ATC SCM150ASL PRO or Genelec 1238A

[Avp1]

It's seems quite different than the 1238A concept.
The ATC doesn't have a waveguide, so I suspect wide dispersion, which is more prone to excite a room.
Furthermore, the acoustic axis is relatively high, which is also an indication the speaker is meant to fill the room with music, rather than focusing on a relatively narrow sweet spot.

ATCs are designed for wide dispersion. Their official specs like ±80°. They indeed allow several people enjoy the sound. Unlike many other brands acoustic axis is at midrange driver or just below it, thus when these are standing on the floor - it will be close to the ear level of a sitting person.

 

[dshreter]

ATCs are designed for wide dispersion. Their official specs like ±80°. They indeed allow several people enjoy the sound. Unlike many other brands acoustic axis is at midrange driver or just below it, thus when these are standing on the floor - it will be close to the ear level of a sitting person.

From the ATC site, what does this even mean? And this seems problematic for a monitor, resulting in low direct sound

Horizontal Dispersion: ±80°, Coherent
Vertical Dispersion: ±10°, Coherent

 

[Pearljam5000]

I say listen to both and decide
Measurements aside they will sound completely different, if not the opposite

 

[dfuller]

And this seems problematic for a monitor, resulting in low direct sound

Consider that control rooms have early reflections heavily absorbed so there's a higher ratio of direct vs reflected sound.

 

[Avp1]

From the ATC site, what does this even mean? And this seems problematic for a monitor, resulting in low direct sound

I think it means wide horizontal, but narrow vertical dispersion. In a treated room reflection from side walls should not be an issue. Large ATCs are designed as main speakers in the room, and thus need to cover large area with relatively uniform sound. This is very different from requirements to near field monitors.

 

[Purité Audio]

On another forum it was posted that there are anechoic measurements on the ATC website, I have looked but can’t seem to find anything?
Keith

 

[RobL]

On another forum it was posted that there are anechoic measurements on the ATC website, I have looked but can’t seem to find anything?
Keith

The only measurements I’ve seen were THESE.
Look to be max spl?

 

[dfuller]

On another forum it was posted that there are anechoic measurements on the ATC website, I have looked but can’t seem to find anything?
Keith

I've not seen that anywhere.

 

[Purité Audio]

I just thought I might have been more than usually opaque.
Keith

 

[Avp1]

I just thought I might have been more than usually opaque.
Keith

Here is one example, though quite old. At that time ATC used sourced tweeter.

http://www.studio-hifi.com/images/Stereoplay_2010-08_ATC_SCM100A_SL_TowerFF-.pdf

 

[LTig]

Today, I find another 16" Box called ME Geithain RL901k, same price as 1238A. Could this model sounds better than Genelec 1238A?

Can't answer this, but the RL901 I heard at a dealer in 2004 was a WOW speaker for me. It played a Jazz combo and the sound was incredibly real, the best I had heard back then and may be even today. This is of course just a totally subjective opinion - YMMV.

 

[thewas]

Can't answer this, but the RL901 I heard at a dealer in 2004 was a WOW speaker for me. It played a Jazz combo and the sound was incredibly real, the best I had heard back then and may be even today. This is of course just a totally subjective opinion - YMMV.

I have also heard the Geithain RL 901K and RL 921K in the last years and they are superb, a good friend of mine even exchanged his great Neumann KH420 for the RL 921K.

 

[Berlin]

I have also heard the Geithain RL 901K and RL 921K in the last years and they are superb, a good friend of mine even exchanged his great Neumann KH420 for the RL 921K.

The cardioid design of these speakers is really working and helpful in a home environment...

 

[thewas]

The cardioid design of these speakers is really working and helpful in a home environment...

Exactly.

 

[Pearljam5000]

Love the 1238 in white

 

[Joe852]

I don't really need the ULF down below 30Hz. The only thing I want from a 15" driver is all about its soft and loose feeling that a 10" driver can't deliver. And about the smaller speakers plus subs, personally don't like this kind of conbination. And of couse, I'll have some acoustic treatment for my listening room. If necessary, room correction is the last method to deal with the acoustic problems.

I think it's the surface area of the bass driver that makes the difference. A small driver that travels far doesn't have the same effect as a big driver that only travels a little for the same frequency response. Big drivers are more immediate and tactile. One thing to consider is multiple bass drivers. I've got a pair of ATC 110s and they have 2 bass drivers with the equivalent surface of about a 13 inch driver. It gives you punch similar to a big driver without the problem of transitioning from a small to a huge driver. (I've never experienced this but I've heard about it)

 

[HairyEars]

I think it's the surface area of the bass driver that makes the difference. A small driver that travels far doesn't have the same effect as a big driver that only travels a little for the same frequency response. Big drivers are more immediate and tactile. One thing to consider is multiple bass drivers. I've got a pair of ATC 110s and they have 2 bass drivers with the equivalent surface of about a 13 inch driver. It gives you punch similar to a big driver without the problem of transitioning from a small to a huge driver. (I've never experienced this but I've heard about it)

Genelec employees the same strategy with the 1238DF: 2 x 210mm bass woofers. That is the equivalent of a 12" woofer.
In contrast to the ATC110, the enclosure is sealed, so the published cut-off is only 57Hz, thus a subwoofer is a requirement.

 

[Joe852]

Genelec employees the same strategy with the 1238DF: 2 x 210mm bass woofers. That is the equivalent of a 12" woofer.
In contrast to the ATC110, the enclosure is sealed, so the published cut-off is only 57Hz, thus a subwoofer is a requirement.

The relatively high cut-off is a blessing few appreciate. It means greatly reduced deep bass room problems without losing the benefit of big bass drivers. Adding a sub is easy. Placing speakers that are flat to 30 hz is impossible. You have to choose between imaging and bass response. One will almost always be terrible no matter where you put them.

 

[HairyEars]

The relatively high cut-off is a blessing few appreciate. It means greatly reduced deep bass room problems without losing the benefit of big bass drivers. Adding a sub is easy. Placing speakers that are flat to 30 hz is impossible. You have to choose between imaging and bass response. One will almost always be terrible no matter where you put them.

So am I to understand that a high cut-off + a subwoofer bypasses the unwelcome tradeoff between imaging and bass response?

 

[Joe852]

So am I to understand that a high cut-off + a subwoofer bypasses the unwelcome tradeoff between imaging and bass response?

The high cut-off means you're much less likely to have catastrophic room interactions in the deep bass so you can place your mains where they image best. You can fill in the missing deep bass with a sub. It's a good compromise.