic components crack their solder and boom, you got no sound.. While on passive, your primary concern is perfect matching with amps and burning coils.. In result.. Active for me is great if you're playing just simple below maximum volume power but in head banging gigs Passive all the way.
The powered speakers I’ve seen had lightweight woofers, but that’s not an inherent problem. The main drawback is each speaker needs a power cable as well as a signal cable. Since the speakers are placed at a distance from the control location, where your source, mixer and amp usually are, that’s not convenient at all. Two speakers will require four cables instead of two., and you’ll probably need two extension cords as well.
“Active” and “Powered” are not interchangeable. A passive speaker uses one external amplifier channel, and an internal passive crossover to divide the frequency spectrum between the different drivers in the cabinet. (You got that one right.) An active speaker has an external electronic crossover that feeds multiple amp channels, which then each feed (in the simplest boxes) individual drivers within the speaker cabinet. When you hear the phrases “bi-amped” or “tri-amped,” this is what we’re talking about. A powered speaker has a power amp inside the cabinet. When I tell new, younger employees a speaker is active, it’s because of tutorials like this that make them erroneously think there’s an amp inside.
I would love to follow this because it seems like a cool way to distinguish them, but I have never heard of anyone say Active and powered are different. I can't even find anything on a google search. Please do show me if there is, so i can spread this to others I know. But everyone knows an active speaker is one with a built in amplifier. Whether that's right or wrong, it's what people think.
@@childishtombino1275 Hover over each speaker on this page, and it will tell you if it's active, passive, OR active self-powered, passive self-powered. In pro audio, active does not mean powered. www.l-acoustics.com/en/products/loudspeaker-systems/
"An active speaker has an external electronic crossover" I'll call bullshit on that one. An active speaker implies an active crossover, yes, but that active crossover can absolutely have an INTERNAL electronic crossover, like most pro monitors. My Quad 12L Actives also have everything "inside the box".
There are certainly pro's and cons to both. I have both active and passive speakers, and switch between them depending on the scenario. On some occasions, I use both...though that is rare.
@@crispa1861 Your approach makes a lot of sense in my eyes. Not only would an external amp eat the in-built amp for lunch, putting delicate electronics in a cabinet that's subject to really high air pressure and vibrations is a little questionable. Let's face it, there's a reason why the really big pro subs are passive only...
@@johnmcquay82 I totally agree, especially on active subs. I have read a repair tech guy who is also a musician said, that , most of their repairs are bcoz of broken solder on the pcb board due to rattling inside the cabinet.
@@crispa1861 That wouldn't surprise me. The air pressures inside of speakers (subs especially) are astronomical. Solder has no give; too much pressure and the joints are going to crack. I'm not anti powered speakers by any means, but they do need to be built exceptionally well to pass the test of time. I certainly wouldn't buy powered speakers from just any brand; I'd go for a known and trusted brand.
Can a powered mixer power a passive speaker without an amplifier?? Great vid by the way, wish this one popped up first when I was trying to understand this concept. Didn’t even know passive speaker were called passive speakers. This vid would have saved me a lot of time.
Hey, Vicente! Yes, a passive speaker can be powered by a powered mixer. A powered mixer ultimately has the amplifier built-in, therefore as long as the specs match up properly, you can certainly run passive speakers from it. I'm happy to talk with you more about that if you'd like to give me a shout at the contact info below. Rock on! 🎶🤘 Cassie O'Hanlon, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3020, cassie_ohanlon@sweetwater.com
if i'm using it with an amp modeler like line6 helix or hotone ampero, and i intend to model amp and cab on these modelers, should i use passive or powered speakers?
In the summer my active speakers get too hot and die . They have fans and I put an external fan on them but they never make it passed 30 minutes tops . That’s why my rig actually got bigger . Ugh
I am an 18 year old DJ and have 2 non powered loudspeakers 800 watts peak 8ohm impedance (bass is on them decent but lack a little on some songs). Also have a 3000 watt amplifier and I am looking into 1000 watt JBL EON 610s. I dont have a subwoofer right now with my 2 non powered loudspeakers. Would it be better to just get new JBL EON 610s to replace my current speakers or just get one subwoofer to be with my current loudspeakers? Sidenote, I DJ for small party events for up to 50-75 people. So far I have only played outdoors but will soon play indoors.
PASSIVE = full range signal from source------->Preamp---------->Power amp-------------->Speakers (with passive or unpowered crossover networks to split frequencies to different drivers) OR PASSIVE = full range signal from source------->Integrated (preamp + power amp in one box) amp-------------->Speakers (with passive or unpowered crossover networks) ACTIVE (3-way setup) = full range signal from source-------->Preamp----------->Active (powered) crossover which splits sound into different freq. ranges -------HF------->Power amp------->HF speaker -------MF------->Power amp------->MF speaker -------LF------->Power amp------->LF speaker Active speakers have their own built-in amps, but you can create an active system with conventional amps and a preamp if you bypass the passive crossover networks in the speakers.
This might be off topic slightly...lol. I've got a need to run an old 70s Philco stereo radio and taking that signal into whatever I will need to boost it to run 80 or 90s 100 to 150watt speakers. And then add blue tooth. Or use a small new receiver with BT, I think I would still need more power than they put out. Plus i know nothing about where or what is required to wire it all up so it drives the speakers well. I need an engineer.
