Need advice on active VS passive system - what to get? (Dynaudio, Naim)

Ktbrooke

Hi all, just after some advice as I am making an end game purchase and it's taken me years to save. Thus, being very careful!

After much research, I've come down two options.

Dynaudio Xeo 30 (and possibly a bluesound node 2i) (cost $6000)

OR

A Naim Nait XS2 amp, Bluesound node 2i and Dynaudio Excite x34 speakers (cost $6500 not including speaker cables)

For the passive setup, it is partly used gear which is why the cost isn't that of new items.

I've heard the Dynaudio XEO 20 and they sounded great but I'm after floorstanders. Would the sound from the passive setup be as good or better than the active Xeo 30? I'm not sure how good the amp is inside the XEO speakers and whether it could touch the Naim XS2, but also not sure if the X34 speakers are a notch down from the XEO 30?

I know the advantages and disadvantages of an active and passive setup so this is really just a question about sound quality and oompf, and how close the Excite range is to the XEO as speakers and how close the amp inside the active XEO is when compared to the Naim and Bluesound combo.

Thanks all!

maf1970

Members here could give you their opinion but at the end of the day the choice is yours to make. Therefore you need to audition both setups to see which impresses you the best.

Ktbrooke

You're absolutely right, but given where I live and the fact some of the gear is used, an audition is not possible. All I know is that I love Dynaudio sound and I've heard the Xeo 20 and the X14 which are both great.

maf1970

Active vs Passive [Dynaudio Site]