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ATC SCM-20 SL Passive Towers

I had the active version before my 50s and I liked them.
They were a bit bass light and, horror of horrors, I used a sub with them but they did sound very good!
 
ATC is bass light IMO...
Had a chance to listen to SCM11, SCM19 and SCM40...
Not my cup of tea without subs...
Nice treble and mid.
 
If there's any chance you can go active you'll possibly get a better result from the SCM19As. But all the ATC speakers I have heard or owned are superb, with a particularly wonderful midrange. The bass doesnt go THUMP THUMP THUMP though, and the treble doesn't go TTTSSSSZZZING so if you are used to hifi you need to recalibrate.
 
ATC's are tuned to have a flat frequency response, whereas most other speakers have a bass hump, usually around the port tuning frequency. This can make 'other' speakers, even small ones sound larger than they ought to and on the other hand, is why some people think ATC's sound bass light.

I've just added an EQ to my speakers to cut some nasty bass peaks measured in my room, some caused by the room itself and one I suspect is the transmission line tuning frequency.
I got the response almost flat in the sub 100hz region and guess what, my speakers now sound very like a pair of ATC's.
 
I had the SCM40s on home demo for a fortnight recently. That was followed by a home demo of the new JBL 4429s. The bass performance of the JBLs was so much better than the ATCs: flatter, more accurate, more textured.

Having said that, the ATCs' midrange was massively better than the rather honky JBLs.

I'm sure the bigger ATCs would give the JBLs a run for their money in the bass department.

My point is that a given ATC model may be engineered to be flat within its FR envelope, but its FR envelope may be a long way short of full range. And if you want full range, it may work out quite expensive.
 
I had the SCM40s on home demo for a fortnight recently. That was followed by a home demo of the new JBL 4429s. The bass performance of the JBLs was so much better than the ATCs: flatter, more accurate, more textured.

Having said that, the ATCs' midrange was massively better than the rather honky JBLs.

I'm sure the bigger ATCs would give the JBLs a run for their money in the bass department.

My point is that a given ATC model may be engineered to be flat within its FR envelope, but its FR envelope may be a long way short of full range. And if you want full range, it may work out quite expensive.

Yes your right about the somewhat limited frequency response, but we are dealing with 7" or smaller bass drivers in the ATC's, unless you go bigger with the 50's and above.
Those JBL's use a 12inch driver, so I'd expect them to be better in the bass.
 
I had the SCM40s on home demo for a fortnight recently. That was followed by a home demo of the new JBL 4429s. The bass performance of the JBLs was so much better than the ATCs: flatter, more accurate, more textured.

Having said that, the ATCs' midrange was massively better than the rather honky JBLs.

I'm sure the bigger ATCs would give the JBLs a run for their money in the bass department.

My point is that a given ATC model may be engineered to be flat within its FR envelope, but its FR envelope may be a long way short of full range. And if you want full range, it may work out quite expensive.
So was it the linters frequency range of the ATCs you didn't like or was the quality lacking even within its range?
 
So was it the linters frequency range of the ATCs you didn't like or was the quality lacking even within its range?

The former, I guess. But subjectively all sorts of things are happening that are only poorly conveyed by the statement that their FR is limited.
 
whaaaat? ATC bass integrates seamlessly.
I adore the way it does it.
Though they don't not go over the stated FR.
Do the 20s go lesser in that regard to 19s?
Not that its bad in itself I even like the 11s.
 
I had the SCM40s on home demo for a fortnight recently. That was followed by a home demo of the new JBL 4429s. The bass performance of the JBLs was so much better than the ATCs: flatter, more accurate, more textured.

Having said that, the ATCs' midrange was massively better than the rather honky JBLs.

I'm sure the bigger ATCs would give the JBLs a run for their money in the bass department.

My point is that a given ATC model may be engineered to be flat within its FR envelope, but its FR envelope may be a long way short of full range. And if you want full range, it may work out quite expensive.

The ATC's midrange driver is considered as one of the best there is so no surprise. The JBL's are $2,000/pair less expensive than the SCM40's. You can even find 4429's for $1625 each which is about £1300 each.
 


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