Scm40a Users

[AndyU]

We've used the numerous Belden V 8761 cables in RCA > XLR and XLR > XLR configurations over fourteen years right angles and in loops as small as 10cm without any issues

The minimum bending radius of 8761 is quoted as 1.75”. Right angles will likely degrade the performance of the cable. Here’s the data sheet:

https://catalog.belden.com/index.cfm?event=pd&p=PF_8761

 

[Musicraft]

Nevertheless I've not noticed degradation in performance.

 

[darrenyeats]

One of the nice things about (double) braided shields like in the Gotham GAC 4/1 is that they are flexible and keep their integrity well.

 

[lazyscott1]

Hi Rick, that’s good to know. Many thanks, just need to work out the length i need.
Regards

 

[Russt]

Btw, we recommend and prefer to use the standard mains cables supplied with SCM40A monitors. Our advise is to save your money.

Have you compared Naim Powerlines with the standard mains cables? I found it made a big difference and wouldn't of recommended it otherwise!

 

[Musicraft]

I am content with using the mains cables supplied.

 

[JamesJamerson]

I've found replacing the standard mains cables with Naim Powerlines has made a massive difference on my Active 40's.

Could you post a link to what you are using please.

 

[Paul_Riordan]

I’ve got some 50ASLTs, and use Van Damme XKE microphone cable. designacables will make you up any length you want in a choice of 10 colours. “audiophile grade 4% silver solder” too! A 5m length for example will cost you £17.09, so you should get change out of £50 for any reasonable pair including postage. I very much doubt there is any need to pay any more. As for mains cables, they are supplied with mains cables. If you want longer or shorter then designacables or similar pro oriented companies will sell you some at a reasonable price.

https://www.designacable.com/studio...lr-cables-balanced-microphone-patch-lead.html

I also use designacable - specifically - "Van Damme STARQUAD Balanced Cable" - 2 pairs of 3m cables cost me under £60. As a company they seem pretty good, I have ordered quite a few cables from them not just the XLR cables. As for mains cables I have Russ Andrews - PowerMax cables, they don't seem to really make any difference but the ones I had in a box were the right length

 

[adamdea]

There is no particular reason generally to use fancy cable (and certainly not mains cable), but there may be a specfic need based on your install. For aesthetic reasons (which are rigorously enforced by the Ministry of Aesthetics where I live), I had to fit the mains and signal cables side by side in trunking. In those circs there is some sense in using star quad balanced signal cable in order to reduce the risk of picking up crap in the signal cable from the mains.) This can be obtained from sensible manufacturers of pro cables like van damme etc and does not require any fairy dust.

 

[Musicraft]

Hi Rick, that’s good to know. Many thanks, just need to work out the length i need.
Regards

You're welcome.

 

[RXH2]

What interconnects and mains cables do you use? Any point in going fancy??

I'm new here, so firstly Hello All. I've had various bits of kit over the many years that I've enjoyed listening to music and last Nov bought a S/H pair of 40As from a fellow PFM member.
In an attempt to get away from system matching worries, for my 'final' upgrade, I also bought a S/H CDA2 mk2. I have noticed some difference in the sound of ICs in the past but not noticeably with power cables. I do however believe that well made cables and tight fitting plugs are desirable.
For my new set up I bought some mogami 2534 cables from designacable (£60 for a 5M pair) which certainly let the music through...For mains, I had a pair of wattgate plugs from previous cables that I'd made and have made two new cables using regular 1.25mm three core with MK plugs on the other end. Two reasons for doing this, firstly they are of different lengths and secondly, I do not like getting on my knees to turn the speakers on and off and have fitted inline 20A DP switches close to the back of the speakers. I can bend to switch these easier than the speakers own switches which now stay 'on'.

 

[Black_Flag]

When i had 40a's they loved the dedicated 10mm2 radial, Naim Powerlines and DIY'd Grimm TPR with copper pinned XLR connectors - all carried over from the Naim days. The perceived difference to ring main & supplied cables: Lower noise floor, improved staging and bass depth. The science: None at all. The cost difference: ~£1250. The conclusion: I was recovering from audiophilia nervosa and should now investigate down spec'ing the mains cables... your nervosa status may dictate otherwise.

Related experience: After 4yrs of ownership I eventually became dissatisfied with the 40a's*. So switched to used 50ASL's and find it near impossible to detect flaws - ok so there's some bass port radiation that colours the sound and occasionally sets off the room - otherwise: great. The changeover cost was much much less than the cable values listed above, yet the satisfaction increase was wholesale. I might give kii threes a try, that and find a cheaper DAC.

The insight: Someone said it here before [paraphrasing] "save up the most money you can and buy the biggest pair of ATC's you can afford as soon as possible". There's lots of good advice on this forum, but that's up there with the best.

