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Review ATC SCM 40 A floorstanders.....finally

I thought I knew.  I thought I knew all about imaging, dynamics, resolution, PRaT, all the audiophile buzz words allowing one into the coded audiophile secret society pontifications.  I got schooled.  It’s called ACTIVE.  Everthing I’ve been yearning for has been solved with my new ATCs.  They just do musical reproduction with immediacy.  The attack is instantanious.  Bad recording, bad reproduction.  Great recording, great reproduction.  Period.  Fin.  Ende.

I’ve progressed through some fairly serious talent.  Great equipment I’ve enjoyed over the decades: always the journey, never having arrived at the ultimate destination.  I do not know why it took so long to depart the traditional souce, preamp, monoblocks, cabling and transducers formula.  I hope this encourages others to at least consider leaving the world of so many pieces and cabling.

System:  Naim UnitiServe with unknown serious external PSU, Nordost Valhalla II digital cable, Mojo Audio Mystique V3 DAC, Manley Neo Classic preamp with Takatsuki 300B tubes.  Decware ICs, Patrick Cullum Crossover II PCs, Furman IT Reference 15i power conditioner.  All components sit on Quadraspire Reference X stand.  Wireworld Silver Elipse 8 RCA to XLR interconnects from Manley 300B to ATCs.  Isoacoustics Gaia II footers.  I’m really there for now.  Tchau
celtic66
celtic66 OP
1,682 posts
 
Mktmkt,

I did not have the opportunity to listen first.  I researched exhaustively before ordering and the wait was 4 months.  I also allowed the dealer to keep them for another 2 as a courtesy to demo to others, so 6 months before taking them.

The effortless generation of music is uncanny.  I've owned Merlins, SA, Coincident, Manley Mahi Mahi mono blocks, Sugden A21SE and many other quality pieces.  All pale in comparison.  I wish I had made this one time buy a couple of years ago.  Although, I did enjoy owning dozens of pieces throughout the years.  Ciao 
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
@celtic66   

All pale in comparison.

My experience exactly. I have been using ATCs in various forms since 1994. I keep auditioning other speakers - most recently a top of the line Monitor Audio. Other SOTA speakers are indeed extremely good and I could happily live with a couple of the great Wilson models, top of the line Focals, KEF and Harbeth to name a few. Most other designs just don’t work for me and a few seconds of listening can confirm that all too quickly - the majority sound too much like hi-fi with over emphasis here and there and the sense you are listening to individual drivers rather than natural instruments or vocals.
dorkwad
548 posts
 
They must be wonderful speakers as I heard the ATC SCM 40's V2 a few weeks ago and was very impressed.  I DIDN'T hear the powered version, however.  These were powered by expensive Mac mono amps in an all Mac setup otherwise.  They wouldn't let me use my little Nuforce Ref 9 V3 SE monos w/TDSS Level 3 upgrades.  They would have sounded much more live, transparent, with great, instead of just OK bass.  I could tell after listening, these are very special speakers for all music--fun to listen to and you hear everything with great dynamics.  All in a speaker with a 1 ft. footprint.  I can only imagine what the powered version sounds like.

If I ever downsize from my current and forever Vapor Joule Blacks--as long as they don't crap out, these will be the first speakers I compare to.
caphill
678 posts
 
ATC speakers would pair well with Naim gears.
soix
9,812 posts
 
Yeah, active ATCs are just a special breed.  Nothing like'em IME.  Congrats!!!  In a perfect world I'd have a pair of JA Pearls and active 40s or 50s I could switch out at will.  Both so awesome yet so special in different ways.  Sigh. 
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