PLEASE READ *before commenting*! 1) All comments here are moderated by a third party 2) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome 3) No URLs, racist/sexist remarks or conspiracy theories, please

Thanks a lot for this second video. I had the chance to listen and compare at my local dealer the difference between a set of Dynaudio active speakers (Focus 50) and a combination of Dynaudio passive speakers (Evoke 50) powered by a separate DAC/Streamer and Amp system (Cambridge Audio CXN v2 and CXA81) for around the same price standpoint (if you include cables and so on). No chance you can reach the same « performance » with a passive system. To get the same dynamics, clarity and detailed listening you probably need to go 2x or 3x the money. Not even mentioning the « simplicity » of the system, anyone should definitely give a go at an active system to at least listen to it. I can promise you you won’t be disapointed :-)

We got the A700 at home and I am so looking forward to your take on them. Especially how they compare against the other active options. Cheers

@ repair discussion: I own some Dynaudio stuff (Focus XD30, Xeo 4, Sub y) and my Sub 6 (active DSP subwoofer) died around 2 years ago. I got a new amp/ dsp module within 3 days upfront. Replaced the dead one by opening some screws and connect the inside plugs. After that I had to send back the dead module. As simple as that! Not sending back the 20kg beast. Not waiting for repair to be done somewhere. I love that approach and hope the new focus are designed and built the same way. Cheers, Franz

Can't wait for the buchardt review , and the potential toe to toe comparison with the dynaudio

Love these videos focusing on what others have said about the new product you review. Always informative and appreciate everything you do....my most favorite audio channel that I look forward to, Thank you!

I've not even watched the video yet, but I had to comment because the bombshell of seeing the Buchardt A700s behind you at 0:40 has got my excitement level through the roof!

Great insight. I like these type of videos. It's weird, but I feel more engaged.

John is the best audio reviewer out there. And he’s also got pretty decent music taste. I even bought something he reviewed once!

We think the Bigger Dynaudio Focus 50's are one of the best at any price ! Twittering Machines gave it Speaker Of The Year Award for 2022 too ! Go look at the speakers they reviewed in 2022 ! Active Wireless Speakers are now the Future of Speakers !

Love this kind of videos... the "Dear John" concept is just genius!

Totally agree. The single point of failure argument does not really matter. If any of my components fail, I cannot listen to music anymore.

As a huge fan of this channel I really wish he would just skip the questions he isn’t going to answer or answer with ‘if that had happened it would’ve been in the review’. I'm sure he gets lots of annoying questions but why pass them onto his viewers. I watch these videos to hear Johns insight into Hi-Fi and really enjoy him actually answering questions like this. Keep up the good work!

Thanks John, for a compact yet wide-ranging discussion on a number of more general audio topics such as active vs. passive speakers, bookshelf vs. floorstanding etc. I am really enjoying this 'Dear John' format that moves beyond just doing a product review.

I’ve seen your contributions of head-fi for over a decade. Love the content!

I had a demo of both focus 30 and 50. It is worth a try, 50s really impressed me. Hoping to see 50s in your vidéos :-)

God bless that 2.2%

Always appreciate the follow ups, cheers from Memphis!

On point as always John. These feedback sessions are informative, entertaining and a proactive way to turn the keyboard warriors into interested parties. For the last point alone, bravo.

THANKS JOHN..FOR SHARING THIS WITH US…and the end challenge…CHANGE IS HARD for some and you are trying hard to be objective and honest and we appreciate all your efforts in this regard 🤗👍😎💚💚💚

Wonderful video..!!! We should do this followup thing more often...!!!

Coming from a studio background I've been an active fan for years, running genelec 8341 at home and work. These dynaudio appeal for a more open part of the house.

Hi John, 1) Very helpful follow-up video. Please continue when appropriate. 2) You are another KZfaq reviewer who, like me, could care less about hi rez audio. 3) I'm not a fan of gapless playback as I like a clear break from one song and / or artist to another, especially in a mixed playlist with different artists. To each their own I guess. 4) Many techs do not like working on more complicated "all in one" components. However, they will have to learn in the future, given so many components (just add speakers electronics and active speakers) are going that way, especially when the warranty has expired and most seek unauthorized service providers. 5) Keep up the great work!

Those Buchardts looking so sexy in the background, damn!

I have the predecessor - the Dynaudio Focus 30XD and they are awesome speakers! However, one of them failed to play after owning for a few short months. I have been without my speakers for seven weeks!!!! They tried a fix which didn't work (sent me the part to fit), but now I'm waiting for them to be collected (at my expense) and guess I'm weeks away from a fix. I emailed Dynaudio support and had no response in over a week. I can't recommend Dynaudio after this shameful experience. But it wouldn't put me off active speakers : )

Excellent follow-up video!

