As much as I love my Proac 110s...

[lordmortlock]

I've just ordered a brand spanking pair of SCM 40s - and I'm pretty excited. ATC HQ is just up the road from me and I've been up there tonight doing some listening. The '40s seem to be able to match the detail and agility of my Proacs but give me back the bass I've missed a bit since getting rid of my mission floor standers.

They've got some pretty crazy boxes up there. The active SCM 50 Anniversary has to be seen (and heard) to be believed.

 

[Craig M.]

the 50's look gorgeous in photos, it's a shame they don't offer the passives in the same veneers. enjoy your 40's

edit: that photo wasn't there when i posted my reply, confirms what i thought though...

 

[lordmortlock]

I agree Craig - I'd have liked to have had more choice than cherry or black.

 

[lordmortlock]

Actually Craig whilst youre on - Do you play many non lossless MP3s through your 19s? I'm in the (long and tedious) process of re ripping my cds to apple lossless but the 40s will arrive long before I finish.

Is it fair to assume they'll sound pretty ropey given ATCs unforgiving nature? I only auditioned
with cds.

 

[jaxwired]

lordmortlock,

Congrats! Super exciting... You lucky dog. Keep us posted. I'm still looking as usual. I love my dyn X16s, but I'm considering Focus 220s or the new MA RX6s next... I'm so bad

And post some pics when you get them!

 

[link]

not to hijack the thread but jaxwired, how did you find the dyns - nad c355 combo?

cheers!

 

[jaxwired]

link:

not to hijack the thread but jaxwired, how did you find the dyns - nad c355 combo?

Well, I prefer a warm sound. I'm sensitive to overly forward or clinical sounding gear. So for me the Dyn/NAD combo is excellent. Lots of detail, but a rich warm sound that never leans toward brightness. Also, you can comfortably listen at high volume when the occasional opportunity arises. The bass is also surprisingly strong. These X16 standmounters sound like floorstanders.

The C355 and the X16s are both rated a 4 stars by WHF. I give them 5 stars.

I will say though, that some speakers have a smidge more airsparkleprescense on the high end than the X16s...

 

[Anonymous]

I notice the Rothwell Passive. How do you like it? Is it better than the pre in the CDP2?

 

[Craig M.]

lordmortlock:Actually Craig whilst youre on - Do you play many non lossless MP3s through your 19s? I'm in the (long and tedious) process of re ripping my cds to apple lossless but the 40s will arrive long before I finish.

Is it fair to assume they'll sound pretty ropey given ATCs unforgiving nature? I only auditioned
with cds.

sorry lord, just seen this. i don't think i have any mp3, it's all alac. as to sound quality with them, can't say; with poorly recorded stuff i find it depends if your source makes it more palatable, otherwise the speakers nature means it just plays what it's given.

 

[Anonymous]

Like your choice of speaker 'Lord' .

Thinking about them for my system.

What other speakers did you demo that came close?

How would you rate the Cyrus 8Se amp with the same speakers? A bit bright perhaps but maybe these quality speakers will balance that.

What do you think?

I know what its like waiting......time just seems to stand still!

Let us know how they sound when up and running

 

[lordmortlock]

raym87:I notice the Rothwell Passive. How do you like it? Is it better than the pre in the CDP2?

Hey Ray

I'm getting pretty fond of the Rothwell pretty quickly. I'm sure it can be bested as wasn't very expensive but its ideal for my needs at the mo. I'd be lying if the difference was huge but the sound seems a touch cleaner, airy-er. I also prefer having a volume control, rather than reaching for the remote every time. Two sets of outputs too, so if I ever fancy putting another 909 into the mix I can easily... although a better quality pre might be a smarter buy I guess. Very happy - and pleased with the passive pre sound.

How are those Tannoys?

 

[lordmortlock]

Oakman:
Like your choice of speaker 'Lord' .

Thinking about them for my system.

What other speakers did you demo that came close?

How would you rate the Cyrus 8Se amp with the same speakers? A bit bright perhaps but maybe these quality speakers will balance that.

What do you think?

I know what its like waiting......time just seems to stand still!

Let us know how they sound when up and running

Hi Oakman

I did some pretty intensive auditioning when I bough the Proacs (I've had then less than six months!) and spent time with Monitor Audio (6 and 8s), Spendors and Dyns. I moved to stand mounters for the detail and love what my 110s do in that dept. The idea of keeping that detail and adding a bit more bottom end got me interested in the '40s and a half hour demo sealed it.