Passive all the way for me less hassle & easy to use control from the pa mixer rather keep messing around & going to active speakers to adjust etc horrible experience till I changed to passive never had an issue Iv done many events no Issue at all.& the key is depending on what PA system you have I have the power mate Dynacord 600 3 2000 watts amazing system & works well with my ev passive speakers 😊
Hey there. Thank you for your video. I got one question.. I have a new turntable with build in preamp and some nice active speakers and it sounds amazing. But, the sound of my speakers is to high on the lowest volume for a nice background music. Do you have any idea or suggestion how to adjust this, or to have more control over the volume? (as there is only 1 button, only on the speaker). Thank you in advance!
Hey! Thanks for reaching out. There are many ways to do this. The most simple would be to place a monitor controller between the turntable preamp outputs and the speakers. Something along the lines of a Mackie Big Knob Passive and the appropriate cables would do the trick just fine! www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BigKnobPass--mackie-big-knob-passive-2x2-studio-monitor-controller Mickey Cushing, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3024, Mickey_Cushing@Sweetwater.com
So does anybody know if i can get passive speakers for my guitar am modeler? Is the veneral rule of thumb that you must get powered speakers to run a modeler or does the modeler have enough power to run a passive speaker? Icant find a concise answer,,, like if i ran a helix into a stereo rig but didnt want to buy frfr speakers, could i buy 2 passive PA'S or does the speaker have to be active because the helix wont power the speaker, thanks!
Hello! You will always need some kind of power amp to run a speaker. Powered speakers just have the amp built into the same box, whereas passive speakers need an external source of power. Unless something is specifically an amplifier that puts out the right amount of wattage for said speaker, you will not get any audio through that speaker. Thanks for the interest! Kevin Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Kevin_Spunde@Sweetwater.com
I need some help connecting 4 passive speakers thru my amplifier to a mixer. I want to use 2 of the passive speakers as monitors. Amplifier - sound blast sb2500 Mixer - sound blast sb desk mg24
If your powered speaker has a jack that uses the internal power amp to drive the other speaker than yes. Brands don't really matter, but power handling does.
Brands don’t matter. However, Be sure you NEVER send signal that is meant for an unpowered speaker to a powered speaker. The opposite won’t work either, though it won’t do any damage like the first way would.
Didn’t mention that “hopefully” the manufacturer designed the power to specifically meet the speakers optimum capability, etc. with Active. You get what you pay for. Recently got a pair of QSC K2.12. Awesome for my needs. I’m not doing sound for a large venue.
Unfortunately, I've found with most powered speakers is that they seem over spec'ed compared to their exact passive variant, so you may not be getting what you think. Electrovoice could be different to other companies (i haven't seen a difference) but their EKX-12 (passive) is rated 350wRMS and 1000w Peak and their active EKX-12P is given a 1500W label. There is no RMS or Peak ratings. They are, as far as I know the exact same speaker but one just has the active circuitry and power amplifier built in, yet they have different power ratings. To me, with passive speakers you KNOW what you're buying, but with active, you're just relying on the manufacturer for specs (not that you necessarily need them but still).
@@childishtombino1275 I agree for about 90% of the crap out there, but I did a ton of research and first hand comparison and it’s so obvious for the money QSC K series are great and are up front about their specs. You have to understand what you’re reading as I do (electronic engineering background) to put it together. Unfortunately, the crap market started using peak output years ago, so the honest companies use those numbers to clarify themselves, but also put the nominal spec’s also. Basically, these discussions need to be separated from those looking for a high quality portable setup and those building large professional FOH arrays. Also, even with passives you still will have the same issues when shopping for an amplifier. Plus speaker spec’s can be deceiving. My initial comment is still an important one to consider. Unless a person wants to be contrary about everything. The truth is, all technology is a battle between a desired result and the physics keeping one from achieving that result. Compromises are a reality with everything.
@@childishtombino1275 yeah and having to supply power to EVERY speaker, i thought connecting the same system to different outlets creates groundloop hum... also the cost per watt for passive is better, i think that makes up for the DSP Active perfect pairing we keep hearing about active... sometimes i think the actives are a way for the manufacturers to make more profit per watt... if you compare costs of EVs, going passive bumps you to ELX instead of ZLX
@@AudioAtmos From a quick search, it still seems more or less the same with the K Series. Advertises 2000w (Which is a heck of a lot of power for a single speaker) - I saw further specs stating peak ratings of 1800w (LF) and 225w (HF). I assume peak is quadruple what RMS is and I calculate 450RMS for LF and 56.25W for HF at RMS. Which is a lot more realistic (and still a fair bit higher in comparison to competing speakers) Either way, it's the efficiency of the speaker in conjunction to its power capacity. This was part of what i was explaining, you do have to know how to really calculate the figures as opposed to following what companies say. If i were to get a pair of K2.12s, and I took specs given as a guideline, I'd need to be running a circuit for each speaker (Assuming 13A per circuit) which is pretty extreme. (For context, I'm basing it off a single UK plug and its power capabilities. - Even worse for a USA plug as its power ratings look at around 1500W continuous capacity) Realistically, average power consumption will be around 550w for each speaker (taking into consideration the amplifier class, D in this case). Back to my original point, is that you rarely run into these things with Passive units (if there is foolery, it could be about SPL specs). But as you say, it's not perfect and it is about experience with equipment and knowing how to calculate such things.
