advertisement


ATC SCM50ASL in a small room

AndyU said:
I have SCM25As (having previously had 100ASLs) - they are truly superb, and will bring the incredible ATC midrange unit into your life. Superb tight bass, port bungs and bass level adjustment too. Absolutely no boom or bloat whatsoever. And of course incredible midrange. IMO they should definitely be on your list.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you're right. I have a thing about having floor-standing speakers though. Not sure why.
 
The best advice you've had is to phone ATC and ask. I thought I'd get 300A towers in my huge-ish room, but they said 150s would do.
 
Vital said:
I'm sure you're right. I have a thing about having floor-standing speakers though. Not sure why.
Click to expand...

Quite reasonable - but at the end of the day you really have to try things out, and find out what set of compromises suit you. If you were to ask your original question on a pro forum like Gearslutz, you would invariably be advised to use small speakers like 20s or 25s and treat your room, particularly as the fact that the length is quite close to twice the height doesn't bode particularly well for a smooth bottom end, but the risk of uneven bass from bigger speakers may not be as detrimental to your experience as it would be to a pro-user. There's a room calculator at www.hunecke.de that can help get insights as to how your room might behave. Listening near field helps, whatever you do.
 
Vital said:
Hmm, that puts the gap between the speakers at barely over a meter? Edit: about 150cm, not so bad...
Click to expand...

I make it 1.68 metres - or the height of an average woman. I doubt you'd want them much further apart if you're sitting only 2 and a bit metres away.
 
cliffpatte said:
I make it 1.68 metres - or the height of an average woman. I doubt you'd want them much further apart if you're sitting only 2 and a bit metres away.
Click to expand...

That means she may well bang her head on one of the speakers if you decide to lay her speaker to speaker. Health & safely issues here so beware.
 
Vital said:
Simon, which Naim speakers did you have?

And, 20s do a decent level of tight bass?
Click to expand...

I had active SBLs with 2 x 250s and a modded Ixo. The speakers were as good as I have ever heard SBLs. I changed them for a pair of Avondale speakers which was an improvement but then the mid life crisis set in and I sold most of my Naim stuff and my LP12.
When I got the ATC 20s I thought they were a bit bass light so I use them with a cheap REL sub which is either remarkably good or I really am going deaf.
Actually the bass is good enough without the sub but I like it with a bit more.
My room size is about 17 x 14 feet and they are way big and loud enough for it.

Simon
 
I had anniversary 50s in a room approx 16ft x 14ft with no problem. Speakers 3ft in from rear wall approx 3ft in from side walls (to tweeter). Certainly no bloated base.
I currently have 100s (discrete amp) plus C6 in same room, some bass treatment, sounds great. Although I do intend to move the system to a larger room.
 
Hi Vital

SCM20 monitors are very muck likely to be safe bet. If you still feel the need for lower and deeper bass then as has already been mentioned add a sub such as ATC's C4. With the C4 sub you'll have the same 9" SL spec. LF drive unit as used in SCM50's but with the added bonus of being able of having control over outputting just the right amount of LF to effectively pressurise the room, fill the void and probably listen at a lower level then before.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft
 
Hmm, so 20s might need a subwoofer (a concept I'm not comfortable with) and 50s might be too much.

I'll phone ATC :)
 
Vital

50's will not be too much

But, yes, as Keith says, it would be easiest to decide if you could hear them in your room
 
I used scm50asl's in my 4 x 4.5m room with and without a JL Audio F112 sub. They were perfect with and without the sub, but I'm a bass fiend, so liked the addition of the sub.
 
You could try passive 20's. With only being a 2-way, an active setup is not so critical and gives you a lot more scope for changing the bass response (and other factors) with different amps.

The integrated ATC amp I had was very tight, but a little dry for my tastes. I preferred a deeper, slower and fuller bass from the Michell Alecto's I used. However, if you like the Naim sound, the Nait XS I have recently used is an exciting listen with plenty of bottom end on tap.

This week I will be taking delivery of a 350 watts pro amp to power them, I can let you know how these fair out if you like.
 
Can you post a plan of the room with speaker position?..

IMHO, the room size will be less critical than system and seating position.

What kinda construction is the room BTW?
 
Cereal Killer said:
Can you post a plan of the room with speaker position?..

IMHO, the room size will be less critical than system and seating position.

What kinda construction is the room BTW?
Click to expand...

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.
 
I'd certainly give 50s a go in that room. The problems you have with early reflections from close side walls will be common to most speakers, so will benefit from being solved whatever you do. You've got the room to get them out from the wall, some curtains/bookshelves/diffusion would help, you can sit a bit closer to get a more equilateral relationship .. the windows will let at least some bass out into the garden, rather than reflect it back, and opening the other internal doors may beneficially reduce bass modes. By the look of it you haven't got cavities under the floor, which is good too. Definitely worth going for imo. But budget for some shelving/curtains/maybe stands/treatments - or just make it messier.
 
My room, though >5m long, is particularly narrow (actually just short of 3m). One thing to bear in mind is that the domestic 50s are actually the narrowest 3 way ATC actives. The Pro 50s are slightly wider and, because of their landscape design, even the 25s work out wider.

As it is, my 50s are still near the side walls but only because my room is narrow, not because I really want them there but because the benefits of an equilateral triangle (or nearer to it) with the listener are great compared to other priorities in my room IMO. One obvious difference is that one of my side walls is plasterboard and this will make a difference in bass response compared to your room.

As said earlier in the thread, you really need to try stuff out for yourself to see what works. There are so many variables including taste.
 
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?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top