Speaker Types
Speaker types include passive and powered.
Passive speakers are traditional speakers which use speaker cables and receive power from a receiver or amplifier. These represent most of the high performance speakers on the market and offering highest flexibility and in most cases performance.
Powered speakers have built-in amplifiers and include subtypes of Analog-input, Digital, and Network. Powered speakers have a power cord to power their built-in amplifier.
Analog-input powered speakers use an analog interconnect driven by a preamplifier or the analog output of a computer or phone.
Digital powered speakers have built-in DACs sourced by an attached Toslink, Coax or AES/EBU digital cable.
Network powered speakers have built-in DACs sourced by network connections over wifi or physical ethernet cable. Some network speakers have performance in the league of high end passive speakers.