@@David-tr9xk Wouldn't be surprised if it is a profit thing. I don't entirely understand ground loop fully yet, it'll click soon, but I doubt that is often an issue with just speakers themselves unless one or more were faulty. Unpowered is a lot more attractive to me, it can be less practical but it means you don't have to bite the bullet when it comes to upgrading equipment as it all comes separate and you replace individual parts as they need - theoretically less expensive in each round of upgrades. As opposed to replacing a single active speaker which could probably set you back a thousand or so in one go, worst case.
Hey, Peter! Yes, you certainly can. When running passive speakers in general, you’ll just want to make sure you’re properly matching impedance and wattage between the amp and speakers. Here’s a useful link to some tips for connecting speakers together or running them from separate channels on your amp: soundcertified.com/series-or-parallel-speakers-which-is-better/ I hope this helps! Nick Pasquino, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3230, nick_pasquino@sweetwater.com
Hello, sir I have a powered/active speaker. Want to ask how much is the exact volume of the powered/active speaker coz my powered 2000watts speaker has a volume knob in the back? Thanks for the answer..I used my speaker fo my church live sounds
I am interested in using a powered speaker, like the JBL EON 712, as my main guitar amp. I have a Line 6 PODXT Live pedal board. Can I simply plug the output of the PODXT into one of the combo jacks on the JBL?
In theory that should work. I’d try it out first to make sure it creates the tone and sound quality you want. Not sure why you’d want to do that though. EON 712s aren’t inexpensive or lightweight (compared to decent modeling amps these days), which would be the two main reasons I could think of to do it that way.
@@minnesotajack1 Thanks for the reply. I have been using a Crate 125W amp with 2-12s. It weighs over 50lbs. My pedal board is so versatile that I feel I can possibly switch to a powered speaker, like JBLs EON Series. The 712 is a new model which is about $500. You can pick up their previous version in either a 10" (610) or 12" (612) speaker used for around $300. They weigh 26lbs and 32lbs respectively. Being an older player, the weight of an amp comes into play.
@@joemarino1655 If you have to purchase something anyway and that is your budget, I’d recommend looking at the fender mustang amp lineup. I’m sure the good folks at sweetwater could even hook you up. Even their most powerful model is under 25lbs. My son has the mustang 25 and it sounds great
@@joemarino1655 Bottom line… give it a dance if you already have an EON… you’re not going to break it. But if you are gonna buy something anyway try out the newer amps. Great sounds and WAY less weight. As for me I have a fender deluxe reverb which is light and sounds great but they are definitely a step up on the pricing front
all good but how do you crossover the sub with the top speaker if they are passive. You dont have a crossover option. And does someone have a solution to this problem? I need some help
In a very basic sense, isn’t it more efficient to have one power amp powering numerous speakers than having a power amp for every speaker you are running? Surely that is a much more expensive option and will only get exponentially more expensive, the more speakers you want to run?
Hello, Rod! Generally, no, you cannot. I'm sure there may be some exception out there, but any passive speaker needs to be powered by an amp. If you're looking to add on another speaker to an active speaker you already have set up, it would need to be another active speaker. And most speakers have an output on them for a purpose like that. Thanks for the interest! Kevin Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Kevin_Spunde@Sweetwater.com
Hey there! Thanks for reaching out. It's Mickey from the video! Both can work great! The more pertinent questions for determining what is needed would be: How many people are you performing for? Are you on a stage or on the ground? Are you in a field, or a parking lot, etc.? Give us a call and we can help determine what would work best given the scenario! Mickey Cushing, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3024, Mickey_Cushing@Sweetwater.com
Good informative tutorial. I have a pair of Sanyo speakers, on the back of the it shows the following....Normal 2 Watts, Max 4 Watts, 3 Ohms. Can you tell me what does this mean?
I have heard old people dying in couple of instances in wedding Indian loud music dinner parties. Loud frequencies can destroy internal organs. Hope u find the news and sharr for information.
Is passive speaker is good for small worship hall, or Active speaker... Kindly please tell me, We builted a small church, & we were looking for sound system, Whether we need to purchase Active or passive speakers .?
Hello! Yes, you can. But without knowing the specific situation you'd do that in, I'd probably advise going a different route and contacting your Sales Engineer at Sweetwater. Thanks for the interest! Kevin Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Kevin_Spunde@Sweetwater.com
@@davidperry4013 I turn powered speakers on to passive all the time when people don't want them fixed and just say to throw them away. All of my monitors are Mackie Thump 15's that the amps blew out in, and that I put regular crossovers in. Good as new!
Dear friends...im not as many like you who understands the technical aspects of speakers....Im a Keyboard player and doing ministry...I want two speakers for my YAMAHA PSR S 970. I have two questions.1.Do I need active or passive speakers? 2.I want to choose either from Yamaha or JBL speakers.....Which can I select....Please guide me ....My budget is 720 $
Hello there, my name is Paul. I'm from yanam, south India. I'd like to buy POPE speakers and ampilfire for our church. But I'm little bit confused what speakers and ampilfire I should buy. We are almost 400 people. So we need a sound system for our church. Could you please suggest speakers and ampilfires.? Or should I go for active speakers? Please help Thank you!!
