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ATC SCM50 active vs. new SCM19, P1 & C4

Thanks guys, I'm very looking forward to getting them and it feels good to support a British company (again :) ).

You're right, Max - June is going to feel like an age away and I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being July but I'll just sit tight and get something cheap as a stop gap.

The DPA PPP - Pure Power Plus, just a nice power filtering device for low power stuff - 1 IEC in, 3 out.

Does anyone want some nice stands ? :)
 
mattski said:
Thanks, Andy - I think so. Frontend = Mac + Audirvana + / Amarra Symphony + Benchmark DAC2 HGC fed by a DPA PPP.
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hi mattski,

since you had the vega and eximus dp1 before, what pushed you towards the Benchmark DAC2 HGC?
 
The Benchmark appealed because it's a DSD capable DAC and a pre with good I/O and HT bypass. It also has a very small form factor with good options for tailoring its output.

The DP1 is fantastic as a pre and DAC but it doesn't support DSD and has more limited I/O than the Benchmark. I think this is has the best build quality of the lot - really beautifully made.

The Vega is, IMHO, a better DAC than either the DP1 or Benchmark (arguably marginally) , but isn't great as a pre. Granted re: the lack of analog input but even for pure digital - it's output is just too high in my opinion. It needs a proper preamp to get the most out of it.

From where I'm sitting, the Benchmark and DP1 are stellar value for money and don't sound a million miles away from the Vega plus a proper pre-amp.
 
mattski said:
Thanks guys, I'm very looking forward to getting them and it feels good to support a British company (again :) ).

You're right, Max - June is going to feel like an age away and I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being July but I'll just sit tight and get something cheap as a stop gap.

The DPA PPP - Pure Power Plus, just a nice power filtering device for low power stuff - 1 IEC in, 3 out.

Does anyone want some nice stands ? :)
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What stands ? :) & would they suit the new SCM 11's : )
 
that's a great feedback! thanks a lot

mattski said:
The Benchmark appealed because it's a DSD capable DAC and a pre with good I/O and HT bypass. It also has a very small form factor with good options for tailoring its output.

The DP1 is fantastic as a pre and DAC but it doesn't support DSD and has more limited I/O than the Benchmark. I think this is has the best build quality of the lot - really beautifully made.

The Vega is, IMHO, a better DAC than either the DP1 or Benchmark (arguably marginally) , but isn't great as a pre. Granted re: the lack of analog input but even for pure digital - it's output is just too high in my opinion. It needs a proper preamp to get the most out of it.

From where I'm sitting, the Benchmark and DP1 are stellar value for money and don't sound a million miles away from the Vega plus a proper pre-amp.
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Black Partington Broadside's filled with lead and black Partington Super Dreadnaught's filled with atabites. Collection from Surrey only though due to their weight.

Definitely suitable for the new 11's and the best stands you ever could wish for, forget Atacama etc... (Ok, maybe Track Audio is better but then they costs a lot more :) )

See the following thread for some photos of the broadside's in action - http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=120151

And this one for the super dreadnoughts - http://www.htforum.nl/yabbse/index....&action=dlattach;topic=128504.0;attach=119065
 
kitsune said:
that's a great feedback! thanks a lot
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Another thing the Benchmark has that discriminates it from most other DACs is 3.5dB headroom, which they argue avoids distortion due to inter-sample overs in heavily modulated passages. It certainly completely keeps it's composure in the most complex loud bits.
 
Atc scm5os actives are also on my shortlist.What`s the difference between the classic / Tower and the Pro versions ? :confused:
 
I think the 'Pro' version is wider and shallower, so the tweeter can be optionally moved to beside the mid for horizontal mounting. The tower allows the possibility of the 'Anniversary' amp pack.

But I'm pretty sure that if you wanted a 'pro' finish 'classic', or a nice veneer on a 'pro' that would be no problem.

Paul
 
I could be wrong but...
- I thought the pro are a bit wider and shallower and have the anti diffraction chamfered edge option with no grilles, a relocate option for the tweeter and studio black finish. Typically need stands.
- Classic are a bit narrower and have wood grain finish and grilles on the protruding baffle. Typically need stands.
- towers are like classics but are full floor-standers and so need no stands. Towers are deeper than either the classic or pro physically.

There may be some other differences but I'm not aware of any.
 
I have classic 50s, and recently had a pair of pros in my room while my speakers were with ATC (to have what turned out to be a minor amp pack issue sorted).

Although I'd not say there was a lot between them I found I preferred what I perceived as slightly tighter bass on my classics when I got them back. Apart from that they sounded damn close to the same to me.

The towers are, I believe, an option introduced by ATC purely for aesthetic purposes.

Personally I prefer the aesthetic of the classic, but would have any of the three options rather than anything else I ever heard. :)
 
I prefer the Pro, Classic and Tower in that order, but they're very similar for it not to be a major concern. The bigger concern is if you buy floorstanding speakers without listening to them in your room: Even active ATCs are no guarantee of success ;)

Peter
 
mattski said:
The Vega is, IMHO, a better DAC than either the DP1 or Benchmark (arguably marginally) , but isn't great as a pre. Granted re: the lack of analog input but even for pure digital - it's output is just too high in my opinion. It needs a proper preamp to get the most out of it.
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It is a special beast, for sure. I'm not sure if it's better than my MDAC L3Toy - probably fairly similar performance - but it is a special bit of kit. You are right, into ATCs its output too high is.
 
mattski said:
I've ordered...
Some new ATC SCM50 Active Towers in Oak with the new tweeter. Hopefully they'll surface some time in June but I figured it's worth the wait. :)
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Congratulations. Good choice. Did you go for standard oak or premium (curly) oak? I went for premium Yew, which is nice but I kinda wish I'd gone for the oak in retrospect.
 
I went for what ever colour I could get my hand on s/h, but then again i only have myself to please and my kids don't give a monkey's either way as long as they can listen to the latest poptastic hits on them now and again.
 
I have the Pro 50's and also have matching grilles but best played without.
One point to note not mentioned above is that the Pro version has two green leds on the front face built into the badge section, should be considered if to be used in a domestic setup!! I dont mind as they sound so good....
 
I liked the led on the 25s :)

As for finish, I've gone for standard oak - should look rather nice.
 
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