ATC SCM7 Upgrade...

[Andrewjvt]

Set ATC speakers full range no matter the size

Not for AV I wouldn’t, personally. Regardless of the speaker, set to small and choose a suitable crossover point to the sub. Eases the load on the speakers, helps them sound better, allows them to go louder - let the sub (and amplifier) deal with the demanding stuff. It’s just a case of finding whereabouts the bass starts tailing off in the room they’re being used in. A more capable speaker allows you a lower crossover point, but you have to weight up whether each 10Hz you drop (for example) is better produced by the speaker or by the sub. The sub will normally be more efficient at reproducing it, but it will be localised to a single point, whereas the speaker output will be weaker, but localised to the speaker producing it. Ideally you want as low a crossover point as the speaker will allow. 

The speakers I’m using at the moment would be rough equivalents to the SCM7s, and whilst I have them set to large - and as impressive as they are - I would be scared to turn them up too loud. It suits my listening level though. 

For any other speaker I'd agree but not ATC

 

[ROB2009]

Andrew, what’s your thinking behind setting ATC’s to large in an AV set up? Everything I’ve read concurs with David’s suggestion of setting them to small and controlling the crossover through the AV amp.

 

[Sliced Bread]

Would the scm7 be ok in a room that’s 17ft by 12ft or am I better off with the scm11?

Thanks

The SCM7s would be ok, but I’d say SCM11s in that size room, particularly if they’re replacing your CM8s. Even if you bass limit them in the settings for multi-channel use, the midrange will be better on the SCM11s.

Set ATC speakers full range no matter the size

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll try them both ways but suspecting it’ll be full range for music and crossed over at 60hz for films.

 

[Andrewjvt]

Andrew, what’s your thinking behind setting ATC’s to large in an AV set up? Everything I’ve read concurs with David’s suggestion of setting them to small and controlling the crossover through the AV amp.

I found it sounded better like that. ATC drivers are designed much better and benefit because of this
All other makes ive owned including tannoy precision and q acoustics sound better as small.

If you using the Hegel on HT bypass I'd experiment and see which one you prefer. If I ran ATC just through a weaker AV amp I'd possibly set to small as to not strain the amp though. But as your amp is up to the task and not so much strain on surrounding channels I'd see.

I'd recommend emailing ATC and ask them what they advise. I may be wrong of course but I think they would advise the same.

I'd look forward to hearing from your thoughts

 

[davidf]

There's many variables with home theatre, dependent on many things - the room, the speakers being used, the accompanying amplification, and room EQ. It'll depend on the capabilities of each of those components too. And on top of that you have personal preference.

 

[Sliced Bread]

To be fair I have heard the argument that setting speakers to large can on some occasions sound more natural.

Maybe sealed units are also a little less prone to the excesses of film soundtracks due to the dampening of the drivers. Just a theory though.

 

[davidf]

As I say, it’s all down to the speakers and their interaction with the room. I found that setting the crossover point in my system to 60Hz (rather than the THX recommended 80Hz, or recommendation of much higher by a certain distributor at the time) sounded better when I had the Ken Kreisel Quattro system, as my room added a bass bump around the 70Hz point - the subs would excite this due to their better efficiency in that area, but the speakers, which weren’t as efficient due to smaller drivers, didn’t excite that point, so everything sounded more balanced.

 

[Sliced Bread]

As I say, it’s all down to the speakers and their interaction with the room. I found that setting the crossover point in my system to 60Hz (rather than the THX recommended 80Hz, or recommendation of much higher by a certain distributor at the time) sounded better when I had the Ken Kreisel Quattro system, as my room added a bass bump around the 70Hz point - the subs would excite this due to their better efficiency in that area, but the speakers, which weren’t as efficient due to smaller drivers, didn’t excite that point, so everything sounded more balanced.

B&W also recommend 60hz for the cm8, cmc and cm1’s and has always been my go-to cross over even when I had my mission 78 series setup too. It’s especially noticeable on some male vocals.

Maybe it’s just my sub being a bit under par in the 80-60 region, but I definelty lose something with an 80 he crossover.