I like both of these options. For DJs, actives are really convenient; probably the ONLY choice . But for my live rock shows on a stage, passive speakers are actually a hell of a lot easier; unless you can spend tens of thousands of dollars on top, top, top of the line actives like 2000 watt RCFs or something. Passives: I don't need to plug in each speaker power cord and XLR cord, which I found means I have a bunch of power boards and cables running around the stage, so it's just cables everywhere tucked away, and I start getting lost in cables and confused by the 3rd band lol (try trouble shooting wires halfway through a rock show... uuggh!). just the power amp(s) on the side of the stage, 1 or 2 power plugs for the amps, and a cable for each speaker and your rolling (lower power bills also). passive, you can replace speakers easier, without sifting through and unscrewing everything squashed into the speaker (I've found, for whatever reason, active speakers tend to hiss a lot very quickly after purchase). As for sound, of course a dedicated power amp with real transistors and actual wires/ circuitry is going to be better than the chipboards stuffed into most of these big brand affordable class D speakers. This is all anecdotal to my own experience over 5 years or so of doing live production though, just my eventual outcome. So, the actives are not as convenient as they seem on the surface in certain settings. Like guitar amplifiers; the good ones with analogue circuitry with valves are HEAVY; but it needs to be to sound great. Actives to me are like solid state amps, which just died away as people experienced the flaws (which were deemed convenient, at first, as a selling point). I tend to feel like active speakers are like those little CD player, tape deck, record player in one stereo systems from the 80s/ 90s. Passives are more like real hardcore HIFI systems; everything has a dedicated part, and it just absolutely blasts away those little stereo systems out of the water. i have a record store, and people come in, having bought a cheap all in one record player; "I don't think records sound better than CDs and streaming." But when I show them a record through dedicated power amps, turntable, speakers, subwoofers etc... "oh, okay, that sounds incredible." In summary, the active market is really chasing the DJs. They aren't voiced for rock clarity very well.
More efficiently? You ever heard of headroom? No active speakers can have as much headroom as a properly matched amplifier. I can agree on cleaner, but efficiency is not an active speaker's trait. Most limit early.
@@crispa1861 Compared to the Passive systems, active can easily get overheated as well despite having integrated heat dissipation. Compared to rack mount amps of today, a class D amp alone would easily be able to run a 3 way system without even getting hot and have a lot of head room
I have a question, does the terminal on the loudspeaker act as an audio input as well? Is that how to audio gets transfered to the loudspeaker from the power amplifier?
Hey, Wai. I am Mickey from the video above. On a passive speaker, the 1/4" or Speakon input is to be connected to the output of a power amplifier. The XLR, 1/4" or RCA connections on a powered speaker are to be connected directly to the audio source. Depending on the speaker this can be a microphone, mixer, interface, or playback device like an iPod. Give us a shout with any other questions! Mickey Cushing, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3024, Mickey_Cushing@Sweetwater.com
We hope you found this quick guide to passive and active speakers helpful! Got a question? Let us know in the comments, then hit those like and subscribe buttons for more!
Sweetwater Absolutely, short & sweet 😍
Do a video explaining how to connect a passive speaker to an amplifier and a cross over
Is passive speaker is good for small worship hall, or Active speaker...
Kindly please tell me,
We builted a small church, & we were looking for sound system, is we need to purchase Active or passive.?
@@sushantmalagittimath348 Active speaker best for you. You won't need an external amplifier aside your mixer. Active doesn't blow easily but passive speakers do if the power amp signal is too high.
@@SuperMboli we don't have budget for active speakers now and have passive speakers with us at the moment ..we are planning to purchase 2000 watt amplifier with 12 channel mixer (5 mic for vocals and 4 instruments).we are thinking of investing in active speakers; will it be possible to run both active speakers and passive speakers simultaneously??
I work in a band. My magic weight/cord management/hassle set-up is active sub and a powered mixer driving passive tops.
My powered mixer (600x 2 of class D) doesn’t have to be super heavy because my sub is self-powered. Passive subs mean an additional amp which adds weight and setup time. 600 watts of main and 600 of monitor is usually plenty and I have active tops that I supplement if needed.
I’d say 4 levels of complexity:
- Rudimentary: powered
- Working band with day jobs: unpowered
- touring band without roadies and guitar techs: powered
- famous people band with roadies: unpowered.
Like many, you seem to be classifying all loudspeakers with an amp in the enclosure as an active speaker which is a major error. It is a powered speaker but not necessarily an active speaker. Active speakers have an amp matched to each driver (i.e. four amps for a pair of two way speakers) and importantly, the crossover operates a line level rather than post amplification. Like for like, they are more accurate speakers in high fidelity terms than ordinary powered speakers or passives, which is why they are ubiquitously used for studio sound mixing. The other thing is that actives may have all the components inside the speaker enclosure (like powered speakers) or outside the enclosure, similar to passives except for the line level crossover and separate matching amps to each driver.
I've been using a Passive Speaker system for around 30 years. Yamaha, or EV power amps, through, EV T53 3 way speakers, front of house, and EV 2 way speakers, for foldback.
I believe the warmth and feel from my Passive system, is much nicer then the bright spikey sound and feel of powered speaker systems.
I agree
Thank you...Warmth was the only word i needed to hear...90' Doom Metal Lover here!!!
I had the rcf 312a powered speakers and they sounded amazing, but my passive system out performed them at the lowest volume nice bass and highs so passive is just better
May I know what speakers do you have?
Power distribution is my main objection to active speakers. Now you need 2 wires. Second objection is long signal runs are subject to more interference and noise, especially if you run power and signal in the same cable tray or bundle. 3rd objection: what if sound/power needs require a different amp or an amp goes down? amp swap is not an option. There are uses that I can see at times like lowering studio clutter or tightly integrating a matched amp to a reference or studio monitor or making self-contained battery powered Bluetooth wireless units, but overall active speakers are a step back IMO.
In terms of cleaner sound, which one is better ?
