Allan:

Despite your obvious bias toward B&W, the fact remains: the best way to achieve the best performance from a loudspeaker system is through direct amplifier-to-driver connections, with nothing between them but the speaker wire.

This can only be achieved with an active crossover network. No passive crossover can do this.

Additionally, the quality and precision of the capacitors (Polystryene for example) is much higher for the small values used in active crossovers than for the large values needed for passive ones. Inductors are conpletely unnecessary in active crossovers. Additionally, the crossover slopes and whatever equalization needed can be implemented with much greater precision and with much less sonic degredation in a low-level active crossover network.

For home use, it is a moot point really since most people don't have the expertise to implement an active crossover, multiple amplifier setup. In some professional situations (live venue recording for instance) simplicity and ease of setup is desired becasue of time pressures - there is simply no time to fiddle with the multiple amplifier volume controls and real-time acoustic analysis needed for active crossover setups. In studio situations, the inclusion of an active crossover setup means the studio designer/installer must have the expertise and equipment necessary to properly design and implement such a system - not all studio design firms have this expetise, so turn-key passive systems are used.

The decisions on which technology to use more often has to do with practical matters than pure performance ones. This does not take away from the fact that ultimately, active crossovers are the best way to go when the absolute highest performance is desired.

It's really a shame the Hi-Fi industry didn't go in the active crossover direction from day one, but budget and complexity factors undoubtedly were more important for the average consumer.

I would challenge you to describe in full detail (no links to, or cut-and-paste from manufacturer's white sheets allowed!) exactly what technical advantages passive crossovers have over active ones beyond simplicity, cost and that so-and-so makes them and they are used by this-or-that studio.

[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited October 08, 2004).]