ATC Speakers

[mevdinc]

Hello,

I would like to know who else has ATC speakers.
It would be great to share setups and experiences.

My current setup:
Lindemann Musicbook 20 DSD > ATC EL 150A

I may upgrade my DAC, right now looking for something new and exciting.
Current considerations include Denafrips Terminator, dCS Bartok, Mola Mola Tambaqui and Linnenberg Satie.

Thanks and happy listening.
Mev

[freesteve]

I have ATC SCM 25A... Love em.  Rich in detail, imaging, etc. etc.  I would buy another pair in a split second.  

[PAR]

Yes, ATC SCM50ASL since 1997, well strictly speaking they weren't SLs in 1997 as ATC had not yet invented the driver! I have had them updated to current spec several times over the intervening years. That's one advantage to living in the UK where returning them to the factory for servicing or updates is somewhat easier.

 

The actives are very revealing and matching them to the other equipment in the system IMO requires a bit of experience. I have found people who have heard them and have been disappointed. In every case it is because they were simply accurately playing back the inadequacies of the front end.

 

Being such a long time user you may correctly assume that I have not heard anything that I would want to replace them with . That isn't strictly true but the only contender costs ( with suitable amplification) circa $1m so I don't think I will be going there 😉. I would need a bigger home to fit them in as well.

 

Current system feeding them is an EAR 868 PL preamp ( I also have an ATC SCA2) fed by a dCS Network Bridge/ Vivaldi 2/Vivaldi wordclock. I also play LPs ( oh, the horror) from a highly modified J A Michell Orbe /SME V/Ortofon Windfeld Ti and Icon PS3 phonostage.

 

BTW, if you want a risk free way of improving them significantly and one that doesn't cost too much then buy some Isoacoustics pucks and place them between your stand and speaker ( each puck supports 9kg so the number you need can be calculated from the speaker weight). Floor standers need the Gaia version which replaces spikes and is admittedly more costly than the pucks.

[eintom]

Hi,

 

i am using ATC SCM45A pro as Hifi speakers. Sound is amazing.

 

setup is:

roon on NUC (files on a NAS) - Router CAT5 - Metrum Ambre Streamer - RME ADI DAC FS - ATC SCM45A

 

had a Metrum Adagio before, but sold it cause missing support because of their bancrupty. Now they come again in August, but i lost my faith in this company.

The RME is an astonishing little DAC with a fantastic sound too and a perfect partner for the ATCs

 

happy listening

tom

 

 

[biosailor]

I see you people all have ATC actives, though the thread doesn’t seem to restrict it to actives (at least I think).

I have ATC SCM19s v1 since about two years. Before them, I had the SCM11s and I didn‘t like them so much, so I sold them. I presume the amp wasn‘t a good match. I am driving my current SCM19s with a Devialet Expert 120. Very nice and dynamic sound with the present combo. I am using a SonicTransport i5 in combination with Roon.

 

I should say that it took me a long time to figure out the optimal speaker position in my rather difficult living room. It‘s a rather small room (approximately 5 to 3.5 metres), it has a glass front on one side, a piano on the opposite side, and leather furniture. On top of that, I had to position the speakers along side the long wall. So all in all, rather suboptimal. Nevertheless, I played around quite extensively with the speaker positioning till I got them where they sound really good. One thing I need to do is to shorten my stands a bit as the acoustical centre is still not well aligned with my listening position.

 

I truly like the speakers, so much that I might just as well replace them with the curren version of the SCM 19s. ATC makes some great speakers!!!

 

 

 

[biosailor]

And here's a picture of my ATC SCM19 v1 speakers.

[kilroy]

I have SCM19 v2s. Detailed, transparent, fast, dynamic. Revealing of poor source material. Great on good source material. More bass than you'd think.

[nocrapman]

I really want to try an ATC. 

Dang things are so expensive and kind of plain looking big boxes. 

 

[biosailor]

1 hour ago, nocrapman said:

I really want to try an ATC. 

Dang things are so expensive and kind of plain looking big boxes. 

 

 

Yes, perfectly right, ATCs are expensive. 

 

The entry level series for, say the SCM7 starts around 1000$, but those sound a little thin, I didn't like them at all, neither the SCM11s. For me, the 19s hit the sweet spot. I was debating between a 40 or a 19, but given the rather small dimensions of our living room, I decided for the 19s. They do look great, particularly the version 2.

 

Another possibility is ATC's Pro section. As they don't have those flashy cabinets, they are not so expensive. The SCM20PSL Pro is around 2500$, so maybe worth looking into them.

 

You won't be regretting buying an ATC!

[mevdinc]

On 8/16/2020 at 2:08 PM, biosailor said:

I see you people all have ATC actives, though the thread doesn’t seem to restrict it to actives (at least I think).

I have ATC SCM19s v1 since about two years. Before them, I had the SCM11s and I didn‘t like them so much, so I sold them. I presume the amp wasn‘t a good match. I am driving my current SCM19s with a Devialet Expert 120. Very nice and dynamic sound with the present combo. I am using a SonicTransport i5 in combination with Roon.

 

I should say that it took me a long time to figure out the optimal speaker position in my rather difficult living room. It‘s a rather small room (approximately 5 to 3.5 metres), it has a glass front on one side, a piano on the opposite side, and leather furniture. On top of that, I had to position the speakers along side the long wall. So all in all, rather suboptimal. Nevertheless, I played around quite extensively with the speaker positioning till I got them where they sound really good. One thing I need to do is to shorten my stands a bit as the acoustical centre is still not well aligned with my listening position.

