Heard a pair of passive ATC SCM40's today...

[Ronaudio]

Heard these at a friend's and was seriously impressed with the scale and integration of the sound, even via a streamed source!, as his LP12 (80's spec) was temporarily decommissioned.
Shame that they are too big for my room, and seem to sound at their best when driven hard, which can be too loud for long term hearing comfort/health.
Indeed, that was the problem I had with my ATC SCM11's. But when I move into that bigger house, the 40's, passive or active, will be the top of my auditioning list

 

[TheFlash]

You simply must hear the actives. You know this. They do not need to be driven as hard as the passives and trounce them all round. Yep, they trounce what are in their own right excellent speakers.
Report back!

 

[Ronaudio]

Thanks, but won’t audition any until i’m In the market for speakers of their size, but i’m sure that you’re right about the actives being better. I heard the smaller ATC actives (19A’s) and they were also very good, and actually would probably fit in my room, but would still be more visually obtrusive than my present PMC twenty5.23i floor standers, and i’d still crave the scale that the 40 litre cabinets provide.
Many also comment on what a bargain the SCM40A’s are, when the built in amplification is factored into the price!

 

[sunshine]

I have to agree with TheFlash, that one need not crank up loud to enjoy the active. At average volume, they are still engaging but I cannot say this is the same with passive as I’d experience them to be boring till played loud.

 

[Mike Reed]

You simply must hear the actives. You know this. They do not need to be driven as hard as the passives and trounce them all round. Yep, they trounce what are in their own right excellent speakers.

This makes sense; probably for most actives, I'd think. Personally, I'd not be happy for passives which only come to life with a bit of welly, assuming your amp has it. Sth I'm not sure about though, is whether it's simply the sensitivity of the spkr which determines its efficiency as impedance may play a part here. My PMCs are lowish (85 dB ?) but don't need much welly to sound decent, but they are transmission line, which may influence things somewhat.

My ESLs (Quad 2905s) are also lowish sensitivity and also cannot be cranked up in extremis but I haven't noticed much of a difference in 'coming to life' v. power between the two, despite the fact that they are almost polar opposites in spkr design. (Amps are 100 wall EAR vales mono's).

 

[kernow]

This makes sense; probably for most actives, I'd think. Personally, I'd not be happy for passives which only come to life with a bit of welly, assuming your amp has it. Sth I'm not sure about though, is whether it's simply the sensitivity of the spkr which determines its efficiency as impedance may play a part here. My PMCs are lowish (85 dB ?) but don't need much welly to sound decent, but they are transmission line, which may influence things somewhat.

My ESLs (Quad 2905s) are also lowish sensitivity and also cannot be cranked up in extremis but I haven't noticed much of a difference in 'coming to life' v. power between the two, despite the fact that they are almost polar opposites in spkr design. (Amps are 100 wall EAR vales mono's).

Quad and EAR - my man

*game of thrones nod gif*

 

[AndyU]

Thanks, but won’t audition any until i’m In the market for speakers of their size, but i’m sure that you’re right about the actives being better. I heard the smaller ATC actives (19A’s) and they were also very good, and actually would probably fit in my room, but would still be more visually obtrusive than my present PMC twenty5.23i floor standers, and i’d still crave the scale that the 40 litre cabinets provide.
Many also comment on what a bargain the SCM40A’s are, when the built in amplification is factored into the price!

I think the active SCM40s are an incredible bargain, a sweet spot in the range. They get you into the wonder of the ATC midrange, after which there is no going back. And you can bridge a substantial part of the difference in price between passives and actives by realising you don’t need an amp, or fancy speaker cables, or a big rack to put your amp on - things get much simpler and neater when you go active.

 

[sunshine]

I think the active SCM40s are an incredible bargain, a sweet spot in the range. They get you into the wonder of the ATC midrange, after which there is no going back. And you can bridge a substantial part of the difference in price between passives and actives by realising you don’t need an amp, or fancy speaker cables, or a big rack to put your amp on - things get much simpler and neater when you go active.

Absolutely. I have a preamp(with built-in phono), a cd player, a record player and a SUT. Less is more

 

[Ward]

I changed from Quad 2905s driven by a pair of 100 watt EAR 509s for active ATC scm50 floor standers when we moved house and discovered the lounge was a metre and a half shorter than the estate agent details claimed; I'm still waiting for a definite date from ATC when they can accept the 50s for a service and tweeter update, but agree with what has been said by TheFlash, though once you have turned the wick up a bit it does become addictive. Something worth noting also is that the 40s are infinite baffle (closed box) and the 50s are front ported so either can be pushed back remarkably close to a back wall as long as they are clear of corners also the footprint of the 50s is not much more than the 40s and get you into the higher grade drivers; well worth a listen before you decide.

 

[Mike Reed]

And you can bridge a substantial part of the difference in price between passives and actives by realising you don’t need an amp, or fancy speaker cables, or a big rack to put your amp on - things get much simpler and neater when you go active.

Yes, this is a valid point; a tempting one as well, when one has old and bloody great valve amps to individually fettle and house (on a shelf). However, the caveat here is that with everything in one package, you lose the lot if anything fails. Not sure how long a line out i/c can be from pre to spkr though, AND are you then on the i/c upgrade path. I like the bit about one simple pre to spkr lead obviating the need for long (in my case 11m) spkr leads.

