ATC or PMC (bookshelf) speakers - budget up to £1,600 - canvasing for opinions

[MattSPL]

No buses here, just hifi

Ive had the DB1i and scm19 in the same same system/room, and the ATC's beat the DB1i in EVERY area including low volume play back.

The ATC's sounding louder at any given amplifier setting also.

 

[Anonymous]

The ATC dealer tennis game. Rick supporters vs Frank. Evening chaps! This is one of the laws of the universe.......comforting to know it all works like clockwork! >)

 

[John Duncan]

ATCs are ugly. Game over

 

[shropshire lad]

ATCs are ugly. Game over

Compared to what ? PMC DB1i ? Don't think so . Game still on .

 

[plastic penguin]

All the comments about ATCs are non-applicable - The OP lives around the London (as stated in his initial post), and ATC outlets - I know this from my own research - are rarer than hen's dentures.

Oh well, as the virtual adage goes: "Nothing dentured, nothing gained."

 

[Craig M.]

All the comments about ATCs are non-applicable

eh? the op specifically asked for opinion on atc.

 

[John Duncan]

ATCs are ugly. Game over

Compared to what ? PMC DB1i ? Don't think so . Game still on .

Oh yeah, totally. But then (as I was discussing in the pub last night), I think Sarah Palin's quite hot...

 

[shropshire lad]

ATCs are ugly. Game over

Compared to what ? PMC DB1i ? Don't think so . Game still on .

Oh yeah, totally. But then (as I was discussing in the pub last night), I think Sarah Palin's quite hot...

So do I . Until she opens her mouth .

 

[altruistic.lemon]

If you're willing to forego deep bass but can accept tight, fast bass the little Harbeth is a joy to listen to. I like the PMC, too - mate has one - but the Harbeth seems a touch more natural and musical.

 

[plastic penguin]

ATCs are ugly. Game over

Compared to what ? PMC DB1i ? Don't think so . Game still on .

Oh yeah, totally. But then (as I was discussing in the pub last night), I think Sarah Palin's quite hot...

I'd rather watch Michael.

 

[Anonymous]

I have owned the complete entry level ATC line & have had my eyes opened, I have been using this brand for about 6 years, until the first audition of the SCM11's I owned many very good speakers (mission, tannoy, linn & many more) I was a bit scared as all the reviews WARNED of them being power mad...partly true, yes a small amp can run out of steam if you play at party levels regularly, I feel that ATC get it & they over engineer for a reason so that their speakers can play at real world levels undistorted & fully dynamic, the best thing though is that they are faithful, some may not be appealed to their robust functional styling but I quite like it, to the OP when I owned the 11's & 19's these speakers can play music if your equipments good enough at a level of quality that many & most other similarly priced speakers can only dream about, these are not off the shelf out sourced mid/bass units but hand made, I admit that I like the look of many other speakers with chrome...metal...gloss cabinets at times but i am more impressed that most of ATC's attention went inside, you can pick up a pre owned pair of 11's for £500-£600 give them a half decent heavy stand & I'm sure you will know what direction to take in a years time + you will get most of your outlay back from the 11's.

 

[chebby]

All the comments about ATCs are non-applicable - The OP lives around the London (as stated in his initial post), and ATC outlets - I know this from my own research - are rarer than hen's dentures.

A moot point apparently. Audition of ATC speakers is not necessary. "Just do what you're told and get a pair" seems to be the message.

Where have we seen that before?

 

[Frank Harvey]

 

[BenLaw]

All the comments about ATCs are non-applicable - The OP lives around the London (as stated in his initial post), and ATC outlets - I know this from my own research - are rarer than hen's dentures.

A moot point apparently. Audition of ATC speakers is not necessary.

Audition the PMC's and ATC's because they are quite different, and also pick them up and feel that ATC build quality

Hmmm.

"Just do what you're told and get a pair" seems to be the message.

Nope, I've re-read the whole thread and can't see anyone saying that. Merely people (on both sides) discussing the pros and cons of both speakers (and some others). The closest you get is Benny (very helpfully) mentioning the cost of second hand speakers, where one would not ordinarily expect an audition to take place.

I might personally not have spelled out the desirability of an audition - putting it in every post can become a bit repetitive. I tried to point out the circumstances in which the OP might and might not appreciate the ATC sound. But yes, if possible, an audition would be sensible. We all know ATC work for some and not for others

 

[plastic penguin]

All the comments about ATCs are non-applicable - The OP lives around the London (as stated in his initial post), and ATC outlets - I know this from my own research - are rarer than hen's dentures.

A moot point apparently. Audition of ATC speakers is not necessary.

Audition the PMC's and ATC's because they are quite different, and also pick them up and feel that ATC build quality

Hmmm.

"Just do what you're told and get a pair" seems to be the message.

Nope, I've re-read the whole thread and can't see anyone saying that. Merely people (on both sides) discussing the pros and cons of both speakers (and some others). The closest you get is Benny (very helpfully) mentioning the cost of second hand speakers, where one would not ordinarily expect an audition to take place.

