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ATC SCM7 Amplification

S

SomeGuy

pfm Member
Morning all,

Me again.

Sorry to start another thread, thought it would be easier/tidier than tagging into to the back of the last thread I started.

So, my room didn’t like the AE1A’s, which is a shame because they sound tremendous. The lower bass registers they could plumb were setting off some room modes, so they have had to go back.

This means a change in approach, leading me to the SCM7’s (sealed, higher bass rolloff seem more likely to work in my room).

So, amplifiers. They appear to ‘work’ with anything, but aren’t at their best perhaps until they’ve got some hefty watts/current behind them.

With that in mind, does anyone have any suggestions up to around the £800 mark?

There’s an AVI Lab on eBay at the minute, although I’m not sure how reasonably it is priced. Otherwise I’ve been looking at Leema, Primare & Audiolab (8200) as potential options.

Any other suggestions would be of great help!
 
Fwiw, that amp uses a hypex ucd102 module, so you could look at the hypex data sheet to get more details of its performance.
 
Out if your list I’d go fo Leema or primare. Consider creek 100a or 5350 or destiny too. Moon could be good can be pricey I’ve used Leema and creek with atc.
 
hifi-dog said:
Out if your list I’d go fo Leema or primare. Consider creek 100a or 5350 or destiny too. Moon could be good can be pricey I’ve used Leema and creek with atc.
Click to expand...

I hadn’t given Creek much thought but will have a look.

Moon do seem a little pricey, some of their older amps seem to go for around my budget though.
 
SomeGuy said:
So, my room didn’t like the AE1A’s, which is a shame because they sound tremendous. The lower bass registers they could plumb were setting off some room modes, so they have had to go back.
Click to expand...

The constant in all this is your room, and trying all sorts of speakers until you find one that doesn't set off room modes is going to be a long and ultimately fruitless job. My room has a really big issue with 60Hz - not only a strong peak at the listening position, but it also sets the cellar and kitchen doors rattling. Any speaker that puts out 60Hz, and most do, would set that off. I've only had three speaker systems in this room - Quad ESL57 / Linn Sizmik sub, temporaily during building works Meridian M30 actives, and for some years Martin Logan Summits. The Martin Logans have the most stupendous bass imaginable, as they have two 10" woofers per speaker, each with it's own 200w class D Ice Power amp. They can set off the 60Hz issue no problem, but they do have 25Hz and 50Hz controls and with a bit of fiddling I can get the 60Hz issue under control, but at the expense of the overall bass.

So I revisited DSP which I'd used with my Linn Sub (and still do in a different building) - I got a miniDSP (balanced in my case) 2x4 and I modified the MLs to drive the bass power amps direct (rather than via the power amp and attenuator which is the standard configuration) - REW software, Umik calibrated mic, and ended up with a profile that cuts the level at 60Hz quite agressively, but leaves the rest of the range (I only equalise 270Hz and below) more or less intact - some minor tweaks to get the bass nice and flat. I can reproduce a clean 20Hz and up in my room now and no booms, rattles etc.

So buy the speakers you like, then sort out the room interaction with DSP - I really doubt that any amplifier will solve your room resonance issues.
 
Might be worth investing in a minidsp or a dspeaker antimode to see whether that helps. In fairness though i don't think the Op was suggesting that the amp was the solution. But I agree that taming modes is preferable to simply not having any bass.
 
Hi,

I have a pair of 19's, and cos I am mental I bought a ATC P1 to drive them, however prior to this they were driven with a pair of of Cyrus APA7 monoblocks, which did an admirable job and should be obtainable well under your budget.

Ta

S
 
Had SCM7 and a few pairs of the SCM10.

My favourite I have had with the SCM10 is the Bryston B60R, which is a great match, as mentioned upthread, that the SCM7 is an easy load on the amplifier, its just very inefficent. I don't have a massive room (17ft x 11ft) so ultimate SPL is not really an issue.

Out of the other amps I have had, something like the Sony TA-F770ES or Denon PMA2000AE (or 2010/2020AE or even 2500NE) would be a superb choice if you don't mind something physically larger. Loads of power on tap, lots of inputs and decent MM/MC phonostages too.

Other than that, I would have thought a Quad 909 would be good, usually around £500 plus a suitable pre.

I doubt that the ATC amps would be in budget, usually seem to go for around £1.5k.

Years ago when I had my SCM7s (mk2) I worked in a hifi shop and borrowed an Audiolab 8200A as well as the 8200MBs, the latter were pretty epic but probably out of you're price range. Similar to larger Bryston, although the Bryston 4BSST was the best I have heard the SCM7 and SCM19.
 
Probably worth mentioning that outright SPL isn’t really a massive issue in my room (3.5 x 4.2m).

Seems as though I don’t need a billion watts with masses of current etc to drive these, which is reassuring, I’ll just aim for a well sorted device.

It’ll be used with a Brio-R until a suitable replacement can be sourced, so that should help give me an idea of a modest amps handling of them.

I’m intrigued by Moon & Primare I think, probably I-1 & i30 models specifically
 
SomeGuy said:
Probably worth mentioning that outright SPL isn’t really a massive issue in my room (3.5 x 4.2m).

Seems as though I don’t need a billion watts with masses of current etc to drive these, which is reassuring, I’ll just aim for a well sorted device.

It’ll be used with a Brio-R until a suitable replacement can be sourced, so that should help give me an idea of a modest amps handling of them.

I’m intrigued by Moon & Primare I think, probably I-1 & i30 models specifically
Click to expand...

I used a Rega Brio-R with my first pair of SCM10s, and changed to my first Bryston B60R, it was not a small change. The power differences are not huge on paper but its just a lot better. Much more dynamic and overal clarity.

 
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