Typical lifespan of actives v passives?

[KL....]

I used to struggle this, but think of it this way, your amp will go one day also, but a nice amp likely cost $1000+ and a nice pair of passives are usually costing more. Now a pair of 8030C was like $1000 all in one, I can afford 2 sets of 8030C with the cost of a great ss amp with passives and cables. And say if the 8030 died in 10 years the next product range at that price likely outperform them

Thank you, @YSC, Yes, that is certainly a consideration, isn't it, especially when some like the Palmer Orbit 11, or equivalent, are available with good DSP/PEQ/Cardioid, good Connections, good Amplifycation, good Drivers, and a good Enclosure/Box....

 

[Marc v E]

I think active vs passive more depends on the selected components, ie dependable, proven long lifespan than whether the amp and/or dac is in the speaker.

Ime Genelec speakers are almost indistructable, as they should be, considering they're build for daily use by professionals.

My experience with B&O has been the same. Now 16 years and counting.

I have good experience with actives which include power amps, also with pre and dsp included. The streamer I prefer to keep seperate, but this is mostly because developments in this field are quick and changes more often than in amps and preamps.

Whether I keep speakers or upgrade depends more on changes in lifestyle or family.

 

[BobbyTimmons]

As an example, at the moment Genelec web-site shows that their Certified Pre-Owned product selection includes a S30C model made in 1995 i.e. over 30 years ago. The speaker is now offered with a 2 year warranty.

Do you think those will have had replacement drivers though in the refurbishment process?

 

[LTig]

How many people have had active studio monitors fail on them? A lot of them seem remarkably robust over the years.

None so far:

• K&H O300D since 2004 (a switch failed on both which I fixed myself)
• 2 pairs of Genelec 8020a since 2006
• Genelec 7060b since 2006
• JBL 2325P since 2009 (not used very often and retired for years)
• Mackie HR824 since about 2010 (I inherited them and sold them last year to a friend since I had no place to use them)
• FBT Jolly 8a since 2005 (PA speakers - blew the tweeter voice coils 2 years ago and replaced them)
• RCF PS 500 (PA sub) since 2005, which I bought used (probably 10+ years old back then, couldn't find any data in the internet)

 

[LTig]

Do you think those will have had replacement drivers though in the refurbishment process?

If drivers are made using proper material they can last very long. In 2019 I sold a pair of DIY speakers using Kef B110B and Audax HD25 which I had built in 1988. Despite being 32 years old they were in perfect condition, looked like new and played like new (well, subjectively felt like new).

 

[BobbyTimmons]

If drivers are made using proper material they can last very long. In 2019 I sold a pair of DIY speakers using Kef B110B and Audax HD25 which I had built in 1988. Despite being 32 years old they were in perfect condition, looked like new and played like new (well, subjectively felt like new).

Won't the resonant frequency change though from the aging of the rubber?

 

[robh36062]

Well using the number of subwoofers I have had the amps go dead in I am a bit biased against active speakers. I have never blown or damaged a speaker driver in normal use. I also own Altec drivers from the late 50's that are still going strong. Own JBL's I purchased in the 70's and again just fine.

Rob

 

[LTig]

Won't the resonant frequency change though from the aging of the rubber?

As I said the rubber looked like new. It may be different if they had been exposed to UV light all day.

 

[LTig]

Well using the number of subwoofers I have had the amps go dead in I am a bit biased against them.

Maybe there is a reason why Genelec subs are rather expensive compared to other similar sized and capable subs ...

 

[Sigberg Audio]

Well using the number of subwoofers I have had the amps go dead in I am a bit biased against them. I have never blown or damaged a speaker driver in normal use. I also own Altec drivers from the late 50's that are still going strong.

Rob

A lot of subwoofer especially back in the day were built with very cheap amplifers, and often AB-amps that got quite hot, implemented with insufficient cooling. This is not necessarily how active speakers (especially those designed for studio use) are designed. Having speakers dying is of course a lot more problematic when they are being used as a tool in a studio, and they also typically get way more hours than a speaker does in a normal home.

Still, active speakers are the choice of almost all studios. If they had the longevity of early day subwoofers, that wouldn't be the case.

 

[EJ3]

What? No passives come with 20 year warranties and many do have issues much sooner than this.

On both sides, just because there are examples working fine after any given time period, it doesn't mean all or even most do.

Every passive that I have bought since I started this hobby in 1974 has and still works exactly as intended.
On one pair (of 2 pair) of Dahlquist M-905's I upgraded to modern parts with the same specs but better tolerances in the crossovers. It made no difference (measured or subjective).
The only passive speakers that I have ever seen fail (mine [none of which has ever failed] or someone else's) has been due to abuse of some sort (usually to do with transporting them).And that incudes PA systems that I have designed for night clubs and for live bands.
As to Actives, I can't say, I do not know anybody that has any actives (that are for home stereo or larger).
Of course, this is only my personal experience.

 

[Frank Dernie]

I have Meridian M33s in regular use as rear channels. They are over 20 years old but they are simple active, I also have Devialet's first DSP Phantom design which also still work but are hardware incompatible with the latest firmware.
With DSP stuff I fear chips being NLA will be the biggest limit to longevity.
My main speakers are passive and coming up to 30 years old.

 

[dfuller]

Well using the number of subwoofers I have had the amps go dead in I am a bit biased against active speakers. I have never blown or damaged a speaker driver in normal use. I also own Altec drivers from the late 50's that are still going strong. Own JBL's I purchased in the 70's and again just fine.

Rob

Sub amps seem to die much more frequently than full on active speakers IME. Couldn't tell you quite why. It's the case even if they're separate from the box.

