ATC SCM11 Suitable Speakers??

[admin_exported]

Hello there,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post, although I have been lurking in the background for a while 🙂

I have just purchased a second hand Roksan Caspian M1 Pre Amplifier and Power Amplifier, which is my first foray into serious seperates HiFi. I plan to partner these with a Sonos ZP90 / Bridge and NAS Drive and at a later date add a turntable.....probably a Michell Gyrodec.

I am looking for the last piece of the jigsaw, which are the speakers. I have really got my heart set on a pair of ATC SCM11 speakers. Mainly because I have heard these before and love the fact that they are true to the music (i.e. you hear what is on the recording....nothing more / nothing less).....good job I dont have compressed MP3 music to add to the NAS Drive 🙂 I also like that fact that because they are sealed box they are a lot easy to place in smaller rooms where space is a premium.

Do you think these would be a good match for the Caspian's, would they drive the speakers easily without stress. I believe the Caspian Power is 85watts a channel @ 8 ohm and ATC recommend amplifiers between 50 and 100 watt to drive the SCM11.

Are there any ATC owners and fans on here that would be able to advice and reassure me this would be a good decision 🙂

What speaker cable would people advice for these as well?

Thank you in advance

Mike

 

[Al ears]

Madman, welcome to the forum. A fine choice of speaker indeed and, as you say, ideal for the smaller room, if that is where you intend to use them. You should have no problem pairing them with the Caspian. No need to go overboard with regards speaker cable, Cable Talk Talk 3 would, I suggest, be an ideal starting point.

 

[Anonymous]

Roll up Rick and Frank and their posses. Posts about amplifier requirements will abound! :dance:

 

[sweety7272]

No need to lurk any more.....

SCM11s are very tolerant of room placement with the sealed box design. I've got a pair right in the corner alcove, pushed up about 6" from the wall which used to make my old ported speakers boom horribly at higher volumes. No such issues now, and in fact I'd say they are really balanced, have a truly impressive sound with great clarity and a tuneful deep bass.

Regards power requirements, I'm using a 70wpc Cyrus X-Power. Extremely loud noises are possible, so you should be fine!

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hello there,

I am new to this forum and this is my first post, although I have been lurking in the background for a while 🙂

I have just purchased a second hand Roksan Caspian M1 Pre Amplifier and Power Amplifier, which is my first foray into serious seperates HiFi. I plan to partner these with a Sonos ZP90 / Bridge and NAS Drive and at a later date add a turntable.....probably a Michell Gyrodec.

I am looking for the last piece of the jigsaw, which are the speakers. I have really got my heart set on a pair of ATC SCM11 speakers. Mainly because I have heard these before and love the fact that they are true to the music (i.e. you hear what is on the recording....nothing more / nothing less).....good job I dont have compressed MP3 music to add to the NAS Drive 🙂 I also like that fact that because they are sealed box they are a lot easy to place in smaller rooms where space is a premium.

Do you think these would be a good match for the Caspian's, would they drive the speakers easily without stress. I believe the Caspian Power is 85watts a channel @ 8 ohm and ATC recommend amplifiers between 50 and 100 watt to drive the SCM11.

Are there any ATC owners and fans on here that would be able to advice and reassure me this would be a good decision 🙂

What speaker cable would people advice for these as well?

Thank you in advance

Mike

Hi Mike

Yes, the Caspain amp will work with SCM11 monitors. The Caspain has got sufficient quality and (as long as you're not after constant disco like levels) quantity of power.

Fwiw, over the years i've got quite a number of clients who have bought SCM7, SCM11, SCM19 and SCM40 monitors for use with their Kandy and Caspian electronics.

Btw, for speaker cables standard 79 or 500 strand OFC type will be more then good enough for use with ATC passive monitors 🙂

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Frank Harvey]

Welcome to the forum 🙂

Can I ask which amplifier you heard the SCM11's on previously?

The Caspian combo will drive the SCM11's fine, it'll be more down to how well the Caspian can control the SCM11's, and how well the Roksan will cope with the peaks that the SCM11's demand. You should be fine for normal listening levels, but if you do like higher volume levels, make sure you try the combo out for yourself first.

