Feb 08th, 2021 Q&A with Andy Kerr of Bowers & Wilkins - hinting at new generation of Active Speakers...?
https://www.theabsolutesound.com/art...bowers-wilkins
“Audiophiles have been reluctant to embrace active/DSP and wireless loudspeakers in the past. Has there been a shift?
I’m not sure. I think many enthusiasts have so much invested (on both a financial and an emotional level) in amplifiers, cables, and so on that it’s hard for them to turn their backs on them. I think some of the smarter amplifier brands have made good strides in offering DSP-driven platforms that can complement and potentially improve the performance of passive speakers. Today’s young consumer is growing up in a world where sound comes from one device and is stored or streamed from one device (the phone). As those customers age they may want to scale their audio systems to meet their needs, but asking them to adopt amps, cables, and so on when they have zero track record or experience of that is a tall order. I want to be clear: We absolutely will not stop making passive speakers for so long as there are customers out there who want them. But it’s just as important that we remain relevant.