 

[Ultrasonic]

Every passive that I have bought since I started this hobby in 1974 has and still works exactly as intended.
On one pair (of 2 pair) of Dahlquist M-905's I upgraded to modern parts with the same specs but better tolerances in the crossovers. It made no difference (measured or subjective).
The only passive speakers that I have ever seen fail (mine [none of which has ever failed] or someone else's) has been due to abuse of some sort (usually to do with transporting them).And that incudes PA systems that I have designed for night clubs and for live bands.
As to Actives, I can't say, I do not know anybody that has any actives (that are for home stereo or larger).
Of course, this is only my personal experience.

If we're going by anecdote I've had faults with three different passive speakers. The very first pair of speakers I bought were some Mission standmounts in I think 1996. I still have them for nostalgic reasons but one of them is definitely not working as new. I also have a pair of Meadowlark Shearwater speakers that I'm the second owner of but were new in the early 2000s (and I bought in 2005) - I think I twice had to replace the bass driver on one speaker, and the high frequency output was measurably more rolled-off than the data I can find from new reviews. The latter I'd guess was due to aging ferrofluid but it could also be that the visible dust on the tweeter was a factor.

Passives do have issues is all I'm saying, and lots of others have already commented in this thread.

Right now I'm sitting in my lounge with passive speakers in front of me and active speakers behind me (used for AV surrounds). I don't think anyone should be basing their buying choices on specifically whether a speaker is active or passive. Both can be good options.

 

[YSC]

Thank you, @YSC, Yes, that is certainly a consideration, isn't it, especially when some like the Palmer Orbit 11, or equivalent, are available with good DSP/PEQ/Cardioid, good Connections, good Amplifycation, good Drivers, and a good Enclosure/Box....

Just to update, I have a 4 years old KRK RP5 G4 having the amp died on me, it was used as TV speaker for almost every day and with standby mode, one of the amp got the dreaded power stage cap blown, I tried replaced that 3 times and it also blown up in like 2 weeks, suggesting the PSU board have something wrong, I have since then replaced with a pair of JBL 305P mk II and it works well now, sometimes the budget lineup are more susceptable to these stuffs

 

[EJ3]

If we're going by anecdote I've had faults with three different passive speakers. The very first pair of speakers I bought were some Mission standmounts in I think 1996. I still have them for nostalgic reasons but one of them is definitely not working as new. I also have a pair of Meadowlark Shearwater speakers that I'm the second owner of but were new in the early 2000s (and I bought in 2005) - I think I twice had to replace the bass driver on one speaker, and the high frequency output was measurably more rolled-off than the data I can find from new reviews. The latter I'd guess was due to aging ferrofluid but it could also be that the visible dust on the tweeter was a factor.

Passives do have issues is all I'm saying, and lots of others have already commented in this thread.

Right now I'm sitting in my lounge with passive speakers in front of me and active speakers behind me (used for AV surrounds). I don't think anyone should be basing their buying choices on specifically whether a speaker is active or passive. Both can be good options.

A is the only information that I have on it. There has never been any reason for me to go out and research it, as I have never had a failure that wasn't in some way, proven to be self-inflicted (and even then, only to see if I could make one blow out/up/whatever).
On the other hand, I have friends that did the same, just not intentually.
Sometimes, it required a demonstration to show them why what they did, made it go out. Sometimes as simple as showing them that "when you let the smoke out of the wires, the magik goes away."

 

[Ultrasonic]

A is the only information that I have on it. There has never been any reason for me to go out and research it, as I have never had a failure that wasn't in some way, proven to be self-inflicted (and even then, only to see if I could make one blow out/up/whatever).
On the other hand, I have friends that did the same, just not intentually.
Sometimes, it required a demonstration to show them why what they did, made it go out. Sometimes as simple as showing them that "when you let the smoke out of the wires, the magik goes away."

I should have said that the drivers that failed didn't so when in use.

Edit: although it could be argued that an advantage of actives is reduced chance of being driven too hard to damage drivers, either due to built in limiters or simply the amplifier choices.

 

[EJ3]

I should have said that the drivers that failed didn't so when in use.

Edit: although it could be argued that an advantage of actives is reduced chance of being driven too hard to damage drivers, either due to built in limiters or simply the amplifier choices.

Conditions of storage when not in use would certainly be an issue. Humid (where I have always lived: on a deep water creek, on a river, on islands and was it put in an attic, stored in a basemen or kept in a climate controlled home.
Mine have never been outside of a climate controlled home except for wen I have put them on the patio with their back to the exterior wall, so as to get the sound headed across the back yard to my friends on my dock.
But, that is a rare use case, maybe 3 times a year. Otherwise, they are in an indoor, climate controlled location.

 

[KL....]

I should have said that the drivers that failed didn't so when in use.

Edit: although it could be argued that an advantage of actives is reduced chance of being driven too hard to damage drivers, either due to built in limiters or simply the amplifier choices.

Thank you, @Ultrasonic, Yes, what this shows/exhibits is that (everything) likes to be used but not abused (not over extended), especially electronics. Why especially electronics more so than mechanical? Well, (usually) mechanical is easyer (usually) to repair than electronics, why? well, electronics may not be available (and is Specialised) where mechanical often can be fabricated/repaired, reasonable? Note that this is the case especially so with (hybrid) rubber materials where (ordinary, non-hybrid) rubber bands are an example (use them or they die/disintegrate) but do not over extend them which is the case with all materials, isn't it? Foam, well why use Foam when it has low Elasticity and high Moisture absorption (other than being Light and Cheap) causes it to die/disintegrate, quickly. Seals are another example, aren't they, and there are many other examples, aren't there?...

 

[Eric Larson]

I've had subwoofer plate amps fail twice, after a decade, but the driver be fine. Just replaced the plate amp.

I had a new active bookshelf arrive DOA due to failed internal electronics. That was returned for refund.

Never had a driver fail.