You might be asking the wrong person re Cyrus - I'm not the biggest fan as I find the house sound a bit too clinical. That said I know plenty here think its the way forward and the '40s are as neutral a speaker as I've heard.

Full review to follow - hopefully I'll have them end of next week. I'll try to keep it short and relevant!!

 

[lordmortlock]

Trust me Jax these atcs SING! with the 909....

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks 'Lord' for the feedback.

Think I will go and demo if I can find some locally but take my Cyrus amp to check them out.

If they sound as good as they look- should be a no brainer!

 

[MUSICRAFT]

lordmortlock:Trust me Jax these atcs SING! with the 909....

Hi lml

Spot on! I have been saying this for quite some time.

Ime all the Quad electronics that i have used over the years (and my which some of my customers use) with ATC speakers have worked supremely well.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Oakman:

Thanks 'Lord' for the feedback.

Think I will go and demo if I can find some locally but take my Cyrus amp to check them out.

If they sound as good as they look- should be a no brainer!

Hi Oakman

As with Quad i have customers who happily use Cyrus electronics with ATC speakers.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

Had you considered using a sub with your 110's ?

Good luck on the ATC's , im sure they'll be amazing

 

[lordmortlock]

I did have a go with my BKxls200 as it goes... just couldn't get it to gel properly.

 

[lordmortlock]

Oakman:
If they sound as good as they look- should be a no brainer!

Sorry Oakman should have made it clear thats a pic of the 50s. Believe me I wish the 40s did look like that!

 

[Anonymous]

lordmortlock:I did have a go with my BKxls200 as it goes... just couldn't get it to gel properly.

Interesting , was thinking of trying a sub with my own 110's but i may have to rethink that now ,

did you experiment for long with the sub ?

 

[lordmortlock]

If I'm honest not really .. a few hours! I think I wanted it to fail subliminally - had a thing about atcs for a while!

Seriously though a couple of dealers I spoke to about it swore by a sub and stand mounters. I've got tricky room layout to work with and the subs already on 5.1 duty. Give it a go - one of the guys who works in audio t in Cheltenham uses a rel with SA 1s (I think) and wouldn't change it for anything.

I think Iggs has tried the sub route too - he might be able to add to this. I'm also reliably informed (by many good folk on here who know more than I) that top of the range stands would add to the bass. For what its worth I won't be getting rid of the 110s until I'm completely sure - awesome speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for your helpful reply

From my own reading , i understand subs can take days or even weeks to set up correctly with 2 channel audio .

So i might just go ahead and try the sub anyway ,, did you at least hear some potential there ?

A concern of mine is that the 110's bass seems to roll off gradually but then gets a little louder again at around 32hz before disappearing (its possible this could be room nodes reinforcing frequencies). id be afraid that if i set the sub crossover at say 60hz that i might get a hump at 32hz. Am i making any sense ?

Was looking at the BKsub or a REL T3.

I currently have the 110's on target MR60 stands and they considerably helped deepen the bass from the previous cheaper nexus stands i was using. They do sound amazing, its just id like a little extra bass as its a medium sized room and being a drummer im used to hearing a real bass next to me for years now.

Would certainly be interesting to hear Iggs thoughts on integrating a sub , hopefully he may chime in

 

[lordmortlock]

Yep - by all accounts its a fuss of a set up. I could certainly hear the sub but I was concious it was separate, if that makes sense. There was a thread about this very subject on another site and one poster said that by the time you'd spent enough money on a tight enough sub you could have chopped in the standmounters and bought killer floorstanders with the £££. Others agreed.

I'm afraid I'm not too hot on hz measurement but what you say certainly makes sense - its not as if the bass the 110 produces is replaced by the sub, just added to so I guess its fair to assume spikes in bass frequency could be noticed.

Interested to hear about the targets - I use nexus and would like an alternative to Partington if I keep the proacs. A bit too futuristic space girder like for me!

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers for that ,

2nd hand Target MR60 stands do occasionally come up on fleabay , the atacama HMS2 stand is also recommended by Proac for the 110's. I found the partingtons really ugly .

 

[Anonymous]

lordmortlock:Hey Ray ...

How are those Tannoys?

Love Em. If you can live with the styling (some think they are 'orrible) then they offer a really good clear and solid sound. Just connected up the ground post on them and that opens it up just a little more. Can't recommend them highly enough. Go on....find a dealer and have a listen........Better not I suppose considering the basis of this thread. Did you notive the pre in my sig........finally made a decision. Wasnt easy.