ATC speakers / Monitors

[Mort]

This is the full quote:

On the other hand, there is a vast majority of hifi users, who have different approach to the same subject. They are not interested in any measurements and pick devices based solely on their personal impression of the sound. They are not looking for "neutral" sound.
And that is their personal choice and nothing more.
But we have to accept and respect that.

This is not remotely on par with astrology, as ultimately having a system they like the sound of is what matters. Also, particularly when it comes to speaker speakers and an individual room the jump from measured data to what may be enjoyed most is not at all trivial, and especially isn't for those (reasonably) not interesting in trying to learn to understand what the measured data may be able to tell them.

Accepting and respecting the choices of others in this regard is absolutely what I do, and do not consider this remotely "anti-science" either.

Subjectivism by another name

 

[Branko]

If it ain't broken don't fix it
Why would they deal with measurements and make new models, new drivers etc
If their monitors sell like hot cakes?

Atc is a traditional, scientifically oriented company that is very concerned with measurements. If they do not publish data, it is for the reasons already mentioned.
In recent years, we have withnessed the expansion of the brand as company has found a new ways of business. They seem to want to have a speaker in every possible price/purpose category. Their most expensive models are intended for the wealthiest clientele, and a pride of ownership. And they are doing great!

When I bought my first atc speakers in 1996, it was a small company that offered only 6 pro models and was almost unknown outside of professional audio. Around 1991 scm20 was presented as their first 2-way speaker. That near/mid field studio monitor played so well and looked so good that it caught the attention of the hifi public. It soon became a favorite among hifi reviewers and then made its way into home systems, despite the very high price. And so the atc home hifi adventure began.
They are today, along with some other brands, on top of the world, anything seems possible for them now.

 

[574stereo]

They’ve expanded massively in the last 15 years or so. 4x the number of employees (if not more), still privately owned, less and less reliance on other suppliers.

I second the above… they’ve always been very measurement and science focussed in my experience, albeit with a lot of blind listening tests along the way…


Their product lineup seems to be split into two categories… ‘this is the best we can make at this price’ and ‘this costs XX because that’s what it costs to make’. If you have deep pockets, get the SCM50 (I use them professionally). If you have very deep pockets, they have this new EL50. If you have relatively healthy pockets and can save up, there’s the SCM40.


None of it is cheap as there are many corners they’d never cut (large magnets, short coil/long gap motors, very tight coil gaps with low tolerance for manufacturing variation, drivers made in house, large air-cored inductors in passive X-overs etc) which all add cost. Nevertheless, I still think their entry range actually offers superb value for money when compared to the competition unless you’re purely basing your judgement on what produces the loudest bass from a small box.



I had the choice between KEF R3 Meta and the SCM11s for my home setup quite recently. While the R3 Meta offered a little more output at 40 Hz, the SCM11 (curved cabinet version with the ATC tweeter) actually measured a little flatter in-room and harmonic distortion was significantly lower. The ATC also played far louder. From a subjective point of view the KEF felt a little cool and possibly slightly too bright in comparison to the ATC which I could only describe as more relaxed. I went with the ATCs and will be adding subwoofers soon although I already get extension down to around 30 Hz.

I’d like to post the Fuzz Measure screen grabs but my Macbook got swiped from a cafe and I wasn’t backing it up… doh!

 

[thewas]

Nevertheless, I still think their entry range actually offers superb value for money when compared to the competition unless you’re purely basing your judgement on what produces the loudest bass from a small box.

Can you give some specific examples?

While the R3 Meta offered a little more output at 40 Hz, the SCM11 (curved cabinet version with the ATC tweeter) actually measured a little flatter in-room and harmonic distortion was significantly lower.

Would like to see those measurements, I don't believe the HD of the 2-way closed box SCM 11 is lower in the most of the audio range, even more in the audibly more relevant multi-tone distortion the KEF should be superior. Also your in-room responses would be interesting to see, I expect the KEF to be more tilted due to their higher directivity, but the good thing is that due to its smooth directivity it can be better changed per EQ according to individual taste.

 

[goat76]

Would like to see those measurements, I don't believe the HD of the 2-way closed box SCM 11 is lower in the most of the audio range, even more in the audibly more relevant multi-tone distortion the KEF should be superior. Also your in-room responses would be interesting to see, I expect the KEF to be more tilted due to their higher directivity, but the good thing is that due to its smooth directivity it can be better changed per EQ according to individual taste.

This is not @574stereo's measurements of his ATC SCM11, but I have measured my pair that I have posted a few times before in this thread. The SCM11 has a pretty smooth and even directivity, and the distortion level is very low, as can be seen in my measurements below.

I find the frequency response flat enough not to need any corrective EQ adjustments, and the directivity is controlled enough if someone finds it necessary to make broadband adjustments to the overall curve. If anyone has a problem with the directivity of this loudspeaker, I would say they must have a much larger problem to solve, a listening environment with such bad room acoustics that probably no loudspeaker at all will come close to performing well in.

The distortion level is extremely low for such a small loudspeaker, even to the point that it's not really necessary to use a high-pass filter when integrating this speaker with subwoofers. The ATC SCM11 is a very clean-sounding little loudspeaker.

