ATC Speakers...Do you use them with Grill On/Off


Hi,
I recently bought a pair of ATC SCM40 speakers. I am using it in a room of about 180sqft. Listening distance is about 8 ft.
I use a Symphonic Line Power Amp with them. The Power amp is very revealing and extended on both ends. Paired with ATC, I am getting very high resolution tones but I also feel that when I listen with the Grills off, here are some issues I see:

1. I get some direct sounds from the Tweeter and Midrange (its a three way speaker) which doesnt allow the speaker to dissappear completely

2. Even though I hear more detail with the grills off, I also find sometimes the sound is not relaxed, its a bit sharp

With Grills On...problem (1) is almost solved.
Problem (2) is solved to a good extent if not fully but it happens at the cost of a little loss in resolution. The leading edges are slightly less prominent. But surprisingly I find it more musically right when its playing with the Grills On. I am wondering what ATC recommends and what other ATC owners have experienced in this regard.

Is it that, since I use a very revealing amp along with a very revealing speaker I am facing this situation ?
What kind of cables are generally preferred with ATC ?
pani
I am not sure whether ATC speakers are best set up with little or no toe-in, and perhaps current ATC owners can advise. If sound is little direct, you may want to try as little toe-in as possible.

In a large space you will not notice much effect from toe-in (as they have wide even dispersion) - so just point the straight out and you'll generally get the widest sweetspot and smoothest in room response (think of your speakers as two floodlights and you want to evenly light up your room). I would suggest experimenting with toe-in if they are placed close to side walls (3 feet or less) - to reduce the amplitude of early reflections (best to keep near reflections at least 3 feet from a speaker).

Ryder has some excellent points - where you sit and how close the speakers are to the side walls is very important for the soundstage and image. A really small space suggests using a diagonal configuration with listening chair roughly 6 feet back from the plane of the speakers (avoiding the middle of the room - don't sit in the exact middle). I can't emphasize enough the importance of space around the listener.
I use them with no toe in and grills on. It seems though as with the grill on, the sound is a bit natural and more controlled, though i do think at times i am missing some details. *this might be all in my head btw* haha

as for toe in, it makes the sound stage a bit small and narrow, and the high frequency seems to beam at you more. Therefore, I have absolutely no toe in at all.

I have them in a 14x18 room. 2.5-3 feet from the side wall,6feet from the back wall, and about 7-8 feet apart. I sit about 8 feet away from them.
Okay, out of no where I tried something and it worked big time for me. Kinn, you should try this too....I just tilted the speaker backward by few degrees using a single spike on the front black platform to lift it a bit and WOW...it took the stage back, warmed up the mids and highs...made everything so much more listenable...this one tweak is easily worth $500 for the improvement it brings at least with ATC 40.

Try it out.
I have my ATC SCM20 on 24" stands and always wanted them higher as the soundstage height is parallel to where the midrange hits (i read that on a review for the original 20s, and i can conclude that when the ATC are on a temporary 30" stands, the soundstages actually does rise)

Hmmm.. i think i might give this a try! THANKS!!!
Pani..it worked for the soundstage height. Now voices seem to come from the top of my 61" TV on some materials. I did not notice a decrease or increase of sound tonality. Just better soundstage, and more holographic!

I actually raised the front apprx 4/5". Thanks for the advice!