ATC SCM19 Speakers and Matching Amp

[r_w]

Since you ask... because that's what you would need to buy, plus an active crossover to have any chance of getting the same perfromance as the active 20s. That's what you would have been getting, no worries, stick with the 19s.

 

 

Whoever said anything about buying two stereo amps or 4 mono amps?

[Ajax]

I'm also a fan of active speakers and have had the Adam A7s for about 5 years now as my desk top system - absolutely fabulous. Well designed light weight digital amps, with one per drive, after an active cross over makes a lot of sense to me and is the future IMO.

 

In any case I went for the Nord amp as like Kilroy I already had a pair of passive ATC SCM 19s and I had heard so many good things about Hypex.

 

Kilroy, my continual listening has confirmed my initial impressions that the Nord amp simply gets out of the way and just leaves you with the music. Voices in particular are very natural and "in the room". Are you happy with your Nord?

[kilroy]

I'm also a fan of active speakers and have had the Adam A7s for about 5 years now as my desk top system - absolutely fabulous. Well designed light weight digital amps, with one per drive, after an active cross over makes a lot of sense to me and is the future IMO.

 

In any case I went for the Nord amp as like Kilroy I already had a pair of passive ATC SCM 19s and I had heard so many good things about Hypex.

 

Kilroy, my continual listening has confirmed my initial impressions that the Nord amp simply gets out of the way and just leaves you with the music. Voices in particular are very natural and "in the room". Are you happy with your Nord?

 

The Nords so far are very good. Very transparent, as are the ATCs, so it points out what is both good and bad upstream of the amp. I put the Sparkos opamps in last night and couldn't believe the change. More warmth most of all. This amp could blow the roof off if I let them. I also have a new preamp so so many changes it's a challenge to keep up. I'll be spending more time with these amps and speakers to fine tune them. There can be a spooky presence on some vocals, but I think part of that is the speakers as well, with their sometimes holographic imaging. Anyway I appreciate the pointer to Nord. I dealt with Colin a few times and their support is fantastic.

 

BTW I will be listening to the SCM 40s this weekend or next. I was told that the midrange driver in these make for a huge difference in sound over the 19s. In the US they're about $2700 more than the 19s, which isn't too bad a jump in price.

[DigiPete]

Anyone use ATC SCM19 speakers? I'm looking for an amp that goes well with these speakers. Solid state only. Currently using the DAC's volume control and running directly to amp. No preamp for now, that's later.

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

The current best practice audiophile speaker solution is:

 

a) Active

b) Full range (20-20khz minimum)

c) Digital input if at all possible

d) Digital X-overs

d) Digital room compensating

e) Anything but a square box

 

CA members should be wise enough to choose modern & predictable, cost efficient technology, based on knowledge and science, rather than bad habits founded the dark 1970ties.

 

Unless you are running a museum for ancient and wasteful technology.

Or if it is your specific hobby to mess around with outdated tech.

 

/Rant end/

[kilroy]

Or if it is your specific hobby to mess around with outdated tech.

 

Like FireWire you mean?

[DigiPete]

Or if it is your specific hobby to mess around with outdated tech.

 

Like FireWire you mean?

 

 

Good one, kilroy ;-)

 

Technology actually gets outdated in different ways.

 

Yes, Firewire in my Rig is getting dated as we now have Thunderbolt2 & USB3 offering higher transfer speeds = lower latency and more channels.

The quality of the transfers are however the same, i.e. completely lossless and up to 24/192

Converters from USB3 and Thunderbolt to Firewire will be around for a long time.

 

Would I choose Firewire today?

No, I would go with Thunderbolt2 as I'm a Mac (USB3 if I were a PC).

I don't need more channels, lower latency or more channels for now, but I'll likely upgrade the connection when I increase the channel count from 5.1 to 9.1 or 10.1 (My DDC is only 8 channels).

 

A Lynx Aurora 16 with a thunderbolt interface card would do the trick.

The future may offer a better and/or cheaper option.

 

 

Next question would be: "Why still run on AES3 cables".