Brilliant John. Greetings from South Africa. I have the B&W Formation Duo’s. Other than the Apple TV, I do everything via Roon. More than 2 years later and I still absolutely love them! Simplicity and matching sorted. On the single point of failure, I recently picked up a minor distortion at specific frequencies on the right speaker. I went and spoke to the dealer and he emphasised that I need to pack both left and right into the box for repairs, because they are a matched pair. A very heavy box! But, as you rightly point out, that’s the only issue for me. I do also have the brilliant Foundation Wedge, so that’s my backup. No different from what would happen if a separate died. Thanks for your great work!

Outstanding ... Thanks for the ongoing reviews ... 🎶

Good response to those who worry about powered speakers breaking down. I would also suggest if anyone worries about things like this and you have home insurance that covers contents, you don’t need to, just keep the receipts!

John, your videos are so enjoyable. You are good at your craft sir. And for what it’s worth, anyone who can afford $7k for active speakers can also afford to ship them to be repaired. Keep up the great work and thank you for your content!

I don't spend 7k to listen via Chromecast or Airplay.

Love your content and approach towards Audio, John. Have been following your channel for a while. I hope you go from strength to strength. p.s.: Please write a bit more on your website. I think your writing style is pretty awesome too.

Hi Darko, I just got an Argon Audio Solo streamer after watching your review. Couldn't be happier! Thank you 🙏

oh yes my budgie got a mention. he didn't say anything back though.

Hi John, thanks for another great video. Did you test these speakers with the standard power cables? I had a pair of Dynaudio Xeo 3s (wireless active stand mount speakers). I was able to do an AB test, side by side, one speaker with standard and the other with reasonably priced quality power cables. The difference was massive, previously I had been sceptical of power cables but not now. The difference in clarity was huge. I was so amazed I swapped the cable around, it was definitely the cable. I asked Dynaudio to comment and they indicated they expect their dealers to encourage users to buy quality power cables.

Hi, In reaction to your question of comparing a active loudspeaker to a passive system. My home setup is a Lyngdorf 1120 and a hypex 250 ncore power amplifier with a pair of Bec-Akustik (made in Germany) and a Dali e9F subwoofer. As a source I use mainly the latest Bluesound. I compared it with the Kef ls 60 system. Although the Kefs were in a different room, I think the differences are definitely audible. Both systems have their characteristics. The Kefs are capable of delivering a serious punch and dynamics. My own system is much more of finesse and soundstage. It is really hard to localise were the sound is coming from. Somtimes it seems it comes from beyond my room without the loss of clarity and detail. Of Course the Lyngdorf has its room perfect wich handles acoustic problems, Like dirac For now I stay with my own system. But I was really impressed by the Kef ls60. But in the end hearing is believing, So maybe you're go and try the Bec-Akustik one day.

Thanks for this, love your channel.

What a great video! Keep up the good work. Love hearing above modern HiFi with new technologies. People should be no more “afraid” of using Active full range speakers than they would with Active subwoofers (which are quite popular).

Great video, really enjoy these follow ups.

Great video John - however I don't think that your Single-Point-of-Failure discussion really addressed the issue with wireless active speakers - for me at least. The issue, for me, is that these are very tightly integrated complicated devices which are only really serviceable by the OEM. If I'm spending thousands on a piece of hifi I don't want to be at the mercy of the OEM for repair in ten or fifteen years time. Passive systems are inherently less complicated and components can often be fixed by third-parties decades after the OEM has ended support or ceased trading. In a worst case scenario where a passive system component can't be fixed then at least I would need to replace only one component - not the whole system. That's before you even get into the longevity of the app/software/firmware ecosystem maintenance required to keep these devices operational...

Hi John, keep up the good work!!!

100% with you re: active vs. passive. Holding all other things equal, bypassing the passive crossover is an immense gain for sound quality. BUT.....all other things are rarely equal. If manufacturers routinely use "compromise" parts in crossovers while designing to a price point, there's no reason to expect that they'll do any differently when it comes to built-in amplification. There's also something to be said for specialization in component design - a hyperbolic example: I do not expect that the designer of a Gryphon amplifier posseses equivalent expertise in designing a DAC as does a designer at dcs, and vice versa. Finally, there's some enjoyment to be gained from the process of system matching and exploring all of the corners of this hobby. That being said, my next pair of speakers is almost assuredly going to be active, because, on balance, passive crossovers are the devil. ;)

Love these videos John, l feel like I'm a bit of a broken record. I've said this on several occasions now, but more please 🙏

Watched and enjoyed loads of your stuff particularly this debate about active speakers with digital amps and onboard dsp. The killer for me as i play a lot of vinyl and listen to fm radio as well as steaming is the inabilty to keep the vinyl and radio in the analogue domain throughout.