I might personally not have spelled out the desirability of an audition - putting it in every post can become a bit repetitive. I tried to point out the circumstances in which the OP might and might not appreciate the ATC sound. But yes, if possible, an audition would be sensible. We all know ATC work for some and not for others

ATCs are a Marmite brand: As pure sound quality goes, there's little to grumble about. They produce a wonderful sound, especially medium to high volumes. My big winge about ATCs is that they do struggle in comparison to other price compatible standmounters at low/idle levels. That's fine if you live in the middle of nowhere, but if like me - and millions of others - and live on an estate, with elderly neighbours or have a young family...

Ah, and you'll need a decent amp with lots of power and a pure current. And, no doubt, you'll need to reinforce the floors... hire of a crane...

 

[BenLaw]

ATCs are a Marmite brand

For sure!

My big winge about ATCs is that they do struggle in comparison to other price compatible standmounters at low/idle levels.

I disagree, as do many others with long term experience of them. I've just been listening to some Mercury Rev and Goldfrapp at volume level '4' of around 90. Sounds marvellous. I've also turned them up to 20-odd for a couple of magical Goldfrapp tracks. Same marvellous sound, just louder Some will hear it differently tho, so yes an audition is good if possible.

Ah, and you'll need a decent amp with lots of power and a pure current.

As with any speakers, a better amp will improve the sound. But they'll work fine with lower powered amps, it's just that more than a lot of speakers you'll hear the full benefits of component upgrades.

 

[Craig M.]

All the comments about ATCs are non-applicable - The OP lives around the London (as stated in his initial post), and ATC outlets - I know this from my own research - are rarer than hen's dentures.

A moot point apparently. Audition of ATC speakers is not necessary. "Just do what you're told and get a pair" seems to be the message.

Where have we seen that before?

as Ben said, where in this thread does anyone say that? have you got anything that would help the op?

penguin, if the atcs are impossible to dem, where did you hear them?

 

[plastic penguin]

All the comments about ATCs are non-applicable - The OP lives around the London (as stated in his initial post), and ATC outlets - I know this from my own research - are rarer than hen's dentures.

A moot point apparently. Audition of ATC speakers is not necessary. "Just do what you're told and get a pair" seems to be the message.

Where have we seen that before?

as Ben said, where in this thread does anyone say that? have you got anything that would help the op?

penguin, if the atcs are impossible to dem, where did you hear them?

At 'The Towers' two years ago with Kandy K2 and Nait 5i amps.

 

[chebby]

Should I like ATC SCM11s (on Partington stands) with a Primare i30 amp, Rega P3-24, Rega Apollo, DacMagic (balanced XLR connected) with lossless CD rips from an iMac?

It's just that's the only way I have ever heard them (for about 8 hours every month or so over a couple of years) and I still don't really like them.

I have mentioned this before and been told it's my ears or some defiency in the equipment (can't do anything about the equipment, it's not mine) but never the speakers.

However I do like the PMC GB1is (and DB1is) that I have heard many times in the past. I guess my ears are just plain wrong.

I also agree with John about the looks of the ATCs.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Very few speakers, if any, will sound the same at low volumes as they do at higher volumes. This is one reason why I like the Bryston/KEF Reference pairing, because you can turn them up as much as you like, and the sound doesn't change, and at lower volumes, the bass is still there. Having said that, at very low levels, you'll always find that bass will disappear to some extent, regardless of the speakers you use - it's all about cone movement and shifting air, which doesn't happen at lower volumes. You could design a speaker to use large cone excursion to produce good bass at low volumes, but turn them up, and they'll be flapping like a barn door in a storm.
Another reason why there is no single speaker that will suit everyone.

 

[BenLaw]

The OP lives around the London (as stated in his initial post), and ATC outlets - I know this from my own research - are rarer than hen's dentures.

Again, so that people can work on fact rather than tittle tattle, the ATC dealer list is here: http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/dealer_uk.php

London dealers are listed as Cornflake and My Audio Design. The OP was not specific about where in the SE, but in Kent there's Igloo Audio, in Surrey there's Guildford Audio and Harrow Audio, and so on.

 

[gbhsi1]

What happened to giving the original post some serious advice instead of having a debate of which speaker is better than the other: Have you tried Gamut PH3i? PS: Neats are better :dance:

 

[Anonymous]

:rofl:

This thread is hilarious! No wonder some think that people into Hi Fi are a touch bonkers. Keep it coming, I just don't know who is going to win. :quest:

 

[big1986ben]

If it was my money i would get the AVI ADM9T's Save some cash for these :cheers:

 

[SonofSun]

Just to add to the ATC vs PMC debate. I've owned the SCM19's but had to sell them as I just couldn't live with them, they were just too bright on a lot of recordings. They were bought to replace my PMC GB1i's, yes...I fell for all the hype. What I realised in the end was how much I like the GB1i's.

This probably doesn't help, but just thought I'd dip my oar in.