Powered\Unpoweed Monitors

Posted on

Member Since: Sep 09, 2005

Hey guys,
This is my first post here, so be gentle...

I've been playing for years, but am finally buckling down and trying to put together a home studio so I can knock out demo tracks to give to my band, as well as record some solo acoustic stuff w/o having to pay obscene amounts of money for studio time.

I'm currently at the point where I'm looking for monitors, and I keep coming across both powered an unpowered monitors. This may sound like a stupid question, but what's the difference between powered and unpowered, and active and passive?

Thanks in advance for everyone's help. I absolutely love the site...

(rob)

[ Back to Top ]


Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Sep 09, 2005 07:39 am

powered (a.k.a. active) means that the speakers have their own amplifier built in.

unpowered (a.k.a. passive) means you need to get an external amp to run them.

In a perfect world active means that the speakers have an amplifier in them that is perfectly matched to the speaker drivers themselves, making it sound as good as it can. Such is typically the case with hi-end monitors. However, we all know big business, out to make a buck, they lower-end monitors often claim this "perfectly matched amp" thing, but in reality, they just package up the cheapest amp they can that sounds decent.

I personally go with passive monitors and buy my own amp.

Welcome to HRC, glad to have you around.

Gentle enough? ;-)

Member
Since: Sep 09, 2005


Sep 09, 2005 12:37 pm

exactly what i needed...thanks for the quick reply on the first of what is probably going to be a million questions...

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Sep 09, 2005 12:52 pm

you are cut off at 999,999 questions.

Member
Since: Sep 09, 2005


Sep 09, 2005 01:26 pm

if you want to be like that then fine, but my millionth question was going to be a doozy...

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Sep 09, 2005 01:27 pm

hehehe

Related Forum Topics:



If you would like to participate in the forum discussions, feel free to register for your free membership.