KEF LS60w - The Ugly Side of the Active Speaker Market

[kelesh]

you can change your own lightbulbs though

Some good news, at least

 

[sergeauckland]

Lots of active BBC monitors and Spendors with amp packs from Quad and other UK brands into the 70s. First true active was the OY from Klein Hummel in 67. Jbl did powered speakers in 64.

Although I don't know how many of those were active, i.e. with electronic crossovers, or just had an amp pack on the back or underneath on the trolley. KEF had a 'Professional Monitor' with amplifier under the 'speaker, but I'm pretty sure the crossover was passive. OMAL and Tangent were also early actives as I recall.

S

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I don't see how delay on replacing drivers on a speaker has anything to do with the fact that they happen to be active.

We will happily replace (or send for you to replace) both drivers and amplifiers on our speakers and subs, so this does not have to be difficult on an active speaker.

Your statement is a really big deal.

i dont think that's recommended in the EU and other places with CE type certfication

customers taking apart 240v wall powered electronics???

It's called a plug.

I suspect service on is always going to be better with companies which heavily sell into the pro audio market. The KEF LS50W had a very high failure rate which makes me wary of the LS60W as well.

As for toddlers, the only solution is to not have anything around which may be damaged easily. That probably means the safest thing is wall mounted speakers which don't have any drivers within reach. There's no way to control what little kids do.

That is why Sweetwater is good at repairs. Sell mainly pro along with consumer.

Sad. If they keep this up, the next generation will be unable to tie their own shoes without calling in "a professional".

Dealer couldn't fix broken linkage of clutch for 2003 Ford Ranger after one month. I mean could not fix. Local mechanic welded back in 30 minutes.

How is that different from customers taking apart, replacing or rewiring a 240v wall outlet itself, or any other electrical device? Is this illegal in the EU now?

Probably

Sad. If they keep this up, the next generation will be unable to tie their own shoes without calling in "a professional".

Already here with latest generation.

I did look at getting some Kii3 speakers but it's this sort of problem that puts me off, and the cost of them means buying a third one as a spare isn't really realistic.

I keep a pair of Audiovector towers as spares, bought used quite cheap. Not quite as good as the Focals I usually use (although some visitors preferred them) but more than adequate to slot in and carry on listening should the worst happen.

Added to which I know that the hassle of arranging a repair and boxing and shipping the speaker to be repaired is possibly something I would not be bothered to do (I work long hours, don't like to do more work when I get home) leaving me with an expensive white elephant.

'Know thyself'.

In any case, I find the touted advantages of active over passive to be overstated, sometimes alarmingly so. The Kii3 were a little better in the bass, that was about it. But I use a Krell power amplifier which doesn't really notice that it has a loudspeaker to drive, lesser amplification may not be so nonchalant.

Agree.

 

[Peterinvan]

Passive speakers also have woofers.
Keep toddlers away from expensive speakers would appear to be the lesson.
Keith

When I had toddlers I fabricated some higher shelves for the audio gear. This may be an ideal use case for shelf mounted speakers

 

[Crook]

I keep gear and have spares. Wiim goes I can go bluetooth or use the turntable. A7 goes, there's a Fosi v3 in the wardrobe. F206 blows, there's some PSB T45 boxed in the loft. It's not expensive gear, so I didn't have to sell it. But, the music would keep flowing.

 

[mjgraves]

I must admit that I'm keeping watch for some amplifier modules for my JBL 70x monitors. I'd like to have a spare on hand. I've seen a few on Ebay.