Just leaving this input as a DJ.. On active vs passive.. I prefer much Passive if I'll be playing supper loud banging speakers in Parties.. Why? Active speakers sure they are great, superior when it comes to portability.. The problem is if you crank up this guys mostly Active subs. They tend to get so vibration causing some connection to loose not even that, it is prone to cause electronic components crack their solder and boom, you got no sound.. While on passive, your primary concern is perfect matching with amps and burning coils.. In result.. Active for me is great if you're playing just simple below maximum volume power but in head banging gigs Passive all the way.
The powered speakers I’ve seen had lightweight woofers, but that’s not an inherent problem. The main drawback is each speaker needs a power cable as well as a signal cable. Since the speakers are placed at a distance from the control location, where your source, mixer and amp usually are, that’s not convenient at all. Two speakers will require four cables instead of two., and you’ll probably need two extension cords as well.
“Active” and “Powered” are not interchangeable.
A passive speaker uses one external amplifier channel, and an internal passive crossover to divide the frequency spectrum between the different drivers in the cabinet. (You got that one right.)
An active speaker has an external electronic crossover that feeds multiple amp channels, which then each feed (in the simplest boxes) individual drivers within the speaker cabinet. When you hear the phrases “bi-amped” or “tri-amped,” this is what we’re talking about.
A powered speaker has a power amp inside the cabinet.
When I tell new, younger employees a speaker is active, it’s because of tutorials like this that make them erroneously think there’s an amp inside.
I would love to follow this because it seems like a cool way to distinguish them, but I have never heard of anyone say Active and powered are different. I can't even find anything on a google search. Please do show me if there is, so i can spread this to others I know. But everyone knows an active speaker is one with a built in amplifier. Whether that's right or wrong, it's what people think.
@@childishtombino1275 Hover over each speaker on this page, and it will tell you if it's active, passive, OR active self-powered, passive self-powered. In pro audio, active does not mean powered. www.l-acoustics.com/en/products/loudspeaker-systems/
"An active speaker has an external electronic crossover"
I'll call bullshit on that one. An active speaker implies an active crossover, yes, but that active crossover can absolutely have an INTERNAL electronic crossover, like most pro monitors. My Quad 12L Actives also have everything "inside the box".
Thanks! Suggestion for future related topic: matching passive speakers with the right amplifier 👏🏼
There are certainly pro's and cons to both. I have both active and passive speakers, and switch between them depending on the scenario. On some occasions, I use both...though that is rare.
I use both in most of my gigs bcoz I don't trust the amp in active subs. My Crown amps. K2s and Ce4000 will eat those for lunch.
@@crispa1861 Your approach makes a lot of sense in my eyes. Not only would an external amp eat the in-built amp for lunch, putting delicate electronics in a cabinet that's subject to really high air pressure and vibrations is a little questionable. Let's face it, there's a reason why the really big pro subs are passive only...
@@johnmcquay82 I totally agree, especially on active subs. I have read a repair tech guy who is also a musician said, that , most of their repairs are bcoz of broken solder on the pcb board due to rattling inside the cabinet.
@@crispa1861 That wouldn't surprise me. The air pressures inside of speakers (subs especially) are astronomical. Solder has no give; too much pressure and the joints are going to crack. I'm not anti powered speakers by any means, but they do need to be built exceptionally well to pass the test of time. I certainly wouldn't buy powered speakers from just any brand; I'd go for a known and trusted brand.
Can a powered mixer power a passive speaker without an amplifier?? Great vid by the way, wish this one popped up first when I was trying to understand this concept. Didn’t even know passive speaker were called passive speakers. This vid would have saved me a lot of time.
Hey, Vicente! Yes, a passive speaker can be powered by a powered mixer. A powered mixer ultimately has the amplifier built-in, therefore as long as the specs match up properly, you can certainly run passive speakers from it. I'm happy to talk with you more about that if you'd like to give me a shout at the contact info below.
Rock on! 🎶🤘
Cassie O'Hanlon, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3020, cassie_ohanlon@sweetwater.com
Yes
if i'm using it with an amp modeler like line6 helix or hotone ampero, and i intend to model amp and cab on these modelers, should i use passive or powered speakers?
In the summer my active speakers get too hot and die . They have fans and I put an external fan on them but they never make it passed 30 minutes tops . That’s why my rig actually got bigger . Ugh
I am an 18 year old DJ and have 2 non powered loudspeakers 800 watts peak 8ohm impedance (bass is on them decent but lack a little on some songs). Also have a 3000 watt amplifier and I am looking into 1000 watt JBL EON 610s. I dont have a subwoofer right now with my 2 non powered loudspeakers. Would it be better to just get new JBL EON 610s to replace my current speakers or just get one subwoofer to be with my current loudspeakers? Sidenote, I DJ for small party events for up to 50-75 people. So far I have only played outdoors but will soon play indoors.
Hi . Which is the best powered speakers 15 inch for live band setup without subs for 150 to 200 people ?
PASSIVE = full range signal from source------->Preamp---------->Power amp-------------->Speakers (with passive or unpowered crossover networks to split frequencies to different drivers)
OR
PASSIVE = full range signal from source------->Integrated (preamp + power amp in one box) amp-------------->Speakers (with passive or unpowered crossover networks)
ACTIVE (3-way setup) = full range signal from source-------->Preamp----------->Active (powered) crossover which splits sound into different freq. ranges -------HF------->Power amp------->HF speaker
-------MF------->Power amp------->MF speaker
-------LF------->Power amp------->LF speaker
Active speakers have their own built-in amps, but you can create an active system with conventional amps and a preamp if you bypass the passive crossover networks in the speakers.
