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Pre-amp for active ATC 50s

Whaleblue

Whaleblue

Southbound
Hi all,

Firstly, if you're one of those that helped with my questions on ATC a few days ago, many thanks. I have now bought a pair of three year old SCM50ASL (classic) in Rosewood (which matches my Roksan :) ).

I'm now considering which way to go on the pre-amp.

Considering:

1/ Modwright LS 36.5 (this is what I heard ATCs with in the first place)
2/ McIntosh C48 (DAC and room correction in the form of 5 band equaliser)
3/ ATC SCA2 (obvious choice?)
4/ Anything else you good people suggest

Thanks
 
Vital for some reason I thought you were a passive fan.

Those big active ATC's should sound brilliant, good choice :)
 
I am using a Music First Audio Passive TVC Pre Amp.

It is quite stunning and might be just the thing here.
 
I originally had an SCA2 with my SCM100ASLs. Beautiful. When I got a Benchmark DAC1 I couldn't hear any advantage in playing it through the SCA2 so sold the SCA2. My current DAC/pre is a Benchmark DAC2 HGC - has plenty digital inputs and an analogue one, and has some jumpers which can be set to 0, -10 or -20db attenuation to keep the digital volume control working over a sensible range. If you have vinyl then a pre- is probably useful, but if you are digital only then to me a DAC/Pre is more sense. There are plenty of ways of doing digital room correction if your music is sourced from a computer. Media Players like JRiver have plug-ins for convolution like Acourate for example, as well as decent 64 bit equalisers. So, I'd suggest focussing on a good DAC/pre. Benchmark, Resonessence, Mytek, Auralic - plenty to choose from. Definitely recommend fully balanced connection.
 
Cereal Killer said:
Excellent!! How you finding the 50's :)
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Remote.

Hoping to get them delivered later this week :)

IMHO, we need to know the full extent of your system parts and wants?
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Well, apart from the 50s my front end is vinyl (currently the Roksan Xerxes with Origin Live Silver mk2/Denon 103R) and Whest Two stage.

I also have a Sonos fed into my main system for more casual listening, but expect in the longer term will find a balance of digital and vinyl listening (in other words may consider going beyond the Sonos if I find the 50s show its limitations - open minded on this).

Given the concerns with my smallish room (4.3x3.2x2.4 meters) room the Macs equaliser has its attractions, as do its DAC and built in MM/MC stages. Not sure whether this should sway me, or should be ignored as solvable in other ways.

I terms of presentation I am a mixed up kid. I like to lose myself in the music at times (a system that "disappears"), but can be quite geeky in liking to hear the details too (those saddo moments of "ooh, I never knew that was a ...." in there).

Does that help?
 
Ah vinyl. I go direct using a DAC-pre but my advice is don't skimp on the preamp (or anything else source related) because the 50s will give you what you give them.
 
I'll start with my dislike of Active ATCs first (I demo'd 50 Anniversaries and 100s) - so ignoring that I was surprised that the 100s sounded worse with a McIntosh pre-amp than the 50s with a much cheaper Croft pre-amp. So, I'd avoid McIntosh even with my prejudices about the speakers (btw I'm an ATC fan having owned several passive speakers of theirs and I still use their integrated amp very happily)
 
What is your current preamp? There's probably no reason why it won't work, even a passive pre isn't a disaster in my setup.

Paul
 
The SCA2 comes with an optional moving coil phono stage. If you're getting line level output out of a pre-pre-amp, that would be less useful. Essentially then all you need is a line level preamp with balanced outputs. You could even use one of the Benchamark DACs with Pre-amp stage built in. If you have no existing pre-preamp, I'd suggest getting the CA2 or SCA2 with the correct board setup for your cartridge.
 
Gaius said:
I am using a Music First Audio Passive TVC Pre Amp.

It is quite stunning and might be just the thing here.
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I rate the Music First, but it won't be happy driving long interconnects to the speakers will it?
 
YNWOAN said:
I rate the Music First, but it won't be happy driving long interconnects to the speakers will it?
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It's a great pre, it does have a balanced output option but you make a fair point, not sure of the OP's layout.
 
I am using a pre that utilises one of the first ever transformers that SB wound, it sounds extremely good, it will be interesting to compare it to my active pre when it returns.
Keith.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Any other suggestions welcomed - especially if you've direct experience with ATC actives.

That said, anyone tried the Modwright at all?
 
Gaius said:
It's a great pre, it does have a balanced output option but you make a fair point, not sure of the OP's layout.
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Sorry, missed this one. Pre/TT will sit between the speakers, and I guess each XLR lead from pre to speakers will be 3m.
 
YNWOAN said:
I rate the Music First, but it won't be happy driving long interconnects to the speakers will it?
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I think it will. TVCs are ok with long interconnects I thought?

My Silvercore One is happily driving 5m of Mogami into my power amp.

Lefty
 
I would defo consider a Benchmark DAC as an option; the Sonos should sound great through it (no idea what the sonos is like without a DAC as never used one) and has analogue inputs. Either get a current one on loan or snap up a used HDR as you won't lose anything on it.

Now I think about it, if anyone can remember why I sold my HDR (other than it previously belonging to Raj so it was tainted ;) :p) please let me know.
 
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