ATC SCM19 V2 Recommendations.

Speaker cables- keep the Tellurium

Speaker stands- Isoacoustic stand 

Placement- Use the ANGLES recommended by Dolby

Synergy with current setup- Get a free room analysis from Auralex about your acoustics

I recommend buying s Sound Pressure Meter

Set it up on a tripod, ear level, listening position. 

Then play test tones, measuring spl of each tone. Find best arrangement.

Generally, tilt back so tweeters are aimed at seated ear level. Then toe-in so speakers are facing you directly. Both alter the angles of reflection regarding floor, ceiling, side walls.

Alternate toe-in for listening with a friend. Aim right speaker at left chair; right speaker aimed at right seat. This gives fairly good imaging of both sides and center. Closer to the speaker your side's volume, but more direct radiation/volume from other side, works!

I have this test disc

see track list, 1/3 octave test tones. It's gotten very expensive, I could probably find a less costly copy.

Other test discs exist, just gotta search. Any suggestions from others?

@elliottbnewcombjr 

Thanks for the tip.

I actually have an older RadioShack SPL around somewhere and I think Tidal has some test tones available.

At the moment I am doing some research into long wall placement using the Audio Physic guide. I recently switched my room layout 90 degrees. I was just sick of dancing through my speakers to get to my patio, but the reduced available distance has its challenges. Things like having a coffee table or the placement of the bass array.

Equilateral triangle, as far from side walls as possible, use sound anchor stands (ADJ 2’s for variable height or the shorter 3 post fixed height model). That will get you started. Your iPhone has SPL meter apps available. Pink noise is useful for walk testing your space, you hear how the position changes the balance from bass to no bass, rolls off high end, boosts high end, etc. Very easy to hear how pink noise changes character with position to speakers vs those changes in music with position.

Remember it’s the direct vs reflected energy ratio that affects the sound of things. The more direct sound the better, the more reflected sound the worse. You get into a triangle small enough to raise the level of direct over reflected energy. Panels and treatment can expand the size of the triangle.

OP, @lonemountain is an ATC rep, take it from the horses mouth and follow his recommendation to the T before doing anything else.

@lonemountain @kota1

Thanks. Due to the limits of the rooms 12’ distance from front wall to back wall, I will be doing more of a nearfield setup. I am guessing about 6’ from just behind my head to the top of the woofer. Distance between the speakers perhaps 7’.

Already have stands, but just wanted confirmation on height. The stands are weighted and are 23" tall. I am looking to adding a wider bottom plate maybe 14" x 16", along with IsoAcoustic Gaia’s. This would add 3" to the height.

I use the Dolby specs which place the speaker at a 22 to 30 degree angle from the MLP. You can achieve those angles by either moving the speakers, moving the MLP, or both. As for height the Dolby specs recommends tweeters at around ear height.

@tony1954   What are those stands?  Can you make them ring by tapping them lightly with a screwdriver or wrench? 

6 foot triangle works but how far from the front wall (the wall behind the speakers)

So glad to see you invest in the life's work of Billy Woodman.  That driver was I think his first SL driver design, came after the midrange.  The tweeter in that pair is a miniature version of the ATC mid design..  All hand built in the Cotswolds, not too far from the old Jaguar factory.

@kota1 

I had a look at the Dolby site, but everything seemed to be linked to Dolby Atmos?

You should check out the Audio Physic speaker placement. I thought it was more progressive and more suited to two channel setups.

@lonemountain 

No identifying marks on the stands. They are all metal, powder-coated design that the original owner filled with something. Each stand weighs around 20lbs.

Tried to make them ring, but all I got was a metallic thud.

Front of speaker is 42" from front wall. I was born a few hours north of the Cotswolds in Radcliffe, but emigrated to Canada when I was 3 years old.

The Dolby specs I posted above are for a 2.1 system. You can try it and see how it works in your room. I'll check out the audio physic site, thx.

I opted for just over shoulder toe in that gave me best sound stage.Directly was good but i  felt that over shoulder gave me broader stage.Your stands look worthy enough.Big believer in sound anchors for atc's.If they are spiked make sure they are secured to floor!...all i know is the effort really made the difference with the 19v2's.They give back whats put into it.Like the power rating from amp!

Brad (lm) knows these things...🎶

I'd fill the stands with dry play sand.  It will provide a less resonant foundation, and less easy to tip.

@kb54 

The stands are filled with something heavy already. Each one weighs about 25lb.

@tony1954 

Whatever sound the stands make, that is added to the speaker.  Mass is your friend in stands so the fact they are filled an don't resonate is good.  42" away sounds good.  Now how far from side walls?

So you are a Brit too!  Well if you ever go back, call them a week or two ahead and get an ATC factory tour.  It's fascinating because it's the way all the speaker makers used to look (winding coils, building drivers, etc ) but almost none look like that now.    Most buy all the parts/cabinets from a third party.  