This might be off topic slightly...lol. I've got a need to run an old 70s Philco stereo radio and taking that signal into whatever I will need to boost it to run 80 or 90s 100 to 150watt speakers. And then add blue tooth. Or use a small new receiver with BT, I think I would still need more power than they put out. Plus i know nothing about where or what is required to wire it all up so it drives the speakers well. I need an engineer.
Thanks for that. Big help to me🙏
Passive all the way for me less hassle & easy to use control from the pa mixer rather keep messing around & going to active speakers to adjust etc horrible experience till I changed to passive never had an issue Iv done many events no Issue at all.& the key is depending on what PA system
you have I have the power mate Dynacord 600 3 2000 watts amazing system & works well with my ev passive speakers 😊
At least you can just swap an amp if a passive one blows. Active are a pain in the arse.
Hey there. Thank you for your video.
I got one question.. I have a new turntable with build in preamp and some nice active speakers and it sounds amazing.
But, the sound of my speakers is to high on the lowest volume for a nice background music.
Do you have any idea or suggestion how to adjust this, or to have more control over the volume? (as there is only 1 button, only on the speaker).
Thank you in advance!
Hey! Thanks for reaching out. There are many ways to do this. The most simple would be to place a monitor controller between the turntable preamp outputs and the speakers. Something along the lines of a Mackie Big Knob Passive and the appropriate cables would do the trick just fine!
www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BigKnobPass--mackie-big-knob-passive-2x2-studio-monitor-controller
Mickey Cushing, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3024, Mickey_Cushing@Sweetwater.com
Anndy verry good guy 👍🏻
Can i connect the passive speakers just to the controller deck?
So does anybody know if i can get passive speakers for my guitar am modeler? Is the veneral rule of thumb that you must get powered speakers to run a modeler or does the modeler have enough power to run a passive speaker? Icant find a concise answer,,, like if i ran a helix into a stereo rig but didnt want to buy frfr speakers, could i buy 2 passive PA'S or does the speaker have to be active because the helix wont power the speaker, thanks!
Hello! You will always need some kind of power amp to run a speaker. Powered speakers just have the amp built into the same box, whereas passive speakers need an external source of power. Unless something is specifically an amplifier that puts out the right amount of wattage for said speaker, you will not get any audio through that speaker.
Thanks for the interest!
Kevin Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Kevin_Spunde@Sweetwater.com
I need some help connecting 4 passive speakers thru my amplifier to a mixer. I want to use 2 of the passive speakers as monitors.
Amplifier - sound blast sb2500
Mixer - sound blast sb desk mg24
I like the lesson how can I get a document sir
Can i connect 1 active speaker and 1 pasive speaker via wire but different brands?
If your powered speaker has a jack that uses the internal power amp to drive the other speaker than yes. Brands don't really matter, but power handling does.
Brands don’t matter. However, Be sure you NEVER send signal that is meant for an unpowered speaker to a powered speaker. The opposite won’t work either, though it won’t do any damage like the first way would.
Great video
Didn’t mention that “hopefully” the manufacturer designed the power to specifically meet the speakers optimum capability, etc. with Active. You get what you pay for. Recently got a pair of QSC K2.12. Awesome for my needs. I’m not doing sound for a large venue.
Unfortunately, I've found with most powered speakers is that they seem over spec'ed compared to their exact passive variant, so you may not be getting what you think.
Electrovoice could be different to other companies (i haven't seen a difference) but their EKX-12 (passive) is rated 350wRMS and 1000w Peak and their active EKX-12P is given a 1500W label. There is no RMS or Peak ratings. They are, as far as I know the exact same speaker but one just has the active circuitry and power amplifier built in, yet they have different power ratings. To me, with passive speakers you KNOW what you're buying, but with active, you're just relying on the manufacturer for specs (not that you necessarily need them but still).
@@childishtombino1275
I agree for about 90% of the crap out there, but I did a ton of research and first hand comparison and it’s so obvious for the money QSC K series are great and are up front about their specs. You have to understand what you’re reading as I do (electronic engineering background) to put it together. Unfortunately, the crap market started using peak output years ago, so the honest companies use those numbers to clarify themselves, but also put the nominal spec’s also.
Basically, these discussions need to be separated from those looking for a high quality portable setup and those building large professional FOH arrays. Also, even with passives you still will have the same issues when shopping for an amplifier. Plus speaker spec’s can be deceiving. My initial comment is still an important one to consider. Unless a person wants to be contrary about everything. The truth is, all technology is a battle between a desired result and the physics keeping one from achieving that result. Compromises are a reality with everything.
@@childishtombino1275 yeah and having to supply power to EVERY speaker, i thought connecting the same system to different outlets creates groundloop hum... also the cost per watt for passive is better, i think that makes up for the DSP Active perfect pairing we keep hearing about active... sometimes i think the actives are a way for the manufacturers to make more profit per watt... if you compare costs of EVs, going passive bumps you to ELX instead of ZLX
@@AudioAtmos From a quick search, it still seems more or less the same with the K Series.
Advertises 2000w (Which is a heck of a lot of power for a single speaker) - I saw further specs stating peak ratings of 1800w (LF) and 225w (HF).
I assume peak is quadruple what RMS is and I calculate 450RMS for LF and 56.25W for HF at RMS. Which is a lot more realistic (and still a fair bit higher in comparison to competing speakers) Either way, it's the efficiency of the speaker in conjunction to its power capacity.
