External DAC into powered speakers

[DuckToller]

The topic was just discussed with some KEF actives this weekend.

I just have made the same experience with some active speakers under review, when I preferred (most of the times) my main DAC and analogue in to the speaker's USB interface (BOTH are XMOS U216!) and if I figured it out correctly, the speakers do not use a DAC for digital input because they process it digitally into DSP and amplification.
With an external DAC you may have some better DAC chips plus implementation etc. and perhaps preferential filters (i.e. slow roll off), the signal will then be coverted by an ADC before DSP and amplification.
It would be somehow intersting to measure the signal just before DSP to see if anything would be altered to the better/worst ???

Cheers, Tom