2011 Awards: ATC wins again ??

[admin_exported]

Hi,

Amazing to see that the ATC SCM11 has won best standmout speaker £700-1500... how many years on the trot is that?

I was surprised though that Monitor Audio's GX50 or GX100 didn't pip the ATCs this time... have WHF done a full comparison of both the MA options against the ATC's ???

Thanks

 

[plastic penguin]

About 6 years according to this years 'Awards' mag.

Don't get too hung up on award winners - I certainly don't.

 

[Anonymous]

On looks and aesthetics ATC's are probably bottom of the pile. However the guys at ATC are legends in sound which is where they bring home the bacon. My brother has a pair of the huge 100's (actives), you need 2 people at least to move them, they are as ugly as sin but I have never heard sound like them.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I was going to say it's still one of my 'best speakers under £1k', but the prices are now £1036 and £1094....

They're still one of my favourite speakers around the £1k mark

 

[chebby]

Don't get too hung up on award winners - I certainly don't.

Did you ever get to hear them eventually?

I have heard the ATC SCM11s (for about 8 hours at a time every few weeks for the last two years) so I can confidently say that - for me - the PMC DB1is would be my choice for around the same price.

As far as I can tell, your objection was that you couldn't easily get to hear them.

Another factor in the SCM11s winning awards for so long is that they been around for so long. Many contenders for the same award are only around for a year or two before the manufacturer replaces them.

This is partly why the Rega Planar 3/P3/P3-24/RP3 has done so well over the years. It hasn't fundamentally changed since the first RB300 arm version in 1983 (just 'evolved' really) other turntables come and go but the Rega remains a benchmark.

 

[plastic penguin]

Don't get too hung up on award winners - I certainly don't.

Did you ever get to hear them eventually?

I have heard the ATC SCM11s (for about 8 hours at a time every few weeks for the last two years) so I can confidently say that - for me - the PMC DB1is would be my choice for around the same price.

As far as I can tell, your objection was that you couldn't easily get to hear them.

Another factor in the SCM11s winning awards for so long is that they been around for so long. Many contenders for the same award are only around for a year or two before the manufacturer replaces them.

This is partly why the Rega Planar 3/P3/P3-24/RP3 has done so well over the years. It hasn't fundamentally changed since the first RB300 arm version in 1983 (just 'evolved' really) other turntables come and go but the Rega remains a benchmark.

I'll answer the last question first. Yes, I heard them at 'The Towers' and I rated them quite highly with a Naim and Cyrus. Out of the systems we heard there it was the most exciting and revealing. However, whether I could live a relatively "slap around the face with a wet kipper" presentation or not is a different matter. My major gripes with ATC, apart from the lack outlets, is they need an amp with a pure current and lots of power - and according to WHFI's review of a couple of years ago, they are at their best driven pretty hard. Not the best choice when you have a family, in a bungalow, and elderly neighbours.

And no, I gave up on that one, purely because I had to wait a few days for delivery.

If they were more readily available like the PMCs, Dyns, Neats of this world it really wouldn't be an issue. As I've mentioned before, won't do a 300 mile round trip (or prepared to wait days) just to hear a product that I probably won't buy.

 

[Anonymous]

Having heard the SCM11s at home with my system I agree they are great speakers. I just thought the GX50s or GX100s might have been the first speakers to topple them. :?

 

[chebby]

Having heard the SCM11s at home with my system I agree they are great speakers. I just thought the GX50s or GX100s might have been the first speakers to topple them. :?

The first speakers to 'topple them' (and only just*) were the EB Acoustics EB2s, but the award still went to the ATC SCM11s because EB Acoustics are online purchase only and ATC SCM11s are available to demo in high street dealerships.

*"It's simply and almost solely the strength of the EB2s that hurts the SCM11s; they take the strengths of the ATCs and raise the bar."

From here...

http://www.whathifi.com/Review/ATC-SCM-11

 

[plastic penguin]

Having heard the SCM11s at home with my system I agree they are great speakers. I just thought the GX50s or GX100s might have been the first speakers to topple them. :?

I listened to the GX100s about 3 months ago. Very impressive. It was tethered to an all Cyrus 8 (amp and CDP) and the ribbon tweeter gave a very tantalising option to the conventional soft or hard domed tweeter. Add on the good looks of the MAs plus they sound sweeter at lower levels (exactly the same with PMCs) and it's game over. No contest.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Another factor in the SCM11s winning awards for so long is that they been around for so long. Many contenders for the same award are only around for a year or two before the manufacturer replaces them.

B&W MT series too 🙂

 

[Frank Harvey]

I listened to the GX100s about 3 months ago. Very impressive. It was tethered to an all Cyrus 8 (amp and CDP) and the ribbon tweeter gave a very tantalising option to the conventional soft or hard domed tweeter. Add on the good looks of the MAs plus they sound sweeter at lower levels (exactly the same with PMCs) and it's game over. No contest.

I think there's a few speakers that will outdo the SCM11's for lower level listening, which are basically the ones that are a lot more efficient! I'm looking forward to a showdown between the ATC SCM11 and the KEF R300 - now that will be interesting!

 

[chebby]

I think there's a few speakers that will outdo the SCM11's for lower level listening, which are basically the ones that are a lot more efficient! I'm looking forward to a showdown between the ATC SCM11 and the KEF R300 - now that will be interesting!

Well you stock both, so which would get your vote?