 

I truly like the speakers, so much that I might just as well replace them with the curren version of the SCM 19s. ATC makes some great speakers!!!

 

 

 

Generally, most ATC users prefer actives as I do. But there are lots of users with passive ATCs, especially the smaller models.
 

[jp11801]

The ATC actives are outstanding.  The ATC 40 is just mind blowing 

[biosailor]

14 hours ago, jp11801 said:

The ATC actives are outstanding.  The ATC 40 is just mind blowing 

I bet they do! However, with Devialet as my audio chain, I don‘t feel inclined going the active route.

 

But the SCM40s are great! And I like its form factor!

[matthias]

2 hours ago, biosailor said:

I don‘t feel inclined going the active route.

 

Passive mode with a superior amp outperforms usually active mode with inferior amps 😀

 

Matt

[matthias]

1 hour ago, matthias said:

Passive mode with a superior amp outperforms usually active mode with inferior amps 

 

@eintom

https://www.lejonklou.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=25341#p25341

 

Matt

[eintom]

please teach someone else and please excuse not everyone has your opinions

[lxgreen]

I’m using ATC s Active 50s with latest drivers. It was ordered with the anniversary amp paks. I really enjoy them. Using Bricasti M12 digital front end and AMG Giro turntable for analog.  I don’t understand the comment about passives with good amp beats actives with poor amp. The ATCs have wonderful amps and I don’t believe anyone can find fault with the active crossovers that are seamless. Just a terrific piece of well executed engineering that results in beautiful music, regardless of genre.

[biosailor]

1 hour ago, lxgreen said:

I’m using ATC s Active 50s with latest drivers. It was ordered with the anniversary amp paks. I really enjoy them. Using Bricasti M12 digital front end and AMG Giro turntable for analog.  I don’t understand the comment about passives with good amp beats actives with poor amp. The ATCs have wonderful amps and I don’t believe anyone can find fault with the active crossovers that are seamless. Just a terrific piece of well executed engineering that results in beautiful music, regardless of genre.

They better sound good for that price 😀! But sure, they‘re great speakers! And one thing I like about actives is that the set-up is minimal. A DAC/streamer and you‘re good to go.

ATCs really pioneered the field of active speakers. And they certainly make excellent amps!

[mevdinc]

On 11/29/2020 at 3:18 PM, matthias said:

 

Passive mode with a superior amp outperforms usually active mode with inferior amps 😀

 

Matt

Active vs passive is a completely different discussion topic.

Generally speaking and in my own experience active ATCs perform better and not surprisingly as the amps and drivers are better matched and optimised.
But there are a lots of happy passive ATC users with Bryston, Naim and other amps. ATC also provide separate amps to go with their passive speakers.

Stay safe and happy listening.
 
 

[Tom Williams]

Hello. I have ATC SCM25A too. I like rich in imaging and other details.

[biosailor]

51 minutes ago, Tom Williams said:

Hello. I have ATC SCM25A too. I like rich in imaging and other details.

You people with active ATCs make me wonder if I shouldn’t switch to actives, too, at one point 😀!

 

Oh my poor Devialet amp would become superfluous, that breaks my heart 😆!

[bralk]

Also active ATC here. Very enjoyable and free of compression.

[Nikhil]

I picked up a pair of SCM 20 PSL in March this year. 

Have been a long time fan of ATC and this was a speaker I had in my mind for a long time.

 

I have been just letting the speaker settle in but have been very happy so far.

Probably one of the best two way stand mount speakers one can find anywhere.

Astonishing resolution and dynamics at times depending on the material.

 

My earlier speaker came with top of the line SEAS drivers - especially the tweeter which I has some concerns about.  But the new S-Spec tweeter which ATC makes in house has been fantastic.  Extremely happy with the high frequency extension.  This was an area that some of the earlier ATC speakers had issues with. 

 

 

.

 

[Topk]

On 10/3/2019 at 12:46 PM, PAR said:

Yes, ATC SCM50ASL since 1997, well strictly speaking they weren't SLs in 1997 as ATC had not yet invented the driver! I have had them updated to current spec several times over the intervening years. That's one advantage to living in the UK where returning them to the factory for servicing or updates is somewhat easier.

 

The actives are very revealing and matching them to the other equipment in the system IMO requires a bit of experience. I have found people who have heard them and have been disappointed. In every case it is because they were simply accurately playing back the inadequacies of the front end.

 

Being such a long time user you may correctly assume that I have not heard anything that I would want to replace them with . That isn't strictly true but the only contender costs ( with suitable amplification) circa $1m so I don't think I will be going there 😉. I would need a bigger home to fit them in as well.

 

Current system feeding them is an EAR 868 PL preamp ( I also have an ATC SCA2) fed by a dCS Network Bridge/ Vivaldi 2/Vivaldi wordclock. I also play LPs ( oh, the horror) from a highly modified J A Michell Orbe /SME V/Ortofon Windfeld Ti and Icon PS3 phonostage.

 

BTW, if you want a risk free way of improving them significantly and one that doesn't cost too much then buy some Isoacoustics pucks and place them between your stand and speaker ( each puck supports 9kg so the number you need can be calculated from the speaker weight). Floor standers need the Gaia version which replaces spikes and is admittedly more costly than the pucks.

Hello - did you try ear 912? Also, why do you use a preamp while the DCS has variable output? Lastly, how does Ear compare to SCA2? Thank you!!

[Gonzbull]

I can only dream.