ATC scm 19 upgrade ??

atc don´t sound good at low levels and my home studio
is very small.

So you like the neutrality, accuracy, dynamics, image and soundstage but
something is obviously wrong at low levels? Is it the lack of bass from the sealed
box? Is it something else? FWIW: If you play at volumes lower than normal then
you must expect it to sound bass light (equal loudness contours). If this is the
problem then a ported design (with more bass to begin with) may better suit
your need (such as a Dynaudio or Totem or Harbeth). Harbeth have nice mids
and a warm bass - ideal for great sound at lower levels where bass tends to be
lost.

Shadorne,
You would certainly expect a dealer to know more about his products.

BTW, ATC and Bel Canto make a marvelous combination.

Dealer disclaimer.

BTW, ATC and Bel Canto make a marvelous combination.

I haven't tried so I really can't say either way - although Bel Canto has the power needed and it is a respected brand. I think the dealer above is mostly concerned about Class D amp design and lets face it - nearly everyone has an opinion or bias on amp design (from tubed single ended to Class D everyone seems to have their preferences). I suspect however Powerstudio's problem is more with the speaker as I would not be surprisedto hear that he has already checked it with another amp - at low levels in a near field position you are only going to need 40 watts.

In my experience source problems with ATC tend to show up more at loud levels - digital hash, a poor recording, amplifier distortion all become annoying due to the forward midrange (like with a horn you hear it - nothing is sugar coated).

Another caveat is that, as a general rule, louder (as long as it remains without distortion) always sounds much better. This makes it hard to listen without inching up the volume. Inevitably, ATC users nearly always end up listening at louder SPL's than those with other speakers. Some people say it is the way they are voiced (light bass) whilst others argue it is because they don't distort as much as most speakers. Perhaps it is a combination of both.

Along these lines, however, it would be nice to know what source Powerstudio is using or has tried?

Hi there
Mglik what amp do you reccomend me for scm 19 and relative low cost with xlr input.

Shadome I´m using cranesong avocet class A monitor controller

and yes at low level the bass is very soft low mids too.
At normal level (70db) all fine, maybe the highs are very soft, less resolution but this can be do it to my treatement absortion

Powerstudio,

You appear to be working at quite low SPL's (far less than 70 db). At lower levels it should be nearly all midrange and as you go higher in SPL the treble and bass should become more prominent. Something is indeed unusual or plain wrong.

Try to run some tests at different SPL levels (what you mix at and what "sounds good") to see what you are experiencing in your room with your gear.

This may help you confirm what you have described - right now I think a ported speaker with more bass output is on the cards.

FWIW: Another angle to pursue is that the Cranesong Avocet is described by Bob Katz as being similar to Benchmark DAC1 - this suggests soft or 'missing' lower midrange (according to benchmark manual that is what most people perceive the DAC1 to sound like compared to other DAC's).

FWIW2; See Equal loudness curves. Notice how bass and lower midrange (500 Hz) drops in sensitivity as you go to lower SPL's (from 70 to 20 db SPL) - relative to the all the other frequencies.