Premium Canadian Hi-Fi brand Bryston has unveiled a range of three active speakers with a difference. These active speakers need separate amplifiers.

Now you've probably always figured that active speakers are speakers carrying their own, exclusive amplifier somewhere inside. This means that you don't need a separate amplifier, just the speakers, a handy power point and a source unit. B&O has been making active speakers like this for years, Kef lately has some rippers called LS50s.

The attraction of such speakers is not just convenience, the dedicated amplifier inside has been matched to the drivers at the factory for the optimum result, so when you buy them you don't have to go shopping for an amplifier that best matches their abilities.

Okay, I'll allow that the Brystons have dedicated amplifiers too – power amplifiers anyway – and they have also been matched to the speakers' drivers for an optimum result. The difference is that they're outside the speaker cabinet and look for all the world like regular power amplifiers, and big ones at that. Meaning you'll need to find somewhere for the amplifier as well. Or most likely two of them. Each speaker requires its own dedicated power amp so for stereo music you'll need two.

If it all sounds a bit odd, well it does to me too, but Bryston has its own definition of active speakers which is likely not in accord with what you have always figured. That definition seems to be all about the nature and placement of the crossover, the thing that decides which frequencies go to which driver. But then Bryston's crossover is also outside the speaker cabinet. It's called the BAX-1, a digital crossover running to 96 kHz, 24-bit quality and containing proprietary software for each speaker. You'll only require a single BAX-1 for stereo but it is nevertheless another box you'll need to find a place for.

There are three speakers in the range. The Model T Active is the tallest at 133 cm, The Middle T Active stands 100 cm tall and the shortest is the 57 cm Mini T Active, and they're all three-ways. The range uses three different drivers; a 20 cm high excursion woofer, a 13 cm mid and a 2.5 cm tweeter. The biggest Model T gets three woofers, two mids and two tweeters, the Middle T has two woofers and a single mid and tweeter, and the Mini gets one of each.

Two power amps have been made for them, the 21B3 and the 24B3. Both are three-channel amps meaning a channel each for woofers, mids and tweeters. The 21 is the most powerful (its power is "earth moving” according to Bryston) and can be used with any of the speakers, while the 24, delivering less than half the power ("but ample for many listeners”) is not recommended for the biggest model but can be used for the mid-size and small speaker. Both are connected with colour-coded cable and can be ordered with or without handles.

Prices include two speakers, two power amps and the crossover but Bryston says its active speakers can be used with any combination of amplifiers from the brand's lineup.

The Model T is $43,997, the Middle T is $26,998, the Mini T $23,998 and they're available in black ash, natural cherry and Boston cherry. Custom veneers attract an additional charge. The speakers and amplifiers get a 20-year warranty, the crossover gets five years.

Note: To get music you'll also need a pre-amp which is not included in the packages, and prices range from $4399 to $7198.

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