+1 on the Sound Anchor recommendation, I used them for JBL and Westlake monitors. I still have a 3 leg pair for some vintage JBL’s. What is nice is that you can attain an exact height, and exact footprint for your speaker cabinet. Warning , do not use the blue dots as they will decay and release oils/chemicals into your speaker cabinets. Also their black finish ,while attractive is subject to wear from handling as they mix a course substance into the finish. Cheers , Mike. 

@lonemountain 

Side walls aren't the same.

On the right side the distance is 36" - 42" depending on how it sounds. The right side is all patio doors and windows.

The left side is around 8' to the adjacent wall and then opens into the kitchen.

Haven't been back to England yet, but it is on the bucket list. The last 4 times to Europe have all involved wine tours that start and stop in Paris.

Before you change your amp, streamer or DAC e.t.c the limiting factor here, IMO, is the speaker cables and stands. The Tellurium Black are good, I have owned them, but the Ultra Black II will open up the sound of this system a lot compared to the black. Or get Colin Wonfors LS-25 (Colin was the designer of all the Tellurium cables, and the LS-25 is the equivalent of the Ultra Black II, but sold direct at half the price).

Then put the speakers on good stands. The Solidsteel SS-6. You do not know what those ATC monitor speakers are capable of until you do this.

It seems like two quite expensive ancillary items, but you wont regret it and you will stay off the component swap merry go round.

@lonemountain 

Paradigm still builds in their own factory too. When I thought I needed to buy a new driver they said, nah, just send the old driver back we'll recone it and bring it back to specs! That was GREAT, and I came to realize the advantages of dealing with an old school, keep it in the house, brand.

Congrats on your speaker choice. I got a pair in late 2022 and love them. I followed ATC's recommendations for placement (equilateral triangle )

I use them with a Dynaudio 18s sub - which works very well.

I use Solidsteel stands

@agisthos 

I have contacted Elsdon Wonfors Audio regarding North American distributors but haven't heard back. Do you know of anyone selling them?

I live in Vancouver, Canada.

@tony1954 The cables are sold direct from the UK by ABCaudio dot biz

Contact them first to make sure they are currently shipping, as Colin’s business partner who manufactures and distributes the cables did recently have a health scare.

@agisthos 

I was on their site, but they have no pricing, no distributers list and no links for buying their products. Sent an email and crossed my fingers.

@tony1954 

535 pounds for a 2.5m pair.

@agisthos 

That's very reasonable.

Good luck with placement challenge, and that is some great gear…..would love to own those speakers. I do suspect at some point you’ll find the need to upgrade your DAC.

The Ares is a capable DAC, but not quite up to the rest of your gear.

Those are some great looking cables...i saw those some time back.I will add that that pro/driver likes some awg to get it grunting.I used a pair of diy mogami 3104 "8.5 awg" and some of the low notes that came out that speaker were impressive.fwiw.

Forgot...big believer in jumpers as well.Something close to main sc's works wonder's imho.

So, after dealing with a very weird left channel issue, I finally sat down and listened to the ATC SCM-19's, and what can I say.

It's like I have been walking around for the last decade with a rock in my shoe and I finally took it out.

Sublime.

@tony1954 

I also have the ATC SCM19v2 speakers.They are my final pair of speakers.

Have just bought a used pair of Sound Anchors stands. Looking forward to what they will do.

Was looking at a set of Isoacoustic Gaia as well.

But found a review of Stack Audio Auva by Hans Beekhuyzen, who rates them better. They get back to you quickly.

https://stackaudio.co.uk/auvaisolator/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saGfGSdLwZg&ab_channel=TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel

Late last year I bought a used pair of Auditorium 23 speaker cables. The jumpers were harder to find, so had to buy them new.

@jerrybj 

Even if the Auva is better than the Gaia's, I could never get past the idea that I paid over $1,000 USD for eight hockey pucks.

Maybe if I wasn't Canadian?

Yeh, it is a little crazy.

I'm nearing the end of upgrading my system. Probably wouldn't consider them if just starting the upgrades. 

I would try these.  A set of 8 from Amazon will only set you back $54, and 4 of them will support a weight up to 119 lbs so should be fine for your purposes.  They’re even adjustable by simply removing or adding springs (apparently the springs should compress to half their length for best performance).  If they don’t make a significant improvement just return them.  Well worth a try I’d think.  Best of luck. 
https://www.amazon.com/Tertullus-Isolation-43mm%C3%9738-5mm-Aluminum-Turntable/dp/B09QC1DJXT/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3O9WPNIK3HIXK&amp=undefined&keywords=speaker%2Bisolation%2Bpad%2Bspring&qid=1680557813&s=electronics&sprefix=speaker%2Bisolation%2Bpad%2Bspring%2Celectronics%2C143&sr=1-6&th=1