I've gone back and forth between a Sonos Beam/Sub setup (integrated amp + DSP), Yamaha stereo monitors (integrated amp no or flat DSP), and PSB floorstanders (passive crossover with external amp). The Sonos is generally more pleasing to listen to. The high order bit for me is not whether there is an integrated amplifier built into the device, but it's the presence of the DSP, and the sub.

Looking forward to your A700 review John... :)

Your nod to the record's pressing (in the Dynaudio Focus 30 video) recalled your podcast with Michael Lavorgna where you hashed out the nuances of vinyl recordings. I felt the discussion infused the remark with colour and currency and added to the video's appeal.

Thanks Much !

Enjoyed the video.

My suspicion (not tested) is that you are right about the better sound quality of active systems at the price point of the Dynaudios or even the Kef LS50 Wireless speakers. However, I also suspect (again not tested) that the “cost of entry” for a decent DSP active speaker system is higher than the “cost of entry” for a decent basic Hi-Fi separates system. Do you think it would be possible to get a better sounding DSP active speaker system at the price point of your “Kick Ass €1,000” system?

Regarding the "Disagree" section. Hi-fi is an investment that should hopefully last you a lifetime. So way beyond the warranty period. Having a single failure point means that you can scrap the entirety of your system as soon as something goes wrong. With separates you only have to replace one thing. I'm running fully active myself. But mine is a DIY system. So while I still have the advantage of being able to swap parts myself, most people don't

I have the Focus 30 XD ,can you tell me please what do you think in quality comparison? I mean I really love how deep they go and the quality

Chuffing brilliant

All studio monitors are active speakers for decades. Why, because passive speakers do not cam near a performance of speaker driver direct coupled with tuned amp .

hi, and thanks. the only comment missing, from my perspective, is connecting a PC. for years now, I've connected my PC to my audio system, through a USB reclocker, but also directly to the DAC via USB etc. and I suspect there are many like me..

few month back i attended the Melbourne Audio show (i know show isnt the best place to judge a system), to me all the DSP systems (D&D 8C, KEF LS60, etc) just didnt sound anything special. One room even had demonstration of DSP on / off. DSP didnt sound better just different.

I’ve heard of Dirac even being used in headphone amps! Pretty interesting!

John, I'm like you and so is my older son. We try to keep the wrap on things for as long as possible until it fall of by itself. I don't know why we do this , but we do. Just wanted to mention that meaningless bit of information.

Hi John, excellent analysis as always. Just a comment that Andrew Jones would also agree with you that active loudspeaker speakers (or speakers with active crossovers) generally outperform passive speakers/passive crossovers designs. He discussed your exact points in more detail in one of the introductory videos for the ELAC Navis series of active speakers when they were launched. Cheers, mate.

I'm a regular guy, bordering on poor compared to the average income in my country. I bought a set of Dynaudio Xeo2 on clerance sale last year i think it was, and i have been very happy with them. BUT: The last few days they've been acting up. Bad/weak/digital sound in the slave speaker for a few seconds every now and then. If there's something wrong with them, and they'll have to go in for repair, i'll be left without sound on my PC. If i had a passive set, and one speaker had issues i could get by using the other/find someone to borrow a set from, or if an amp died i could easily find someone to borrow some crappy amp from. I don't have another set of active speakers in reserve. If i had the money to buy an extra set of active speakers in decent quality, i would have invested in a better set of speakers, not a spare set. The one point of failure issue is real imo.

Why you keep boxes of the speaker? I just threw them out :). Not sure why would I keep them. What am I missing?

100% agree that the active with DSP would sound better than any passive system for the same money. Why? The phase correctness of active speakers cannot be beat by a passive system (for the same money).

To me as an old audiophile these speakers are completely out of the question due to their price. If we say that these focus 30's will achieve a sound experience of like 9 out of 10 due to all the benefits of active DSP built into the speaker and so on. I think you could get away with like a 7 or a 8 on a 30% budget on a passive system with maybe a active sub included. And to me, these are simply way too expensive. If they were in the range of 3-4 K € it would be another story.

