AMP for ATC SCM19, Rotel vs Musical Fidelity

[davidf]

I‘ve dealt with MF up until about 5 years ago (26 years), and I personally can’t recommend them. I used to like their products back in the 80s and 90s (will it a catch fire or won’t it? Exciting stuff!), but the stuff they’ve produced over the last 20 years has been quite lacklustre to my ears. Big soundstage, loads of bass, tons of power, but lacking almost everything else.

The Rotel option is much more in line with the sort of sound you’ll get from the ATCs, and in that respect, the Norma Audio IPA70 will be worth looking at. Also, the Hegel H190 should be on your shortlist.

 

[Al ears]

Are you crazy?! People don’t ask their dealers anything nowadays, they take a longer route of going on the Internet, joining a forum, and asking a bunch of strangers

that's because most don't visit a dealership they buy off the internet....

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hello guys,
thanks for the answers.

Its the ATC19 MK2 Version, will order it today.
Source is an denon dcd-1600ne sacd player player, will add turntable later, no streaming or digital.
roomsize: around 340 m².
I'm from europe, germany...

Need an beefy amp which can handle the sensitivities of the ATC19 speaker well.
Another question: are speaker stands 100% necessary ? Cause I don't have much free space at the moment.
Im an absolute hifi noob, sorry. but I love music, its my favorite hobby...(rock, pop,60s70, punk,alternative)...

Thanks for your reply.

Based on my experience with curved SCM19 passive monitors amplification such as ATC’s own SIA2-150 MK2 integrated amplifier should ideally considered as the first port of call. After all curved SCM19 passive monitors were partly designed and developed by ATC with the SIA2-150 MK2. Alternatively and at this price level we’ve found curved SCM19 passive monitors also respond well with amplification such as Naim Audio’s SuperNait 3 and Kinki Studio Audio EX-M1+ integrated amplifiers.

Thinking out of the box and if you are able to accommodate speaker stands and if you can stretch your budget then SCM19A active monitors partnered with the CA2 pre amplifier is also worth bearing in mind. A pairing of SCM19A/CA2 will negate the possibility of speaker stands and to most is a neater and more pleasant looking, negate the need for speaker cables, negates the possibility of purchasing a phono stage, reducing box count and the need for interconnect cables and ultimately with the SCM19A’s offering an integral active crossover and custom amplification for each drive unit for optimum power, drive and overload protection.