Possibly more swings than roundabouts (or vice versa?). As I become more inactive, maybe active spks will come into their own !

I changed from Quad 2905s driven by a pair of 100 watt EAR 509s for active ATC scm50 floor standers when we moved house and discovered the lounge was a metre and a half shorter than the estate agent details claimed;.....

Well now, that's interesting; the 2905s would need a metre (+/-) behind them, so compromised length of room would, I guess, have facilitated this change. I'm not familiar with the ATC range, and thought they were all infinite baffle (i.e. sealed box). Even front ported spkrs theoretically need a bit of space behind (and to sides, as most m/coil spkrs).

I wonder how you adapted from 509s/2905s (a marriage made in Heaven) to s/s amplification and coil sprks. The jury's still out on my (temporary?) adaptation to 20.26 PMCs, superb as they are. I have the 912 EAR pre, which I'd keep under any circumstances (2 onboard mm/mc stages, meters etc.) and I wonder if you retained your pre and what it is/was.

 

[Joe]

Thanks, but won’t audition any until i’m In the market for speakers of their size, but i’m sure that you’re right about the actives being better. I heard the smaller ATC actives (19A’s) and they were also very good, and actually would probably fit in my room, but would still be more visually obtrusive than my present PMC twenty5.23i floor standers, .

Interestingly...the ATC 40's are shorter than your present PMC's. They are admittedly wider but I would doubt than within a week of ownership you would think anything about their size.

 

[Ward]

The pre I was using with the Quads was a Balanced Audio Technology BAT VK5i, I found that it had too much gain when paired with the ATCs so swapped to a passive Music First Audio silver wired classic V2. On the subject of interconnects between pre and active ATCs, these are balanced cables so length is not a real problem.
I am also really lucky to have a second system in a holiday home in rural France which includes an EAR V20 driving a pair of Tannoy Turnberry SEs so the transition from electrostatics to cones was tempered; I do retain planar and electrostatic headphones for very late evening listening so I have the best of both worlds available.

 

[AndyU]

However, the caveat here is that with everything in one package, you lose the lot if anything fails.

True, but ATC supply many professional studios who hammer their speakers much harder and much longer than most domestic users are ever likely to. Their stuff is built to last, so failure is not common. When I wanted to get my 100s recapped, ATC sent me flight cases to return them in. Certainly a serious bother, but not insurmountable. I could have just returned the amp packs (which pull out), but I took the opportunity to get the mid range units and the reflex ports upgraded.

 

[Mike Reed]

True, but ATC supply many professional studios who hammer their speakers much harder and much longer than most domestic users are ever likely to. Their stuff is built to last, so failure is not common.

I had ATC units (2 x 9" + midrange) in each of my ProAc Response Fours, so am familiar with ATC in that respect and on show visits prior to 2000. Surprised your amps needed recapping unless they were quite old; is this a thing with active amplification (heat maybe?)?

 

[Nero]

I had ATC units (2 x 9" + midrange) in each of my ProAc Response Fours, so am familiar with ATC in that respect and on show visits prior to 2000. Surprised your amps needed recapping unless they were quite old; is this a thing with active amplification (heat maybe?)?

When I had my 100s updated with the new tweeter, I asked about recapping the amp packs, and it was really quite an effort to convince them I wanted it done. Old Naim habits die hard. I also asked if it was best to leave them switched on, and the consensus was that switching them off overnight is not a problem. Good to know, as Class A amps are like bleeding radiators!

My P6 just sits in the corner glowing.

 

[AndyU]

Surprised your amps needed recapping unless they were quite old;

They were; I bought my SCM100ASLs in 1998. Can’t remember when they got recapped - around the time ATC changed the waveguide on the midrange unit and made the port smoother. Had to sell them when I moved country. Used SCM25As for a while - they are kind of smaller versions of the 40As intended for studio use, then got me some active 50 towers. Given a fair number of speakers a listen to in those years, but not heard anything that has tempted me to change.

 

[TheFlash]

However, the caveat here is that with everything in one package, you lose the lot if anything fails.

I suggest this is an argument for those who are scared they’ll miss tweaking! No tweaking necessary and ATC provide an excellent and well-priced support service in the extremely unlikely event of something failing. It is, IMHO, a non-argument.

 

[manicatel]

Extremely happy with my active SCM40a’s.
I demoed both the passive and actives at home & also have a mate who has the 40 passives driven by a very meaty vitus audio amp. The actives are still better for me.
Seriously good speakers.

 

[Alex S]

Regardless of ATC or anything, anyone starting, or starting again, should get active speakers, unrivalled bang for buck and no silly upgrade treadmill.

 

[Mike Reed]

Good to know, as Class A amps are like bleeding radiators!

Didn't know ATC used class A for actives. Having been a Naim man for a generation until a decade ago and switching to valve power a dozen years ago, class A is where I'd be headed if I gave up valves. Must admit, I'm surprised, as class A heat within a confined area isn't good news but obv. this can't be a real problem. Are all ATC actives similarly amplified?