*don't shoot; they're fantastic, spectacularly genre agnostic and end game speaker worth putting great effort into the front end and forgetting about changes altogether.

 

[lazyscott1]

"save up the most money you can and buy the biggest pair of ATC's you can afford as soon as possible"

Would like a pair of 50’s, but the wouldn’t fitted “domestically” so the 40’s are (hope they are) a good compromise.

 

[Russt]

Could you post a link to what you are using please.

Hi James, see below for the link to the Naim Powerline:
https://www.naimaudio.com/product/power-line-0

My dealer recommended I try them instead of the standard mains cables and both my Brother and I thought it was a real 'wow' moment and couldn't believe the difference. As Black_Flag has already mentioned much improved bass depth and imaging. I was lucky that I was moving away from a Naim system to a Linn Klimax DS and already had a couple of spare Naim Powerlines to try. If you can borrow a couple of Naim Powerlines from your dealer then it certainly is worth a go but only in my humble opinion.

 

[John Phillips]

Would like a pair of 50’s, but the wouldn’t fitted “domestically” so the 40’s are (hope they are) a good compromise.

People seem to concentrate on differences in this hobby. However from auditioning the 40A and 50A back-to-back my own experience is that there are more similarities than differences.

A member of "ATC Forums" wrote in October 2017 about downsizing his listening room and having to move from 50A to 40A. The final comment in his original post was:

"I know that on paper the specification of 50As and the 40As are quite different, but all I am telling you here is that in most respects I find the 40As sound very similar indeed to my earlier 50As (and at half the price!). I’m enjoying playing my music again and, try as I might with different albums, I haven’t yet found any reason to be disappointed."​

 

[lazyscott1]

People seem to concentrate on differences in this hobby. However from auditioning the 40A and 50A back-to-back my own experience is that there are more similarities than differences.

A member of "ATC Forums" wrote in October 2017 about downsizing his listening room and having to move from 50A to 40A. The final comment in his original post was:

"I know that on paper the specification of 50As and the 40As are quite different, but all I am telling you here is that in most respects I find the 40As sound very similar indeed to my earlier 50As (and at half the price!). I’m enjoying playing my music again and, try as I might with different albums, I haven’t yet found any reason to be disappointed."​

Hi John, that is good to know. I would dearly the 50’s as i believe they are fitted with the “better” mid and bass driver. But as i can’t accommodate them i don’t feel the need to audition them as what i don’t know i won’t miss!

 

[Fourlegs]

Hi John, that is good to know. I would dearly the 50’s as i believe they are fitted with the “better” mid and bass driver. But as i can’t accommodate them i don’t feel the need to audition them as what i don’t know i won’t miss!

also the 50 and above are fitted with an uprated version of the new tweeter . . . But like you say no point even thinking about them if they won’t fit.

 

[adamdea]

People seem to concentrate on differences in this hobby. However from auditioning the 40A and 50A back-to-back my own experience is that there are more similarities than differences.

A member of "ATC Forums" wrote in October 2017 about downsizing his listening room and having to move from 50A to 40A. The final comment in his original post was:

"I know that on paper the specification of 50As and the 40As are quite different, but all I am telling you here is that in most respects I find the 40As sound very similar indeed to my earlier 50As (and at half the price!). I’m enjoying playing my music again and, try as I might with different albums, I haven’t yet found any reason to be disappointed."​

I reckon @mattgbell may have some views on this, having heard my 40as and then decided to get 50s instead.

 

[Black_Flag]

People seem to concentrate on differences in this hobby. However from auditioning the 40A and 50A back-to-back my own experience is that there are more similarities than differences.

A member of "ATC Forums" wrote in October 2017 about downsizing his listening room and having to move from 50A to 40A. The final comment in his original post was:

"I know that on paper the specification of 50As and the 40As are quite different, but all I am telling you here is that in most respects I find the 40As sound very similar indeed to my earlier 50As (and at half the price!). I’m enjoying playing my music again and, try as I might with different albums, I haven’t yet found any reason to be disappointed."​

Completely agree with the above. I had 40a's & 50asl's at the same time, gave the 40a's a last listen to check functionality before selling them and was marvelling at how good they were. Seriously questioned why i was selling them, especially the appearance - i think the 50's are cool in a brutal way but the 40's always got complements.

On that subject, I spoke to ATC to see if SL & S spec drivers could be fitted to 40's. The answer was very firm no, but i would seriously be interested in a curved cabinet tower 50 or 100 with 40 aesthetics. I expect they'd end up looking similar to an ART DRAM 12/15.

 

[darrenyeats]

Well there are the 50SE and 100SE (I've heard the latter on the end of a Bartok, it was "quite good") with curved cabinets and Anniversary-like TOTL amps. They cost about double the regular actives so ...