Wagonmaster1
New Member
I'm returning to this thread to write a "final analysis" for anyone who might have similar questions in the future.
In all, I think active/computer speakers have an advantage in that they are directed right at your ears (so good imaging) plus they have an additional "boost" to mid-frequency sounds which adds a sense of richness.
That said, it's hard to generalize about stuff like this, and most passive speaker set ups can sound better than an active speaker set up if you do it right. Moreover, many active speaker models are low quality.
Besides that, another big problem with my setup was the fact that my speakers were just too big. If they were turned too low, they wouldn't express themselves very well, but if I cranked it up, they would sound boomy in my small room. My Sanyo record player also leaves much to be desired.
Finally, I wanted to clarify something to @KentTeffeteller : I didn't say I owned Porter Wagoner's record, just that his was the kind of music I like to listen to. I do own a lot of old country records however, and most are piss-poor pressings. For instance, I own the record below, published in 1968 by Hilltop, but mostly a collection of George Jones's early stuff from the 1950s. It's one of the most miserable sounding records you've ever heard. Even in a full-on "audiophile" system, it would sound muffled, muted, and weak.
In all, I think active/computer speakers have an advantage in that they are directed right at your ears (so good imaging) plus they have an additional "boost" to mid-frequency sounds which adds a sense of richness.
That said, it's hard to generalize about stuff like this, and most passive speaker set ups can sound better than an active speaker set up if you do it right. Moreover, many active speaker models are low quality.
Besides that, another big problem with my setup was the fact that my speakers were just too big. If they were turned too low, they wouldn't express themselves very well, but if I cranked it up, they would sound boomy in my small room. My Sanyo record player also leaves much to be desired.
Finally, I wanted to clarify something to @KentTeffeteller : I didn't say I owned Porter Wagoner's record, just that his was the kind of music I like to listen to. I do own a lot of old country records however, and most are piss-poor pressings. For instance, I own the record below, published in 1968 by Hilltop, but mostly a collection of George Jones's early stuff from the 1950s. It's one of the most miserable sounding records you've ever heard. Even in a full-on "audiophile" system, it would sound muffled, muted, and weak.
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