Predictable & low latency, robust and cheap, lossless up to 24/192 and 100m cable runs, broadcast standard, very EMC resistant all seems good arguments for the time being.

But the WISA standard could become the wireless multichannel audiophile standard of the future.

 

 

 

Square wooden box speakers full of passive X-overs are so extremely outdated, that the above considerations are mere ripples of current technology.

These products are pushed by people ignorant of acoustic knowledge or (worse) by people who don't give a shit as long as they can extract enough money from the consumers peddling whatever crap.

 

The sad truth is:

Most audiophiles are lemmings

Most manufacturers are happy to sell the lemmings underperforming overpriced polished turdes

[kilroy]

Good one, kilroy ;-)

 

Technology actually gets outdated in different ways.

 

Yes, Firewire in my Rig is getting dated as we now have Thunderbolt2 & USB3 offering higher transfer speeds = lower latency and more channels.

The quality of the transfers are however the same, i.e. completely lossless and up to 24/192

Converters from USB3 and Thunderbolt to Firewire will be around for a long time.

 

Would I choose Firewire today?

No, I would go with Thunderbolt2 as I'm a Mac (USB3 if I were a PC).

I don't need more channels, lower latency or more channels for now, but I'll likely upgrade the connection when I increase the channel count from 5.1 to 9.1 or 10.1 (My DDC is only 8 channels).

 

A Lynx Aurora 16 with a thunderbolt interface card would do the trick.

The future may offer a better and/or cheaper option.

 

 

Next question would be: "Why still run on AES3 cables".

Predictable & low latency, robust and cheap, lossless up to 24/192 and 100m cable runs, broadcast standard, very EMC resistant all seems good arguments for the time being.

But the WISA standard could become the wireless multichannel audiophile standard of the future.

 

 

 

Square wooden box speakers full of passive X-overs are so extremely outdated, that the above considerations are mere ripples of current technology.

These products are pushed by people ignorant of acoustic knowledge or (worse) by people who don't give a shit as long as they can extract enough money from the consumers peddling whatever crap.

 

The sad truth is:

Most audiophiles are lemmings

Most manufacturers are happy to sell the lemmings underperforming overpriced polished turdes

 

So pleasant, thanks for dropping by.

[DigiPete]

So pleasant, thanks for dropping by.

 

You are welcome :-)

 

This is CA, where we push for the advantages of technology.

 

I'd love to hear your argument as to why I'm wrong.

[kilroy]

You are welcome :-)

 

This is CA, where we push for the advantages of technology.

 

I'd love to hear your argument as to why I'm wrong.

 

Nobody said you were wrong. You're absolutely right. Every word. Sure.

[Ajax]

You are welcome :-)

 

This is CA, where we push for the advantages of technology.

 

I'd love to hear your argument as to why I'm wrong.

 

Hi DigiPete,

 

I agree with kilroy ..... you are right.

 

The question in my mind is why you feel the need to behave like such a tool.

 

There is still much we don't know about sound reproduction, however, you seem to feel you know it all, and without even listening to the ATC speakers driven by the Nord / hypex amp you are confident the sound is likened to "polished turds".

 

I love my Adam A7 active speakers and I also love the sound I'm getting from the Nord driven ATC passive speakers.

 

Pull your head in.

 

Ajax

[wouterk]

I love my ATCs - neutral and lots of detail; excellent deep soundstage:)

[occamsrazor]

Running my SCM-11 speakers off a pair of DIY Ncore NC-400 monoblocks... Pretty happy.

[kilroy]

My original reason for starting this thread was finding a good amp to go with the ATCs. The tip on the Nords was great, and I found them (monoblocks) to be good amps. However, I have now put a class A Pass amp in place which better suits my own taste, albeit at several times the cost of the Nords. The Pass brings a nice organic touch to the sound, perhaps just a bit on the warm side, which the ATCs respond well to.

 

I do agree that Class D has come a long way. The ability to tune the sound by opamp rolling makes the Nords quite special. Still not sure if I'll sell them as they might fit a future system well.