ATC SIA-2

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Hi guys,

Just came across this amp. Does anyone have any experience with this amp matching KEF Reference?

what's the ATC house sound like? 🙂 I would imagine the more expensive SPA2 is more or less the same but more refine?

Perhaps Dave from hifix can chip in? :beer:

Cheers,

 

[Frank Harvey]

Some would probably class this amp as neutral, but I actually find it a little laid back. I would class Bryston as a more neutral amp.

As for matching KEF Reference, which Reference are you referring to? Tonally, I'd say they'd suit the tighter MkI and the current MkII 200 series rather than the previous Coupled Cavity models, which are warmer sounding.

While it is powerful enough to drive the current Reference series, I wouldn't say that it is the most ideal amplifier for them. It is stable enough, but I don't feel it has enough bass control - I'm not saying it is lacking in this area, its just that the Reference range is dry demanding in this respect. I've heard plenty of high quality amplifiers that do a very good job driving them, but the bass just isn't as tight and dynamic as it should be.

Any amplifier can sound great, but it needs to be used with a suitable speaker. If both can work together within their comfortable limits, you should end up with a good sound that isn't seriously lacking in any areas.

 

[Anonymous]

Some would probably class this amp as neutral, but I actually find it a little laid back. I would class Bryston as a more neutral amp.

As for matching KEF Reference, which Reference are you referring to? Tonally, I'd say they'd suit the tighter MkI and the current MkII 200 series rather than the previous Coupled Cavity models, which are warmer sounding.

While it is powerful enough to drive the current Reference series, I wouldn't say that it is the most ideal amplifier for them. It is stable enough, but I don't feel it has enough bass control - I'm not saying it is lacking in this area, its just that the Reference range is dry demanding in this respect. I've heard plenty of high quality amplifiers that do a very good job driving them, but the bass just isn't as tight and dynamic as it should be.

Any amplifier can sound great, but it needs to be used with a suitable speaker. If both can work together within their comfortable limits, you should end up with a good sound that isn't seriously lacking in any areas.

Thanks for the quick and detailed reply.

I'm currently using 201/2 with quad 909, 8200CDQ and a yamaha AVR as preamp. I quite like the warm presentation given by this combo. I tried 8200cdq directly connected to 909, but the bass control is not as good.

I was only toying the idea of the ATC because I just came across it on the net. Due to the awkward-ness of my speaker replacement (yes, wife factor...), the other option that i have in my mind is getting an onkyo 5509 with XT32 RC as a preamp. Do you feel that may be a wiser move/better bang for the bucks? [ I am intending to add a sub in the future] how does the 5509 sound as a hifi preamp? i heard alot of good things about the 5509, but if i use it as a pure preamp, is it up to the (kef ref) standard? I believe you own one personally? [my current budget is around 3k but flexible]

[my living room is roughly square shaped with around 16' by 16'. imagine a plain square with top left corner being my TV, the top right is an armchair, the right wall is a 2 seater sofa, couple of feet away from the middle of bottom wall is a 3 seater. the left 201/2 is in the middle of the left wall (very close to it), and the right 201/2 is in between the armchair and 2 seater. so the speakers are about 18-20' apart and both roughly 15'-16' away from listerning position (which is far right on the 3 seater). not sure if you can do any worse in terms of positioning... :rofl: ]

 

[Frank Harvey]

The 909 does a good job of driving the 201/2's, and although you can do better, I'd look at pre-amplification first as most AV receivers don't have great pre-amp stages.

When you tried the 8200CDQ as a pre, did you try both digital and analogue pre-amp stages?