This was part of what i was explaining, you do have to know how to really calculate the figures as opposed to following what companies say.
If i were to get a pair of K2.12s, and I took specs given as a guideline, I'd need to be running a circuit for each speaker (Assuming 13A per circuit) which is pretty extreme. (For context, I'm basing it off a single UK plug and its power capabilities. - Even worse for a USA plug as its power ratings look at around 1500W continuous capacity)
Realistically, average power consumption will be around 550w for each speaker (taking into consideration the amplifier class, D in this case).
Back to my original point, is that you rarely run into these things with Passive units (if there is foolery, it could be about SPL specs).
But as you say, it's not perfect and it is about experience with equipment and knowing how to calculate such things.
@@David-tr9xk Wouldn't be surprised if it is a profit thing.
I don't entirely understand ground loop fully yet, it'll click soon, but I doubt that is often an issue with just speakers themselves unless one or more were faulty.
Unpowered is a lot more attractive to me, it can be less practical but it means you don't have to bite the bullet when it comes to upgrading equipment as it all comes separate and you replace individual parts as they need - theoretically less expensive in each round of upgrades. As opposed to replacing a single active speaker which could probably set you back a thousand or so in one go, worst case.
So eagerly waiting for the tama star mahogany review
if i have two different passive speaker can i connect them together ?
Hey, Peter! Yes, you certainly can. When running passive speakers in general, you’ll just want to make sure you’re properly matching impedance and wattage between the amp and speakers. Here’s a useful link to some tips for connecting speakers together or running them from separate channels on your amp:
soundcertified.com/series-or-parallel-speakers-which-is-better/
I hope this helps!
Nick Pasquino, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3230, nick_pasquino@sweetwater.com
Hello, sir I have a powered/active speaker. Want to ask how much is the exact volume of the powered/active speaker coz my powered 2000watts speaker has a volume knob in the back? Thanks for the answer..I used my speaker fo my church live sounds
I think if your maximum volume at the back is 1000watts then full it the volume then just do the adjustment on the mixer..
i got the old school dual 18 inch subwoofer 6400peak watt and the RMS 1600watt ngl
I am interested in using a powered speaker, like the JBL EON 712, as my main guitar amp. I have a Line 6 PODXT Live pedal board. Can I simply plug the output of the PODXT into one of the combo jacks on the JBL?
In theory that should work. I’d try it out first to make sure it creates the tone and sound quality you want.
Not sure why you’d want to do that though. EON 712s aren’t inexpensive or lightweight (compared to decent modeling amps these days), which would be the two main reasons I could think of to do it that way.
@@minnesotajack1 Thanks for the reply. I have been using a Crate 125W amp with 2-12s. It weighs over 50lbs. My pedal board is so versatile that I feel I can possibly switch to a powered speaker, like JBLs EON Series. The 712 is a new model which is about $500. You can pick up their previous version in either a 10" (610) or 12" (612) speaker used for around $300. They weigh 26lbs and 32lbs respectively. Being an older player, the weight of an amp comes into play.
@@joemarino1655
If you have to purchase something anyway and that is your budget, I’d recommend looking at the fender mustang amp lineup. I’m sure the good folks at sweetwater could even hook you up. Even their most powerful model is under 25lbs.
My son has the mustang 25 and it sounds great
@@minnesotajack1 Thanks
@@joemarino1655
Bottom line… give it a dance if you already have an EON… you’re not going to break it. But if you are gonna buy something anyway try out the newer amps. Great sounds and WAY less weight.
As for me I have a fender deluxe reverb which is light and sounds great but they are definitely a step up on the pricing front
Thank to your video sir, ive learn about speakers! See you on next video! B-coz i like sound system hope your next video is how to connect pa system
all good but how do you crossover the sub with the top speaker if they are passive. You dont have a crossover option. And does someone have a solution to this problem? I need some help
You have to use rack mounted crossover or run the speakers on the main out and the subs and the midrange as groups
I usually use my subwoofers to only output the Basses and the kick drum connect them as group,
In a very basic sense, isn’t it more efficient to have one power amp powering numerous speakers than having a power amp for every speaker you are running? Surely that is a much more expensive option and will only get exponentially more expensive, the more speakers you want to run?
Exactly Sir
Can i use passive speaker as extension of my active speaker?
Hello, Rod! Generally, no, you cannot. I'm sure there may be some exception out there, but any passive speaker needs to be powered by an amp. If you're looking to add on another speaker to an active speaker you already have set up, it would need to be another active speaker. And most speakers have an output on them for a purpose like that.
Thanks for the interest!
Kevin Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Kevin_Spunde@Sweetwater.com
Can we plug digital guitar multi fx with amp profiler directly to active speaker?
Yes
for outdoor music what kind of speakers could I use?
Hey there! Thanks for reaching out. It's Mickey from the video! Both can work great! The more pertinent questions for determining what is needed would be: How many people are you performing for? Are you on a stage or on the ground? Are you in a field, or a parking lot, etc.? Give us a call and we can help determine what would work best given the scenario!
Mickey Cushing, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3024, Mickey_Cushing@Sweetwater.com
Good informative tutorial. I have a pair of Sanyo speakers, on the back of the it shows the following....Normal 2 Watts, Max 4 Watts, 3 Ohms. Can you tell me what does this mean?
those are very low wattage passive speakers for use with a micro stereo unit.
