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ATC SCM50ASL in a small room

Vital, acoustics are absolutely critical. I do use "Muraspec Cythere" acoustic wallpaper on side walls only. This was because of a nasty ringing flutter echo. If you don't have this problem, don't worry about it.

Also, I use Helmholtz resonators to mitigate bass issues of the room. Not quite happy yet but I'm picky.

Although acoustics are critical, getting the most out of the rest of the chain is also critical. I made various other improvements: power line quality (I found switch mode supplies on the ring particularly worth addressing), using coax instead of TOSLINK with my particular gear, using digital attenuation, bypassing pot/attenuators on my DAC-pre. All of these gave intrinsic improvements in quality that acoustics did not and could not give. Horses for courses and all that. My point is, slap in a source any old way in a noisy power environment and get ready for creeping disappointment. Be methodical and enjoy. All IMHO.
 
Darren, thanks again. Perhaps 50s will show upstream differences I've not heard previously :)

As it happens we had a separate ring run to the room (it was the neatest, if not cheapest, solution, and I thought why not just in case), so good on that front.
 
Excellent! Make sure if you use a Squeezebox, laptop or whatever as digital transport in that room, with a switch mode PS, that you place it alone behind a filter. Just a cheap one like the Tacima seemed to make a good difference for me. Likewise phone/tablet chargers, lamps etc are undesirable on that ring.
 
Vital said:
Andy, bass traps behind 50s are a possibility, but there aren't many other places I could treat the room, and we prefer the clean/light effect of no curtains.

Darren, proximity to walls is my biggest worry, but perhaps not so big an issue if you're coping with a narrower room. Can you go loudish OK?

Keith, thanks. Err, do I just make sure the room shadings for the various frequencies aren't all the same?
Click to expand...

The darker the bandings the higher the pressure at that specific frequency, if you look through the room nodes you should be able to see where the least affected areas in the room are.
It might help, but the construction of the room itself will come into the equation,as will furniture .
Keith.
 
Purite Audio said:
The darker the bandings the higher the pressure at that specific frequency, if you look through the room nodes you should be able to see where the least affected areas in the room are.
It might help, but the construction of the room itself will come into the equation,as will furniture .
Keith.
Click to expand...

Again, thanks.

I've spent the day listening at higher volumes to see if I could pick up any obvious issues with the room. With the SBLs I don't hear anything of major concern. Obviously I'd expect more bass energy from the 50s, so nothing definitive can be said as yet I guess.
 
Vital said:
I've just re-measured and taken some pics.

It's actually 4.3L x 3.17W x 2.4H meters, and looks like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45499624@N07/sets/72157639192350765/

Excuse the mess!

As can be seen we have a drop leaf dining table, also used by my son whilst back from Uni as a desk, but normally tucked against the wall, and dining chairs normally stored elsewhere.

The room is cavity wall (standard breezeblock/brick) plastered direct internally. The roof is a heavily insulated flat roof.
Click to expand...


50s will be absolutely fine! You could even try 100s... Don't worry. I had 50 in a big room and they were never quite enough. IMHO 25s have just as much to offer.
 
Here they are in my little room


Room for Music by cliffpatte, on Flickr

and a gratuitous shot focussed on the dome midrange


ATC SCM50ASL by cliffpatte, on Flickr

Info:

14mm end of the 14-24 zoom on full frame nikon Df at ISO1600
The front baffles of each speaker are 21" in from the adjacent walls and the front baffle is 46" from the rear wall (or 49" from the window).
Two of the photos on the back wall are by Sideshowbob
Dr Who is paused on the TV
Radio Paradise 320kbps is on the SB+
The camera was slightly ahead of my ear position, hence the speakers look toed out rather than in.
The close up of one speaker is with a Leica M and Summicron 75mm at ISO6400
Room 3.71m * 2.97m (12'2" * 9'9")
 
Stunning pics Cliff, particularly the second one. The French have a great word for it: jolie-laide.
 
Blzebub said:
Stunning pics Cliff, particularly the second one. The French have a great word for it: jolie-laide.
Click to expand...

cheers

I got busy shortly afterwards and fixed the radiator on the left and re-mounted the glass door on the left hand rack, subtly different to how it was first thing this morning
 
Well, just to tie up this thread for anyone who stumbles across it in future...

Yes, active ATC 50s can work spectacularly well even in a smallish room. I will investigate room treatment, but only to ensure I get the best from these most astonishing speakers, not because of any inherent issue.

And thanks again to all who helped me get here, both on the forum and the dealers I spoke to - at length! :)
 
Cliff, without a proper pre I'm not fussing over positioning, but suffice to say they're sounding unreasonably good through a desktop (very cheap) DAC/pre. But I'm repeating myself - perhaps best to let this thread end and continue this discussion on the pre thread :)
 
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