Active vs Passive Speakers (Full Comparison)
af
Nikolaj Nielsen
In this blogpost, I will explain the difference between active and passive speakers, as well as what it means that a speaker is active or passive.
What is the difference between active and passive speakers? The difference between active and passive speakers is that active speakers have a built-in amplifier, while the passive speaker does not. This means you don't have to invest in anything other than the active speaker to make it work, where with passive you have to invest in several components.
If you would like to know more about active and passive speakers, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each, you can read further below.
Index
What are active speakers?
An active speaker is a speaker that has an amplifier built into the system from the start.
Therefore, you do not have to go out and invest in components other than the speaker itself, so that it can produce sound.
A modern active speaker often also has built-in Bluetooth, which makes it easy for you to connect your smartphone, tablet, computer, etc. to the speaker.
Because the amplifier is built into the active speaker, this means that you do not have the option to upgrade the speaker in the same way as with the passive speakers.
The active speaker can be a good solution if you don't have much space to have both speakers and amplifier standing.
Since the active speaker has the amplifier built in, they often take up less space than the passive speakers.
What are passive speakers?
A passive speaker is a speaker without a built-in amplifier.
Therefore, it will be necessary for you, in addition to the speaker, to invest in an amplifier so that you can make the speaker work.
The passive speakers are powered by the amplifier, so they do not work if they are not connected to the amplifier.
Since passive speakers are just the speaker, it allows you to upgrade the various parts of your music system at a later stage.
In addition to the amplifier needed to make the passive speaker work, you can add and upgrade other components to your sound system:
- Subwoofer
- Sound processor
- Crossover network
- Equalizer
Overall, you can say that passive speakers give you more flexibility to adapt your sound system to how you want it to be.
Pros and cons of active speakers
Choosing what kind of speaker to choose can be a difficult decision.
There are both pros and cons to both active and passive speakers, which can make it challenging to choose, and as with so much else, your choice should also be made based on what your wants and needs are.
Your decision can perhaps be remedied by weighing the pros and cons against each other, which you can see an overview of below.
Pros and cons of active speakers
Here I will give you an overall overview of what pros and cons there may be if you choose an active speaker.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easier to get started Getting started with an active speaker can be easier since you don't have to connect other components to the speaker. | Can be more expensive than passive speakers You will often find that active speakers are more expensive than passive ones. However, you must also take into account that you do not have to buy additional components for the active speaker. |
| Uses less space Active speakers usually takes up less space than passive speakers, as everything you need is built into the speaker itself. | Cannot be upgraded The active speaker is limited in terms of upgrading, as you will not be able to replace the amplifier it is equipped with. |
| Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Many active speakers today are equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making it easy for you to connect your smartphone, tablet, etc. to your speaker. |
Pros and cons of passive speakers
If you are considering a passive speaker, below I will give you an overview of the pros and cons of choosing a passive speaker.
| Pros | Cons |
| You can choose which amplifier you want With the passive speaker you can choose which amplifier you want, which allows you to customize the speaker according to your wishes and needs. | May require you to know about audio equipment If you are not familiar with audio and its equipment, it can be challenging to get maximum performance out of the passive speaker. The quality of the sound also depends on which amplifier you choose. |
| Possible to upgrade The passive speaker allows you to upgrade and add new components to your sound system. Thus, it is also possible, for example, to start with a cheaper amplifier, but later upgrade it. | It is not portable The passive speaker cannot do anything unless it is connected to an amplifier. This can make it difficult to transport the speaker. |
| Large variety of size The passive speakers come in a wide variety of sizes. However, you must be aware that you must also have space for an amplifier. | Not built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth If you want your passive speaker to be able to connect via Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth, you need to invest in additional components. |
What type of speaker should you choose?
If you are faced with a choice between having to invest in an active and passive speaker, it may be advantageous to first review the pros and cons between the two types.
If you have a desire to be able to customize and upgrade your sound system, you should choose a passive speaker, as it allows you to do this, which an active speaker does not.
If, on the other hand, you want to be able to transport your speaker around, you should consider an active speaker, as it only consists of one component.
Therefore, it is important that when you have to make your choice between active or passive, that you consider what you want to get out of your sound system.