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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
1,616 posts
 
mktmkt,

I've no idea.  Perhaps someone else knows and can contribute.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
lonemountain
415 posts
 
Actually phantom_av, that is not current information.  Hans has Quested in his personal studio but all his work is mixed and produced on ATC and has been for 10 years?   His mix engineer Alan Meyerson (handling I believe all Remote Controls's pro output) is using ATC 100s as his LCR, 25s as his spares (similar driver complement to 40A) , and ATC passive PRO 12s (equal to SCM11's) with P1's on his surround channels.  Our pro division is in his room fairly regularly.  

Brad 
Ag insider logo xs@2x
lonemountain
415 posts
 
mktmkt:
Sonically yes, they are the same but the finish is a lot more than stain.  We use the same veneer house as Bentley and Maserati.  Consumer dealers service and support is WAY different than pro.  Pro dealers serve studio customers that are 100% self servicing. No long chats on the phone about cables or stands, no loaners, no on site service, no local service, etc.  Might be a rare exception, but its pretty much the way it is.   Also pro dealers have zero experience with consumer gear and consumer applications.  "A streamer?  You mean decorations for a party?"  You won't be asking a pro dealer about what cables sound like, turntables, tone arms, CD players, or music servers.  

I see consumer dealers get parts from us and service people's stuff locally.  Their customers deal with them, not us.  If you believe in the idea that advice is the key (ie. buying the right product is more important than buying what you think is good at the lowest price) then buying from a good consumer dealer you trust will save more money over time by avoiding a purchase error and supporting you when you have issues or problems.  

 Brad

9radua1
2 posts
 
Reviving this thread. I’ve been living with the 40As for a few weeks now. Straight out the box they sounded fantastic. Coherent, natural, revealing yet sweet. 
Now that I got 100 hours on them, I am starting to hear some excessive brightness and edginess in the tweeter that I don’t think was there to begin with. Now, I don’t usually give much for the concept of burn-in, so I was not expecting any type of change to happen (I am usually more in brain-burn-in camp). If it is indeed a change and not just ear-fatigue, then it is not for the better. But then one could hope that this is just a phase and that the tweeter will settle with further burn-in. 
I am also not scared of using a bit of broad Q EQ, if it means I can return to the original sound I had. 
Comments and experiences would be much appreciated. 
rfc
35 posts
 
How much toe in do you have ?
If a lot, try to lessen the toe in.
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