-
Wondering what's worthwhile? Get personalised Black Friday buying advice from the What Hi-Fi? reviews team right here!
-
Black Friday 2025 is here: follow our liveblog for the latest!
Amp ideas fot ATC SCM 19
- Thread starter expat
- Start date
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
- Jun 27, 2008
- 567
- 1
- 18,890
FrankHarveyHiFi said:
Agreed 100%, not sure what better amp can you possibly buy.
From my experience I do like ATC matching with Plinius amps, these make the speakers sound rather smooth, but just little bit slow. I also just recently tried my ATC 40 with Musical Fidelity M6prx and found this combo to be really good as well. I strongly believe ATC 19 will do equally good with MF amps.
dragon76 said:
I think you have answered your own question.
The ATCs will take on the character of whatever amp that they are paired with, and it's quite possible that the OP would prefer, for example, Plinius or MF.
Until we know what needs improved, it's hard to give a meaningful answer....other brands that would work are Sugden, Pathos and Electrocompaniet.
Macspur said:
It certainly can be the source, but I would be surprised if it was the BC CDP, which are good imo.
SpursGator
Well-known member
- Jan 12, 2012
- 61
- 52
- 18,620
I highly recommend giving Pathos a try. I am in the process of replacing my Logos in my main system with higher-end separates - I like the amp but not unreservedly. I think it is a great fit in certain systems.
I have not owned SCM19s but I've auditioned them. I loved them actually. But they are tuned very flat and can sometimes be a bit harsh when the recording isn't great. Pathos amps have the focus of a powerful solid state amp but the influence of the tubes in the preamp state just rounds the sound a bit - just slightly softens it without any blur (and surprisingly little grain, it must be said).
This amp never loved my ProAcs - these two never were great together as both are a little soft. On more accurate speakers the Pathos really shines. You can never tell until you try it, but I predict that it's a match made in heaven.
I have to wonder though - how was the system with the ATC amplification? It should have been pretty amazing. The only thing I can think of is that either you sold it for reasons unrelated to sound, or you thought it sounded harsh. If it's the latter, you may need to look at tubes.
I have not owned SCM19s but I've auditioned them. I loved them actually. But they are tuned very flat and can sometimes be a bit harsh when the recording isn't great. Pathos amps have the focus of a powerful solid state amp but the influence of the tubes in the preamp state just rounds the sound a bit - just slightly softens it without any blur (and surprisingly little grain, it must be said).
This amp never loved my ProAcs - these two never were great together as both are a little soft. On more accurate speakers the Pathos really shines. You can never tell until you try it, but I predict that it's a match made in heaven.
I have to wonder though - how was the system with the ATC amplification? It should have been pretty amazing. The only thing I can think of is that either you sold it for reasons unrelated to sound, or you thought it sounded harsh. If it's the latter, you may need to look at tubes.
In one of the mags there was a power amplifier test where, if I remember correctly, a Parasound, though considerably more expensive, outperformed the ATC in both sound and measurements as well as power. The ATC only just met its power specification where most of the others exceeded theirs.
A Rotel power amp also did very well and was chosen as runner-up. It cost around half the price of the ATC.
I got the magazine and can look up the specifics if the OP is interested.
regards
A Rotel power amp also did very well and was chosen as runner-up. It cost around half the price of the ATC.
I got the magazine and can look up the specifics if the OP is interested.
regards
expat said:
These are power amplifiers as opposed to integrated.
The ATC P1 was described as 'grippy, clean/stark and uncluttered ... conversely easy on the ear' and was 'highly commended'. It measured well allround but 'only just met' its 150w/ch. Parasounds Halo A21 at £2350 was given an 'outstanding product' gong with a 'sumptious sound/tight precision, transparent' as well as being subjectively the equal of the reviewers Levinson amplifier. Twice the power of the ATC but at the time £500 more expensive. Anthem's Statement P2 was 'Editors choice' with even more power (375W/8ohm), grip and dynamics but a slight 'glassy' sound on occasions. Bryston' s 2B SST fared subjectively slightly less well with power equal to the ATC but measured very well too with very low distortion (as did the P1).
Rotels RB1552 was 'joint winner' for value for money and good sound. Slightly more power than both the Bryston and ATC, it measured good but not as well as the two afromentioned. It has very high dynamic headroom though with close to 1kw into a low 1ohm. It was the cheapest power amplifier on test at £700. Softer bass as well as a slight stridency during peak signal moments was mentioned, this in comparison with the much pricier competition.
What can we make of this? Putting aside the flowery language for a moment (and the reviewers test system*), the technically 'better' amps seemed to have fared somewhat less well (subjectively) though none of them seemed to have any glaring problems on the bench. The Amplifier/speaker interface being what it is, namely variable (and probably unfamiliar to most in this instance), perhaps we can't take to much from this review but I hope it will be of some help somewhere.
You have to do your homework and translate the above into the respective integrated amplifiers available of each brand, thats if there are any. As regards to Naim amplifiers mentioned in your other thread, I can't say. They have less power/volts but usually decent current and have their own idiosyncracies such as limited bandwidth, relatively low damping and very expensive external add-on power supplies.
It may also be worth to point out that ATC's (any model) rarely get mentioned for excitement. They usually get praised for being measured, controlled and relatively neutral. Your 'problem' could well be with the speakers. Investigate.
* PC WAV files, foobar 2000/North Star Extremo DAC/Cambridge Audio 840E Pre Amplifier/Townshend Sir Galahads/Atlas and Nordost cabling
Good luck and perhaps let people here know how you get on (with more than one line)
regards
Sorry re the one liners guys,
Before i had the set up below (yes i know i need to change it now!) I had the astintrew 1000+ a leema stream 2 and ATC scm 113 and quite frankly out of the box they sounded better than ATC amp ,bel canto and 19s.
Now drummerman i thankyou for taking the time to read and reply as i do you all.
I may even go back to astintrew? or take my time and save up for Bryston.
Its a money scoffing game isnt it ? and they say tattoos are adictive .
Mark
Before i had the set up below (yes i know i need to change it now!) I had the astintrew 1000+ a leema stream 2 and ATC scm 113 and quite frankly out of the box they sounded better than ATC amp ,bel canto and 19s.
Now drummerman i thankyou for taking the time to read and reply as i do you all.
I may even go back to astintrew? or take my time and save up for Bryston.
Its a money scoffing game isnt it ? and they say tattoos are adictive .
Mark
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram