I was excited to get a pair of these for their small size and reputation for good sound. However, as soon as I hooked them up, I found that the passive speaker didn't work at all. Also, the 1/8" input jack is apparently very low quality - the provided cable doesn't seat well, and the connection is fragile and intermittent.A quick look at the m-audio user forums showed more than 20 posts in the last 6 months of users describing the exact same or similar issues (one or both speakers not working at all, uneven volume, static or hum from one or both speakers). Many of these issues occurring right out of the box as they did for me.They sure like to tout these as "professional" speakers, but perhaps they should get in the habit of putting that word in ironic quotes. Sure these speakers are inexpensive, and I was hoping they would sound very good for the price, but even inexpensive gear can be well-built, reliable, and durable. I would call these speakers just plain cheap.