[JLM]

Where these things really shine is near-field.  I am using them as computer speakers on my iMac and it is like having a great pair of headphone on that don't weigh anything.

And the soundstage doesn't move when your head moves.   


Active (more than powered) speakers typically have exceptionally deep/full bass, enhanced dynamics, ruler flat frequency response, and more cohesive soundstage.

[rjbond3rd]

Active (more than powered) speakers typically have exceptionally deep/full bass, enhanced dynamics, ruler flat frequency response, and more cohesive soundstage.

If that's true, then "non-active" speakers have weaker bass, poorer dynamics, a non-flat response and a less cohesive soundstage.

[JLM]

If that's true, then "non-active" speakers have weaker bass, poorer dynamics, a non-flat response and a less cohesive soundstage.

Yep.  See my comments above.  Now we can add the $300/pair JBL LSR305 to the list of overachieving active monitors.  But be prepared for accuracy and truth versus entertaining your tastes.

[maty]

Post 25 and 26

-> http://www.head-fi.org/t/779350/review-of-jbl-lsr305/15#post_12244508

I've done some minor modifications to my LSR305’S & I really like what I'm hearing now with them. They have a warmer but also brighter tone at the same time & without any significant harshness, just incredible detail. Smooth & easy to listen to. Draws you into the music rather than harshly throwing it in your face but still retaining incredible punch, in fact better punch than before. It all has to do with the coupling capacitors. Changing them from electrolytic to metalized film capacitors.

Did one other mod to the LSR305's. I replaced the capacitor that acts as a bleed from the negative feedback to ground. This controls the gain of the amp. This was a 100 uf electrolytic capacitor. I replaced it with a 12uf metalized film capacitor. There is no loss of bass due to the smaller capacitor as the electrolitic was at least ten times bigger than requied to get full frequency response. Bass is actually improved both quantity & quality.

This mod was done as the last one while it increased the warmth of the sound many vocals had a slightly thick character that I find unappealing in the long run. This last mod corrects that characteristic. That sound is still very slightly warm but not excessively unlike before. The bass is full & highly detailed.

Imaging of the speakers have dramatically improved & now you can rarely tell where the speakers are given the sound produced. Imaging is wider & stage is very deep when called apon.

[maty]

JBL LSR305 Studio Monitor

-> http://noaudiophile.com/JBL_LSR305/

[rjbond3rd]

Yep.  See my comments above. 

So all active speakers sound better (or at least more accurate) than all passive speakers?

[Folsom]

As long as you believe it, yes they do.

[wgscott]

I have no doubt genuine active speakers are better; everything else being equal, simply having individual amps and active crossovers should be an improvement.  What I do wonder, however, is how much the gap in performance might be narrowed with judicious application of DSP for speaker or room correction.

[wgscott]

Yep.  See my comments above.  Now we can add the $300/pair JBL LSR305 to the list of overachieving active monitors.  But be prepared for accuracy and truth versus entertaining your tastes.

So what DAC with balanced output would I be able to get for ~ $200 that would enable me to do a fair comparison with the Vanatoo speakers?

[JLM]

So what DAC with balanced output would I be able to get for ~ $200 that would enable me to do a fair comparison with the Vanatoo speakers?

Good question.  Personally don't believe balanced/XLR is needed for home 99% of home systems, especially simple systems like Vanatoo represents or any C&C system for that matter.  And with the speed that DAC technology continues to move I wouldn't want to be locked in to anything that is built-in.  IME EQ/DSP (with microphone) would be of more of a long term value if listening in-room (versus desktop) than picking one $200 DAC versus another.  But off the top of my head if I had to pick a DAC I'd go with a Schiit Modi 2 Uber for $149 (but would prefer a BiFrost).

Don't get me wrong, I like the Vanatoo and have been singing it's praises as a C&C product, but if you like it, there is a whole world of even better going down that road that studio professionals use that would also provide more flexibility.

[wgscott]

I probably looked at the JBL spec too quickly.  I thought it only allowed balanced input.

   Input Types   1 x XLR, 1 x TRS Balanced

If balanced is not required, then there are a whole host of good inexpensive DACs, even the Dragonfly, which would probably make for a fair pricepoint comparison.

The Vanatoo guys seem a bit understated about one thing I would think could give them the edge -- the direct digital approach, which makes for a very short direct signal path.  (The tradeoff is the need to use ADC for an analogue input, but who really would use this for that?)

So I wonder if DSP + direct-digital would close the gap with genuine active + external separate DAC and interconnects?