The passive type monitor was the only game in town for many years - they require the use of an external amplifier to boost the audio signal up to a sufficient level to power the speaker cones or drivers. This is an important subject to understand and is an area often surrounded by confusion. The ultimate aim of a monitor speaker is to provide a flat and accurate representation of its input signal, so excessive bass response from incorrect design or port placement is less than ideal - its a fine balance to strike. Most manufacturers also tune the port length and diameter and the cabinets internal dimensions to boost the lower frequencies.
The more common ported reflex cabinet makes use of its semi-open characteristics by allowing greater air flow in and out of the cabinet, which in turn allows the woofer to move more freely. A common example of the design is the ubiquitous (but now discontinued) Yamaha NS10M. Its drawbacks become apparent particularly with low frequencies though, as the low frequency driver or woofer has to work hard against the high air resistance within the cabinet, and as such this type of speaker tends to suffer from limited bass response.
This helps to create a smooth phase response, and as such is favoured by many engineers. The sealed infinite baffle design houses its drivers in a controlled environment - the air inside the cabinet has to be compressed or expanded for the drivers to move. The infinite baffle design has a sealed cabinet, whereas the reflex is ported, usually by a hole on the rear, and there are pros and cons to both designs. There are two major types of studio monitor design - infinite baffle and reflex. Of course in reality, there are many differences between models, and you should familiarise yourself with the key features and specifications before deciding on which speakers are right for you. On first inspection, most monitor speakers can appear very similar in design, apparently differing only cosmetically other than their size.
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