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ATC SCM 19 v2

I almost missed this comment…

I thought active speakers still followed the amp/crossover/driver sequence.

Are you saying that the ATC active speakers feature a speaker crossover BEFORE the music signal reaches the “active” amplifier in each speaker?

This would require an internal (inside speaker) amp for each and every driver - with some pretty clever electronics to pull it all together.

If this is the case, this should make for a startlingly good sounding speaker!

Have I understood your comment correctly?

Absolutely this. My ATC SCM40A's each contain 3 amplifiers. The wiring from amp to driver is incredibly short and the crossover handles the low current of a signal rather than the higher current of an already amplified signal. If you hear active and passive versions of a speaker using the same drivers in the same cabinets, you'll be amazed by the difference it makes.
 
Absolutely this. My ATC SCM40A's each contain 3 amplifiers. The wiring from amp to driver is incredibly short and the crossover handles the low current of a signal rather than the higher current of an already amplified signal. If you hear active and passive versions of a speaker using the same drivers in the same cabinets, you'll be amazed by the difference it makes.

This is something of a breakthrough, as an amp feeding a driver directly is almost unbeatable!

It sounds like - for the first time ever - active speakers have come of age.

Many thanks for the confirmation.

Should we assume the ATC internal amps are CLASS-D?
 
This is something of a breakthrough, as an amp feeding a driver directly is almost unbeatable!

It sounds like - for the first time ever - active speakers have come of age. ...
I's not that recent. Properly active loudspeakers, rather than just powered passive loudspeakers, have been around for quite a while. In ATC's case their first active crossover was from 1982 and the first version of their ongoing three-way active crossover/amplifier pack has been in existence since 1985. I feel sure they cannot have been the first.
... Should we assume the ATC internal amps are CLASS-D?
They are high-bias class AB. The three-way amp packs take about 50W per side at idle (the SCM19A has two-way of course). They have a large heatsink extending from the rear of the loudspeaker between the grab handles to keep them cool. Compare active and passive in the second photograph here.
 
Does anyone have any recommendations for stands? ATC reckon they need to be heavy and not open frame.

Sounds about right. When I had mine, I started with Ikea stools and then bought some Partington Heavi 2 stands (which seem to be quite rare). Biggest upgrade for least money I've ever had. I still have the stands, but will probably keep them for "the future".
 
Does anyone have any recommendations for stands? ATC reckon they need to be heavy and not open frame.

I use these stands from a local manufacture: https://www.fbm-rondo.hr/portfolio/resolution/
SCM19v2 work really well on them. Filled with sand, about 35kg each. Not suggesting you import them, just as an idea of what kind of stand seems to work. ATCs are heavy and probably put out quite some energy. They need solid stands.
 
Does anyone have any recommendations for stands? ATC reckon they need to be heavy and not open frame.

I'd agree with ATC! I have some old Target (R2?) stands, very heavy and a noticeable improvement on some Q Acoustics heavy MDF jobbies.

BTW, since my comments on the first page of the thread I've heard active 40's a couple of times and also passive 50's (no chance to hear active 50's yet). I don't doubt that the active 40's will generally beat the passives, but that said, hearing active 40's didn't change my basic impression of that speaker. I did find that passive 50's, even with fairly average amps/sources, were a fair bit better than the active 40's.
 
Have a demo of the 19s next week, will confirm back findings, plan to compare to the 11s plus my harbeths at home if I like them.

Going to take my amplifier along (exposure 3010S2D).

Read mixed views on amplifier requirements some say min 200 Watts needed, even one dealer I spoke with said you won't get a full bodied sound unless you are pre/power or very powerful integrated, however i dont really see any technical reason for this given they are a relatively easy load, to go very loud you will of course need lots of watts as they aren't sensitive but otherwise should be fine i think. The exposure is conservatively rated at 110 Watts per channel but I understand is actually 135 watts per channel, so assuming this will be fine?
 


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