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Passive Speaker
Definition
A passive speaker contains drivers and a crossover, but no power amplifier. It expects a speaker-level signal from an external power amplifier or integrated amplifier.
Sensitivity and impedance tell you how hard that speaker is to drive.
In a stereo system
Connect passive speakers only to speaker terminals. Do not feed them from a DAC or preamp line out. Those outputs are line level and cannot move the drivers.
Build HiFi compatibility scoring applies to passive speakers paired with amplifiers. Powered speakers skip that pairing because the amp is inside the cabinet.
Choose amplifier wattage from the speaker's recommended power range, sensitivity, and room size. See Matching Amps with Speakers.
