This.
I've spent frantic minutes many many times tracking down issues with Active Di's, but not once have i had a passive one plugged in and thought to myself "this sounds terrible. If only i had an Active DI". And that's even with relatively cheap passive DI's.
Well... some "pickups" on acoustic guitars sound awful without a preamp or an active direct box, i.e., K&K Pure Mini. Through the K&K preamp (optional, extra cost) or an active DI like a Countryman Type 85, or an LR Baggs Paracoustic. The K&K Pure Mini require to be presented with a very high impedance, else all bass response is lost.
So SOME passive DIs do sound terrible on Sunday Morning. ...or any other time
frank