The problem with Airplay and Chromcast is that they are limited to CD lossless quality. If it’s built into the Dynaudio app, I presume it will stream Hi-Res directly to the speakers.

I'm a longtime user of (analogue) active nearfield monitors with active sub. Value and flexibility mattered. I can pIay with satellite/sub/listening position, phase and gain. The sweet spot for critical listening is small, good for only one or two persons. I bought by mail. I can send them back by mail for repair or refurbish. I upgraded the digital section from CD player to an USB-DAC with an iPad as streamer (and for many other purposes). I would own an iPad anyway and the streamer was free of charge. I'm looking forward to compare this set-up with "audiophile" streamers and DACs.

Yet another fantastic video - thank you. At the very end, however, you say 'I'm not concerned about hi-res audio, it's not something I'm into'.. I'm paraphrasing. Can you discuss this..? I'm genuinely interested why not..? Thank you...! 🙏

Hi John! Thanks for reading my comment! Cheers! P.S. Yes. I am male.

what i think is a missed opportunity in active speakers, is give us control over the dsp real time. we can plug in a pc and sit down and hear that 40hz is too loud in our room, then go into the parametric eq, hopefully with a nice graphical user interface, and lower the area around 40hz in real time until it sound better. Then when we have a subwoofer(s) the ability in dsp to add delay to main speakers and set high pass to mains. and even better since we already have dsp, set up passive subwoofers, we only need power amp and driver in a box.

It would be nice to hear some experiences with the placement of the speakers. Manufacturers' manuals or dealers' advice often provide some general guidelines. Some reviewers often come up with a completely different setup than the manufacturer or dealer prescribes. This sealed speaker from Dynaudio could perhaps be placed much closer to the rear wall, for example?

I remember you compared the Kii3 to Kef Reference with some amp, was it a Hegel? I actually bought a pair of Kiis after testing them at home. Very good speakers.

Great video. Do you prefer active system with DSP like Dynaudio or simple (analog without DSP) like Elac Navis? Thanks

John, you’ve spoken with Paul Barton!? I hope there is an interview following or maybe a PSB product review 😊

That was super helpful. Great idea to do this, especially for a topic like active speakers

Does Powernode from Bluesound paired with KEF's LS50 Meta count as separates? I remember in that video you mentioned that you prefer that setup vs LS50 Wireless II :)

The convenience or otherwise to repair of digital and electronic equipment is dictated by many factors like how the product is engineered, what is the dealer network like, what is the longevity of the manufacturer, what is their support policy, where do you live relative to the manufacturer etc.

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but what about self noise in an active speaker? Is it an issue compared to passive speaker systems?

So enjoyed the videos on these active speakers. Thank-you! Is it common for active speakers like these to experience ground fault hum if they are powered from separate circuits? I had to tandem a pair of subwoofers onto the same circuit to remove hum. Just wondering about this technology. Anyone?

Active with DSP crossover will always win.. that is just the simple truth.. And the consern of equipment dieing is just grasping at straws.. separates die to, and must be shipped.. that's just the way it is.

Will you review the Q active 400?

A/D Converter, Here's an upgraded cable modem A/D converter to feed an ethernet equipped streamer. Motorola DOCSIS 3.1 32X8 3.0Gbps. Should be a solid audio upgrade.

What's that photo on your Frame TV?

So active ha... let's spend some cash ❤

hi i want to ask you because i cant deside between dynaudio evoke 30 with nad c399 or this focus 30 my room is 17 square meters. Which one is better i mostly hear rock music and tv netflix. thanks

What if someone build an integrated amp with build-in DSP and output to passive speakers that support bi-amp

What’s a budgie ? Had to look it up, never heard that before, of course, I don’t know anyone with birds or parakeets as pets.

Hi John. Appreciate you may have a back up pair of active speakers, as you are a reviewer, but I am guessing most people with separates, dealing in the level of dollars similar to the Focus 30s would have a backup amplifier that they can swap in for the short term. Also what if the active speaker can not be fixed…….$10,000 AUD down the drain if out of warranty. Definitely not the case if using separates.

Kudos, for rummaging the comments doing a dedicated video, John. I think we all know Hi-Fi comments sections can be a bit maddening.

Massive Dude Fest lol

uTease 😍🤣

Well! I don’t think I understood a single word but thanks anyway. I got the overwhelming impression that DACs are HARD to get right.

Would never buy a powerd speaker period just my opinion

Sweet vid. John, and 10 out of 10, for No adds, unlike the likes of Andrew Robinson, who builds a marvelous channel, then plays endless interrupting adds,, which for me ruins the channel.

"massive dude fest"😁🤣