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ATC Loudspeakers 'Entry' Consumer Series

watchnerd

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I need to buy some new speakers for the new house and for the first time in my life I'm near a dealer of ATC consumer products.

I've always admired their over-engineered drivers, but I've only heard the professional monitors. The consumer models seem to be well-regarded in the audio press, but the 'internet chats' off decry them as being unforgiving, unkind to mediocre recordings, brutally critical of upstream electronics, needing lots of power, mediocre and low volumes, and generally lacking in the warmth and lushness some audiophiles seem to prefer.

On the other hand, how can your resist drivers built like this:

ATC-Drive-Units-03-No-Shadow-e1391503438232.png

ATC%20Drive%20Units%2001%20edit.jpg




Does anyone have any firsthand experience with the consumer passive 'Entry' series?
 

Mivera

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They make incredible drivers. Their finished Audiophile market products are overpriced if you ask me. Better to go for the pro line as they are the same thing as the Audiophile line but with worse cabinet finishes and half the price. That dome mid is one of the best mids available. But yes extremely revealing. No crap components upstream. And the cone drivers mostly have underhung voice coils so they're very inefficient. So they need good solid power like the Hypex Ncores to get the best out of them.

Here's an incredible deal on some used active units. I'd jump on them if I didn't build my own speakers. Canadian dollars.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649378883-atc-scm50-asl/
 
OP
watchnerd

watchnerd

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They make incredible drivers. Their finished Audiophile market products are overpriced if you ask me. Better to go for the pro line as they are the same thing as the Audiophile line but with worse cabinet finishes and half the price. That dome mid is one of the best mids available. But yes extremely revealing. No crap components upstream. And the cone drivers mostly have underhung voice coils so they're very inefficient. So they need good solid power like the Hypex Ncores to get the best out of them.

Here's an incredible deal on some used active units. I'd jump on them if I didn't build my own speakers. Canadian dollars.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649378883-atc-scm50-asl/

For $800 less, the SCM20PSL Mk 2, the pro version of the SCM19 v2, has a slightly better 'S' version of the same tweeter:

ATC+SH25-76+tweeters.jpeg


VS

ATC-SH25-76S-tweeters-2-web-res.jpg


It's not real obvious what the difference is, though the S version is said to be higher specced, have greater efficiency and power handling.

However, the crossover of the 20PSL is 2.1khz, vs the 2.5khz of the SCM19.
 

Mivera

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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Tweeter differences according to Billy Woodman:

Billy Woodman: We do a standard version and a super version, same as we do with the midrange dome. The essential difference between them is that one runs at 1.5 Tesla and the other at 2.2 Tesla, so there are efficiency and bandwidth differences. The dome is made from polyester fabric with a polyester based coating and is driven by a neodymium magnet. We don’t need to use ferro-fluid because, like the midrange driver, we use a double-suspension, and one of the reasons we use a double-suspension is precisely because we don’t want to use ferro-fluid.

http://www.avhub.com.au/features/hi-fi/an-interview-with-billy-woodman-atc-loudspeakers-416431
 

Mivera

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I agree about the ferrofluid. It only dries out over time and the tweeter is no good. Better to have an underhung coil in a dry gap, large magnet, and proper suspension. But of course this costs money.
 

Frank Dernie

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I haven't heard the newer ones at home, but I have heard the SCM 40 at my local dealer and considered it first class, I find it clear rather than unforgiving. The SCM40 is the smallest domestic model with the dome mid-range.
I have in front of me in my study a pair of ancient Proac EBS speakers which use the ATC mid and bass units from the SCM50 in a Proac designed cabinet/bass loading which I enjoy when working.
If you have a dealer nearby have an enjoyable day having a listen at his shop - they may even set up a home demo.


BTW the domestic version of those models which coincide only differed in offering varied cabinet finist instead of paint and handles in the past, has this changed?
 

Purité Audio

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I would go for active versions, the 50's we have here are excellent , bass doesn't extend as low as the Dutch&Dutch/Kii and they don't have the cardioid response but they are solid performers, as Frank said they just reproduce what is on the record.
Keith
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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BTW the domestic version of those models which coincide only differed in offering varied cabinet finist instead of paint and handles in the past, has this changed?

The V2 of the 'Entry' series now has lute-shaped cabinets rather than boxes. They're also all sealed designs rather than reflex.
 

Frank Dernie

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They look to be quite capable. Why did you switch to something else as your main speakers?
They were never my main speaker. As a young and impecunious engineer I heard a breathtakingly good but unaffordable system which used these speakers.
Decades later I found a used pair for sale and bought them for my study.
 

Henchard

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Newbie alert.

Here's my ATC SCM40 actives which I recently bought. It took around 6/8 weeks for ATC to build them from placing the order. I just use an Innuos Zen Mk2 server with an M-Dac+ (integral volume control and headphone amp) and these.


atc1.jpg
 

RayDunzl

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Your room looks a little asymmetrical like an old Indy car...

Gerhardt65-works-Indy65-B-600x.jpg


Looks nice, though...
 

RayDunzl

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The back end of my room is open on the left side.

Causes frequencies around 47Hz to arrive 180 degrees out of phase at the Liznin position.

Somehow, it isn't particularly noticeable.

Left and right phase

upload_2017-9-21_11-56-51.png


Left, Right and Both SPL:

upload_2017-9-21_11-59-28.png
 
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watchnerd

watchnerd

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Newbie alert.

Here's my ATC SCM40 actives which I recently bought. It took around 6/8 weeks for ATC to build them from placing the order. I just use an Innuos Zen Mk2 server with an M-Dac+ (integral volume control and headphone amp) and these.


View attachment 8803

My new house has a tile floor that is incredibly similar to that photo.

Do you have to do anything to limit reflections, or does the narrow vertical dispersion of the SCM40 make that a non issue?
 

Henchard

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My new house has a tile floor that is incredibly similar to that photo.

Do you have to do anything to limit reflections, or does the narrow vertical dispersion of the SCM40 make that a non issue?

It's a non issue for me the room has a vaulted ceiling and some stone walls; so is not a 'cuboid box'; so no isssues as far as I can tell.

I bought ATC's on the strength of their accuracy because I had become involved in a recording project with a Grammy winning producer/engineer in the USA (that's another story for another day). Anyway I'm highly impressed with them and would say the actives, when you take into account amplification cost (tri amps in each one), are a bit of a bargain.
 
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