Thinking about a pair of ATC SCM40
- Thread starter DavetheBass
- Start date
The midrange and treble are also different between the 40 and the 50.
The 40 uses the SM75-150 mid-range unit. Replacement cost £593
The 50 uses the SM75-150S mid-range unit. Replacement cost £1,066
The 40 uses the SH25-76 tweeter. Replacement cost £182
The 50 uses the SH25-76S tweeter. Replacement cost £338.
From what I remember from talking to ATC, the differences are in power handling and efficiency.
Prices from: https://signals.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Hi-Fi_November_2022_Retail.pdf
Space is the Place
pfm Member
I listened to the 50s and 100s much more than the 40A's, sometime there can be sweet-spot in the range, diminishing returns and all that, i have some PMC's which are a similar configuration driver wise to the 40's, but when i switch back to a pair of more dynamically capable speaker it exposes the limitations of the PMC's to sound "live" like the bigger speakers do.
My friends had a fair few pairs of the 50's and the 100's both with and without Anniversary amp packs, just wondered if anybody had had the 40s and 50s in the same room. If i was going for 50s i'd go for the classics as don't like the aesthetics of the towers, 100's are just to big despite sounding more relaxed.
My friends had a fair few pairs of the 50's and the 100's both with and without Anniversary amp packs, just wondered if anybody had had the 40s and 50s in the same room. If i was going for 50s i'd go for the classics as don't like the aesthetics of the towers, 100's are just to big despite sounding more relaxed.
John Phillips
pfm Member
The "SL Magnet Technology" in the bass driver of a SCM50 (and in all SL drivers) produces less intermodulation distortion at any given loudness so they will stay clean sounding at higher audio levels. Whether that matters to a listener or not may depend on how loud they want to listen.
Note that I did not write harmonic distortion above. HD is also reduced as the technical notes show, but HD is less audible to humans than IMD. Both types of distortion are produced by the underlying non-linearity which SL technology reduces, but IMD is known to be greater than HD for wide-band signals like music, as well as being more audible. I suspect the technical notes from ATC are couched in terms of HD because that's what people are more familiar with.
Space is the Place
pfm Member
Thanks John will have a read later.
John Phillips
pfm Member
I have heard them (40 and 50 actives) back-to-back in the same room at my local dealer in a four-hour (or so) session.
I had auditioned the 40As. They were great, met my requirements, and I thought I would buy a pair. However I had asked to listen to the 50As as well. It took a couple of weeks to arrange a demo pair. When they arrived I listened first to the 40As again and then the 50As over a few hours with a selection of my CDs; and then had the 50As delivered for a home demo. I decided about a week later to order the 50As (in classic form as they seemed less visually "intrusive" than the towers).
It may seem like heresy but I could have happily lived with the 40As for the sort of listening I do if the 50As had been out of reach. However, I decided I would never forgive myself for not having the 50As. My mother was great for her sayings and "you never regret your luxuries" was one of them. Very true.
I will also go for the Classic rather than Towers when the time comes. The 40s probate the sweet spot in the range in terms of price/performance but sometimes you just want the best.
If I’d known where I was going to end up with my current system I probably would have taken the plunge over the 40s. I really do rate the 40s though & I feel I can listen to anything on them.
John Phillips
pfm Member
I should perhaps add that the primary audible difference I perceived in my dealer's room was that the SCM50As had more of what people seem to describe as "scale". Although in the Audiobarn's large listening room I perceived this as less night-and-day than the difference others describe (in their rooms).
I have also listened to SCM100As at the Audiobarn and they suit the large demo room well. I didn't want to go that far in my room and the home demo convinced me the SCM50As could do "scale" sufficiently well for me. I do know what I would do if I acquired a larger listening room, though.
popol_vuh
pfm Member
Thanks for your sound impressions. Do you recall which preamp(s) were used with all these active ATCs? Also, which cables? I believe good professional balanced cables are good and there's no need to go crazy there.
I think that is one of the most important things about ATC speakers, they don't constrain what you might choose to listen to, they just transduce.
John Phillips
pfm Member
I auditioned both with the dealer's pre-production ATC CDA2 MK2. His demo XLR cables were Chord Shawline.
FYI I bought a CDA2 Mk2 for home when it got launched and I have ATC-supplied Belden & Switchcraft XLR cables and Van Damme XKE starquad & Neutrik XLR cables.
I also have a CDA2. Great piece of kit
Joe
pfm Member
SCM35's use the same bass and mid drivers as the SCM 40's...different tweeters though.It slightly widens the field of choice for those whom can't stretch to 40's.
The last of the 35's ..second generation, used a different tweeter to the first generation as that was considered it's weak point.
Lovely speakers , the 35's. Happily ran a pair for a few years.
The last of the 35's ..second generation, used a different tweeter to the first generation as that was considered it's weak point.
Lovely speakers , the 35's. Happily ran a pair for a few years.
John Phillips
pfm Member
Yes. With active loudspeakers (any, according to individual taste) it makes for a great, really simple audio system.
This was the ATC system at the recent Bristol show (from the full report here):
Compared to mine, I only use digital now so take away the deck and phono stage above the CDA2; and the Roon Nucleus below is replaced by an unobtrusive wireless Raspberry Pi Network Bridge plus a server tucked away elsewhere, plus my existing iPhone or laptop for control. I still have my FM tuners but Internet radio and Qobuz have meant they have been unused for a long time. However I still have analogue inputs if needed.
I get it that there are those who enjoy having a more complex audio system, but experience has taught me the value of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "... perfection is achieved not when there is no more to add, but when there remains no more to take away".
The BBC R3 broadcast last night of Shostakovich's symphony no.15 was musically and sonically superb. I don't feel the need to add anything superfluous.
I do love a simple system. My dealer had to source a demo CDA2 as they didn't carry it, now they have one on demo. Say's it all, I do wish it came in black.Yes. With active loudspeakers (any, according to individual taste) it makes for a great, really simple audio system.
This was the ATC system at the recent Bristol show (from the full report here):
Compared to mine, I only use digital now so take away the deck and phono stage above the CDA2; and the Roon Nucleus below is replaced by an unobtrusive wireless Raspberry Pi Network Bridge plus a server tucked away elsewhere, plus my existing iPhone or laptop for control. I still have my FM tuners but Internet radio and Qobuz have meant they have been unused for a long time. However I still have analogue inputs if needed.
I get it that there are those who enjoy having a more complex audio system, but experience has taught me the value of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "... perfection is achieved not when there is no more to add, but when there remains no more to take away".
The BBC R3 broadcast last night of Shostakovich's symphony no.15 was musically and sonically superb. I don't feel the need to add anything superfluous.
I am planning on redecorating & getting rid of my naim fraim this year, could never think of such a thing when I had multiple boxes with complicated wiring. I do quite like the stand in this picture though