Although I've not heard the SCM11's with the Caspian pairing, I've heard them with the Kandy integrated, which didn't rteally leave me wanting to hear much more. The Kandy just didn't seem to have the energy to wake the SCM11's up sufficiently enough for the overall sound to be dynamic enough to grab my attention. That may well be different with the Caspian - we have both products here, but it's just a combination I've not tried out as yet.

As for speaker cables, I'd use what you have and get the speakers run in, and once they've settled down, decide if there's any of the aspects of the sound you want to tweak, then have a chat with your dealer as to the options and possibilities.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you all so much for your prompt responses.....I think I just needed a bit of reassurance that I wasn't totally of the ball with this decision.

So it sounds as though the Caspian has enough power to a certain level (too be honest would never really listen to my music with the volume turned past 9pm or 10pm on the dial)......would this be classed as a decent listening level ?? it certainly seems loud enough to me with plenty of ooomph left in reserve 🙂

I have managed to get an excellent deal on a pair of SCM11 (well I think it is) second hand - well 7 months old.....so they should be well on their way to being "run in". Also dare I say I am paying less than £500.00 for them :dance:

Thank you for the advice on speaker cable, but at the moment I dont have any....so I will go for some standard OFC cable and live with the amps and speakers for a while before deciding if I need or want better.

oooh just realised I may need to look at speaker stands for them as well.

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

@ Frank Harvey HiFi

Sorry I cannot remember the make of the amplifier I heard with the SCM11's......it was at a friend of a friends......I think it may have been a Sugden....but dont hold me to that.

 

[sweety7272]

that is a seriously good price for a product that should last you for decades!

make sure you measure the base plate on the stands, as they are quite big for standmount speakers.

Enjoy the purchase, I think you will get a lot of pleasure from them

 

[Al ears]

Thank you all so much for your prompt responses.....I think I just needed a bit of reassurance that I wasn't totally of the ball with this decision.

So it sounds as though the Caspian has enough power to a certain level (too be honest would never really listen to my music with the volume turned past 9pm or 10pm on the dial)......would this be classed as a decent listening level ?? it certainly seems loud enough to me with plenty of ooomph left in reserve 🙂

I have managed to get an excellent deal on a pair of SCM11 (well I think it is) second hand - well 7 months old.....so they should be well on their way to being "run in". Also dare I say I am paying less than £500.00 for them :dance:

Thank you for the advice on speaker cable, but at the moment I dont have any....so I will go for some standard OFC cable and live with the amps and speakers for a while before deciding if I need or want better.

oooh just realised I may need to look at speaker stands for them as well.

Mike

Anything from Atacama or Partington. Just make sure they are the right height to put tweeters at your normal ear-level!

 

[Anonymous]

that is a seriously good price for a product that should last you for decades!

make sure you measure the base plate on the stands, as they are quite big for standmount speakers.

Enjoy the purchase, I think you will get a lot of pleasure from them

That's what I thought. If for some reason I didnt like them or was struggling I think I may be able to move them on again without loss to myself moneywise.

However I think I may get many years of enjoyment out of them 🙂

 

[BenLaw]

There is at least one member on ATC forums who has successfully been using exactly this system, and I know of several people successfuly using them with amps with lower power ratings than the Caspian, so I would have no fears about that 🙂 Whilst the 11s are relatively insensitive they remain a stable load so can in fact be driven by a wide range of amplifiers. Of course, they are so good that should you in the future choose to upgrade your amplification you will still reap the sonic improvements 🙂

Having heard them you are well aware of their sonic qualities, which you have already identified. If that is the sound you like, you are unlikely to find a pair of speakers better in their price range and some way above. And you are getting a very good price 🙂

They are very heavy speakers and will benefit from high quality, heavy (preferably mass-loaded) stands, with a large top plate. Alears has given you good recommendations. Personally, I have mine on Partington Dreadnought Broadsides, and they work a treat. Let us know when you get them and what your thoughts are 🙂

 

[SSM]

Do you think these would be a good match for the Caspian's, would they drive the speakers easily without stress. I believe the Caspian Power is 85watts a channel @ 8 ohm and ATC recommend amplifiers between 50 and 100 watt to drive the SCM11.

When I purchased the SCM11, the demo amp was the Caspian M1 integrated. The combination was dynamic and invigorating. :rockout: Your Caspian pre-power should be even more assured with the SCM11. 🙂

cheerSS