I have heard old people dying in couple of instances in wedding Indian loud music dinner parties. Loud frequencies can destroy internal organs. Hope u find the news and sharr for information.
Good video
Do one for the subs too !
and a fill system ..
Is passive speaker is good for small worship hall, or Active speaker...
Kindly please tell me,
We builted a small church, & we were looking for sound system, Whether we need to purchase Active or passive speakers .?
Getpssive and connect them all to a unified amplifier
Passive is great for an install
can i daisy chain 4 ev zlx 12bt without a mixer?
Hello! Yes, you can. But without knowing the specific situation you'd do that in, I'd probably advise going a different route and contacting your Sales Engineer at Sweetwater.
Thanks for the interest!
Kevin Spunde, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1732, Kevin_Spunde@Sweetwater.com
In small church which speaker and amplifier we can use
it should be better with active with minimal budget, its my opinion. because you can control it without mixer
Can you use amplifier to active speaker?
Just replace the plate amp with a cover plate with crossover and speakon connector.
@@davidperry4013 I turn powered speakers on to passive all the time when people don't want them fixed and just say to throw them away. All of my monitors are Mackie Thump 15's that the amps blew out in, and that I put regular crossovers in. Good as new!
Dear friends...im not as many like you who understands the technical aspects of speakers....Im a Keyboard player and doing ministry...I want two speakers for my YAMAHA PSR S 970.
I have two questions.1.Do I need active or passive speakers?
2.I want to choose either from Yamaha or JBL speakers.....Which can I select....Please guide me ....My budget is 720 $
Hello there, my name is Paul. I'm from yanam, south India. I'd like to buy POPE speakers and ampilfire for our church. But I'm little bit confused what speakers and ampilfire I should buy.
We are almost 400 people. So we need a sound system for our church. Could you please suggest speakers and ampilfires.? Or should I go for active speakers? Please help
Thank you!!
Did you say sales "Engineer"???
I like both of these options. For DJs, actives are really convenient; probably the ONLY choice . But for my live rock shows on a stage, passive speakers are actually a hell of a lot easier; unless you can spend tens of thousands of dollars on top, top, top of the line actives like 2000 watt RCFs or something. Passives: I don't need to plug in each speaker power cord and XLR cord, which I found means I have a bunch of power boards and cables running around the stage, so it's just cables everywhere tucked away, and I start getting lost in cables and confused by the 3rd band lol (try trouble shooting wires halfway through a rock show... uuggh!). just the power amp(s) on the side of the stage, 1 or 2 power plugs for the amps, and a cable for each speaker and your rolling (lower power bills also). passive, you can replace speakers easier, without sifting through and unscrewing everything squashed into the speaker (I've found, for whatever reason, active speakers tend to hiss a lot very quickly after purchase). As for sound, of course a dedicated power amp with real transistors and actual wires/ circuitry is going to be better than the chipboards stuffed into most of these big brand affordable class D speakers.
This is all anecdotal to my own experience over 5 years or so of doing live production though, just my eventual outcome. So, the actives are not as convenient as they seem on the surface in certain settings. Like guitar amplifiers; the good ones with analogue circuitry with valves are HEAVY; but it needs to be to sound great. Actives to me are like solid state amps, which just died away as people experienced the flaws (which were deemed convenient, at first, as a selling point). I tend to feel like active speakers are like those little CD player, tape deck, record player in one stereo systems from the 80s/ 90s. Passives are more like real hardcore HIFI systems; everything has a dedicated part, and it just absolutely blasts away those little stereo systems out of the water. i have a record store, and people come in, having bought a cheap all in one record player; "I don't think records sound better than CDs and streaming." But when I show them a record through dedicated power amps, turntable, speakers, subwoofers etc... "oh, okay, that sounds incredible."
In summary, the active market is really chasing the DJs. They aren't voiced for rock clarity very well.
In my opinion, active speakers just sound cleaner and run more efficiently. Just my two cents!
More efficiently? You ever heard of headroom? No active speakers can have as much headroom as a properly matched amplifier. I can agree on cleaner, but efficiency is not an active speaker's trait. Most limit early.
@@crispa1861 Compared to the Passive systems, active can easily get overheated as well despite having integrated heat dissipation. Compared to rack mount amps of today, a class D amp alone would easily be able to run a 3 way system without even getting hot and have a lot of head room
I completely disagree
Not to be confused with active and powered loudspeakers itself
I have a question, does the terminal on the loudspeaker act as an audio input as well? Is that how to audio gets transfered to the loudspeaker from the power amplifier?
Hey, Wai. I am Mickey from the video above. On a passive speaker, the 1/4" or Speakon input is to be connected to the output of a power amplifier. The XLR, 1/4" or RCA connections on a powered speaker are to be connected directly to the audio source. Depending on the speaker this can be a microphone, mixer, interface, or playback device like an iPod. Give us a shout with any other questions!
Mickey Cushing, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3024, Mickey_Cushing@Sweetwater.com
Passive is better for installs
Powered it is for me
I wish you all would have spent more time showing the speakers versus showing the speaker.
Funny that an audio specific video has background music that's too loud & also annoying ;-). Otherwise, nicely explained, thanks.
Active Speaker alwys
A sales engineer lmao im a purchasing engineer
Sales Engineer LOL
Nee sollu ekkuvaiendi
CovidImages need to be invested more than half19
You are referring to the whole unit as "speakers" that's very confusing, there is no such a thing.
Great content
Can i use normal speakers something that is not studio monitors amd cheap