 

[Anonymous]

Having heard the SCM11s at home with my system I agree they are great speakers. I just thought the GX50s or GX100s might have been the first speakers to topple them. :?

I listened to the GX100s about 3 months ago. Very impressive. It was tethered to an all Cyrus 8 (amp and CDP) and the ribbon tweeter gave a very tantalising option to the conventional soft or hard domed tweeter. Add on the good looks of the MAs plus they sound sweeter at lower levels (exactly the same with PMCs) and it's game over. No contest.

Yep I've heard extremely good things about the GX100s. So were WHF just lazy ?

 

[BenLaw]

Having heard the SCM11s at home with my system I agree they are great speakers. I just thought the GX50s or GX100s might have been the first speakers to topple them. :?

The first speakers to 'topple them' (and only just*) were the EB Acoustics EB2s, but the award still went to the ATC SCM11s because EB Acoustics are online purchase only and ATC SCM11s are available to demo in high street dealerships.

*"It's simply and almost solely the strength of the EB2s that hurts the SCM11s; they take the strengths of the ATCs and raise the bar."

From here...

http://www.whathifi.com/Review/ATC-SCM-11

I don't believe it was merely that the EB2s were only available online. IIRC that would have been ok if they were 'readily obtainable' or some such phrase, but the very long lead times disqualified them from that.

Given WHF's review of them I would be intrigued to hear them but have never had the opportunity.

The MAs may look better (for some) but I would be shocked if they beat the ATCs for clarity, transparency, neutrality and consequent musicality. None of which, of course, and contrary to some suggestions, means being bright or harsh, or whatever description PP used.

Edit: PP may well have been referring to the Naim / Cyrus / ATC combo rather than just the speakers. The speakers are highly revealing of the electronics.

 

[Clare Newsome]

So were WHF just lazy ?

With all the extra hours of sourcing and judging - including re-testing kit - that went into our bigget-ever Awards this year, most certainly not!

The new MA range is excellent, from what we've seen so far., and should certainly be considered at this price, alongside the ATCs, EBs (if you're prepared to wait) and other options - including the new KEF R series, which look very promising. Reviews to follow there.

 

[Clare Newsome]

I don't believe it was merely that the EB2s were only available online. IIRC that would have been ok if they were 'readily obtainable' or some such phrase, but the very long lead times disqualified them from that.

Correct. We recommend plenty of products that are sold directly - including the EB Acoustics models, which remain a five-star favourite. But winning an Award means products should be reasonably readily available to try/buy, which just isn't the case for the built-to-order EBs.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I think there's a few speakers that will outdo the SCM11's for lower level listening, which are basically the ones that are a lot more efficient! I'm looking forward to a showdown between the ATC SCM11 and the KEF R300 - now that will be interesting!

Well you stock both, so which would get your vote?

They're quite different speakers really - the SCM11 is an old school, over-engineered product (in a good way), whereas the KEF is coming from a very technological point of view - they're almost opposite ends of the spectrum. Until I get them side by side (which will be any day now) I'm not going to mention specific differences, but overall, I would say that the R300's are 'technically' better. As always, they'll both have a sound that will appeal to some and not others.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Until I get them side by side (which will be any day now) I'm not going to mention specific differences,

I'm happy to mention one right now: the KEFs look great, whereas the ATCs..... 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

So were WHF just lazy ?

With all the extra hours of sourcing and judging - including re-testing kit - that went into our bigget-ever Awards this year, most certainly not!

The new MA range is excellent, from what we've seen so far., and should certainly be considered at this price, alongside the ATCs, EBs (if you're prepared to wait) and other options - including the new KEF R series, which look very promising. Reviews to follow there.

OK fair play. I suppose you had a lot on your plates with all these streamers, amps, (lots) of headphones, etc. awards to judge.

So going back to the original question -> had WHF done a full comparison of the ATC SCM11s against the MA GX50 and GX100 speakers ?

 

[Andrew Everard]

So going back to the original question -> had WHF done a full comparison of the ATC SCM11s against the MA GX50 and GX100 speakers ?

Yes, both pairs of speakers were on the premises during the Awards judging: the GX50s have already been reviewed in the magazine, and the review is online, while the GX100 review is yet to be published AFAIK, although those speakers will also be reviewed in the December issue of Gramophone, where they fare rather well.

 

[Anonymous]

So going back to the original question -> had WHF done a full comparison of the ATC SCM11s against the MA GX50 and GX100 speakers ?

Yes, both pairs of speakers were on the premises during the Awards judging: the GX50s have already been reviewed in the magazine, and the review is online, while the GX100 review is yet to be published AFAIK, although those speakers will also be reviewed in the December issue of Gramophone, where they fare rather well.

OK, that settles that. Well done ATC. :clap:

 

[Andrew Everard]

OK, that settles that. Well done ATC. :clap:

You're very welcome.

 

[BenLaw]

Until I get them side by side (which will be any day now) I'm not going to mention specific differences,

I'm happy to mention one right now: the KEFs look great, whereas the ATCs..... 🙂

..... sound phenomenal 🙂

 

[Clare Newsome]

Ho ho... I was referring to the rather drab appearance (to put it nicely) of the ATCs 🙂

 

[BenLaw]

Ho ho... I was referring to the rather drab appearance (to put it nicely) of the ATCs 🙂

Yeah, I know, just a little joke 🙂 Ah well, I like the 'classic' look, which I guess is just as well 🙂