 

[Purité Audio]

If only ATC had a way of accurately measuring their loudspeakers.. oh wait!
Keith

 

[goat76]

If only ATC had a way of accurately measuring their loudspeakers.. oh wait!
Keith

ATC has had an accurate way of measuring loudspeakers since "forever". Using a Klippel NFS is neither the beginning nor the end of loudspeaker measuring tools, even if it probably makes it way easier if the goal is to get a full suite of measurements in "one go".

 

[Purité Audio]

Any measurements would be nice.
Keith

 

[574stereo]

Any measurements would be nice.
Keith

There aren’t any measurements of ATC speakers which interest you…. yet you seem to be one of the main contributors to this thread… You could just pay to get your own measurements done for say, a pair of SCM50s as you seem very keen.


They’ve given their reasons for not publishing measurements, if you don’t agree with their ethos then maybe best to move on and focus your energy on other manufacturers who align with your ethos more… otherwise you’re just wasting your own energy…

 

[Purité Audio]

Oh, what are their reasons for not publishing measurements?
Keith

 

[thewas]

This is not @574stereo's measurements of his ATC SCM11, but I have measured my pair that I have posted a few times before in this thread. The SCM11 has a pretty smooth and even directivity, and the distortion level is very low, as can be seen in my measurements below.

I find the frequency response flat enough not to need any corrective EQ adjustments, and the directivity is controlled enough if someone finds it necessary to make broadband adjustments to the overall curve. If anyone has a problem with the directivity of this loudspeaker, I would say they must have a much larger problem to solve, a listening environment with such bad room acoustics that probably no loudspeaker at all will come close to performing well in.

The distortion level is extremely low for such a small loudspeaker, even to the point that it's not really necessary to use a high-pass filter when integrating this speaker with subwoofers. The ATC SCM11 is a very clean-sounding little loudspeaker.

View attachment 536532

View attachment 536533

I didn't question its response is not flat (as you know vertical directivity also plays a role ) but questioned the claim that its distortions were lower than of the KEF R3 Meta, since he said he had measured both I am sure he can show them to us.

 

[goat76]

Oh, what are their reasons for not publishing measurements?
Keith

I don't think I have seen anyone else but you (on any forum) repeating the same question over and over, even after getting the answer multiple times. Even ATC representatives have given you the answer to that same question on another forum called Gearspace, but Keith can't stop trolling.

 

[DatSpeakerTho]

Companies making $10k+ speakers and not even being able to share basic measurements is the actual trolling.

 

[DSJR]

I had the choice between KEF R3 Meta and the SCM11s for my home setup quite recently. While the R3 Meta offered a little more output at 40 Hz, the SCM11 (curved cabinet version with the ATC tweeter) actually measured a little flatter in-room and harmonic distortion was significantly lower. The ATC also played far louder. From a subjective point of view the KEF felt a little cool and possibly slightly too bright in comparison to the ATC which I could only describe as more relaxed. I went with the ATCs and will be adding subwoofers soon although I already get extension down to around 30 Hz.

I’d like to post the Fuzz Measure screen grabs but my Macbook got swiped from a cafe and I wasn’t backing it up… doh!

I wish Amir had tested the current spec SCM11 as above instead of the reduced price take on the 20, which was never really a domestic model although as said in the full post above, in 91-92 or so, dealers discovered it (in the UK, around a dozen of us I think) and started to sell them. I got to know the brand from an autumn/fall 1991 Heathrow? audio show and my first ATCs, a red lacquered pair , were the show demonstrators.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

I don't think I have seen anyone else but you (on any forum) repeating the same question over and over, even after getting the answer multiple times. Even ATC representatives have given you the answer to that same question on another forum called Gearspace, but Keith can't stop trolling.

I agree with Keith on this. In 2026, asking for measurements is not trolling--withholding them is.

 

[574stereo]

I agree with Keith on this. In 2026, asking for measurements is not trolling--withholding them is.

I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s asked this question and been given their (and many other manufacturer’s) reasons not to. It’s extremely tiresome and certainly counts as trolling. Imagine if I kept asking the same question over and over again… and again… and again… and again.

To keep repeating the same behaviour and expecting a different outcome is one of the signs of madness…

 

[Mort]

I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s asked this question and been given their (and many other manufacturer’s) reasons not to. It’s extremely tiresome and certainly counts as trolling. Imagine if I kept asking the same question over and over again… and again… and again… and again.

To keep repeating the same behaviour and expecting a different outcome is one of the signs of madness…

Just put him on ignore like I did.

 

[dfuller]

I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s asked this question and been given their (and many other manufacturer’s) reasons not to. It’s extremely tiresome and certainly counts as trolling. Imagine if I kept asking the same question over and over again… and again… and again… and again.

To keep repeating the same behaviour and expecting a different outcome is one of the signs of madness…

I'm certain a lot of this is sour grapes. He was an atc distributor. Emphasis on was.

 

[Purité Audio]

I was only ever a retailer, we did get ‘kicked off’ but I have no argument with that we did not sell many ATCs, we did though sell a great number of D&D8Cs in comparison.
Keith

 

[DatSpeakerTho]

I'm certain a lot of this is sour grapes. He was an atc distributor. Emphasis on was.

I say good riddance, more room and time for better speakers.

Know whats more annoying than a guy asking for data, people defending companies as if they are their friends. That and forum members patting each other on the back for not liking another user. Grow up guys.