How to make your ATCs sing

[admin_exported]

This certainly applies to my SCM40s, but would I believe apply equally to other ATC passive speakers - SCM11s and 19s.

ATC make fantastic speakers, which though tend to split opinion on this forum, with many describing them as a touch too dry and unforgiving.

I've owned my SCM40s for just over a year and while sure of their quality and potential found myself too trying to adjust for an overall dryness in my system. I now know that it's not fair to blame the speakers, except in that they are bloody fussy about what they are partnered with. They will show you exactly what's going on with the rest of your system. So are best not matched with budget equipment or anything overly bright.

Over the year the sound, through tweaks and changes, has got better and better and the final piece clicked in to place recently. The final piece did not just improve the sound it completely transformed it to the extent that I was shocked.

And it was all down to a change of speaker cable. I had been using very good Atlas cables - the Hyper 2 and Hyper 3

 

[Anonymous]

Apologies. Hit save accidentally before completing my post!

The change was to swap the Atlases for Van den Hul D-352 hybrid speaker cable. The ATCs just love this stuff. This was evident even before the amps warmed up properly. The speakers opened out in a way I've not heard before. Detail and soundstaging were improved, as were dynamics and tonality. Everything got better in every way. The change of speaker cable made more difference than when I upgraded the power amping from a pair of Arcam P90s to the Musical Fidelity A5cr! Well, now I can hear how good the A5cr is. Am about to get it overhauled and upgraded by John Sampson, the JS Audio wiz, which should improving things further.

Anyway, thought I'd let those of you with an interest in ATC speakers know about what has been, for me, a revelation.

 

[Macspur]

Hi Gena,
Very pleased you're getting the best out of your SCM40's.
Afraid I didn't have the patience with mine. Gave up and bought Harbeth Super HL5's.
Similar to ATC in so far as they can be quite neutral, but imo much more tonally balanced.
All the best.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Gena, Very pleased you're getting the best out of your SCM40's. Afraid I didn't have the patience with mine. Gave up and bought Harbeth Super HL5's. Similar to ATC in so far as they can be quite neutral, but imo much more tonally balanced. All the best.

Same here with atc , tried for 10 months to adapt too sound but there was always someting missing for me in their presentation. Gone back to smaller b&w speakers , which suite my rooms accoustics and bring back musical enjoyment without constantly questioning the sound.

Nothing wrong atc, just not the ones for me.

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

The change was to swap the Atlases for Van den Hul D-352 hybrid speaker cable.

interesting. I use Hyper 2.0 and really like it. I think it sounds more natural than Qed Revelation it replaced. and more importantly it's just plain copper wire, which I think is the most appropriate conductor, save for pure silver wire. no voodoo. I don't have any experience with VdH cables but common opinion on this forum makes me believe it sounds quite dull in comparison to other brands... unfortunately never heard any ATC speakers but maybe there is a grain of truth about them being too forward?...

 

[iceman16]

I use Tellurium Q black for my 40s with great results compare to my previous epic supertwin.The best upgrade I've had ever!:bounce:

 

[MUSICRAFT]

In my experience ATC passive monitors work best with standard 500 strand OFC speaker cables :rockout:

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[MUSICRAFT]

tried for 10 months to adapt too sound but there was always someting missing for me in their presentation. Gone back to smaller b&w speakers , which suite my rooms accoustics and bring back musical enjoyment without constantly questioning the sound.

Nothing wrong atc, just not the ones for me.

Hi FATS 2828

Constantly question? ATC monitors are low distortion, flat and honest designs. ATC monitors are not trying to impress

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Frank Harvey]

Gone back to smaller b&w speakers , which suite my rooms accoustics and bring back musical enjoyment without constantly questioning the sound.

Nothing wrong atc, just not the ones for me.

As I've always said, there's no single solution for everyone - we're all different, so one type of sound won't suit everyone, even if it is correct. If everyone preferred the same sound, we wouldn't have the range of speakers that we do.

 

[Anonymous]

Gone back to smaller b&w speakers , which suite my rooms accoustics and bring back musical enjoyment without constantly questioning the sound.

Nothing wrong atc, just not the ones for me.

As I've always said, there's no single solution for everyone - we're all different, so one type of sound won't suit everyone, even if it is correct. If everyone preferred the same sound, we wouldn't have the range of speakers that we do.

Maybe not as accruate as the atc's but burning in nicely David, thanks to you and kevin. Amazed how much bass these little cm1's produce, so easy to listen too. :dance:

 

[koolkeith]

In my experience ATC passive monitors work best with standard 500 strand OFC speaker cables :rockout:

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

I was using that but last weekend got a loan of Tellurium Q Green./Black. The Black was good but the Green was a revelation. Please try it, you will not be disappointed. Also using ATC P1/CA2 & Young DAC with Avondale PSU.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Amazed how much bass these little cm1's produce, so easy to listen too. :dance:

Hi FATS 2828

Nice one 8) and i hope that you enjoy the performmance of your CM1's for many years to come

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[wilsonlaidlaw]

When I first got my ATC SCM-19's, second hand but barely used and only at very low volume, I was using them with Chord Carnival Silver Screen cables powered from my Krell 300iL amplifier. I hated the ATC's and thought what HAVE I bought. They were cold and bright enough to make your ears bleed. I changed to RiverCables Starflex, which have the additional advantage of coming with the lovely Nakamichi locking banana plugs. They were much improved and after another 100 hours or so of running in, I now love them. The problem is that they now make the Klipsch Reference Mk.4 speakers I have in my French house sound over-warm and muzzy. I have been offered a new but old stock pair of the SCM-40's, which have recently been replaced by the Passive System SCM-40's. I am very tempted. I already use the RiverCables Starflex in France, so that will not be a problem. I also have a big pair of MF monobloc amplifiers to drive them.

Wilson

 

[toyota man]

+ 1 for Tellurium Black when I first got mine I could not believe the difference that they made and now I am running my SCM40s with a M6-500i every thing has got even better I am listening to Peter Frampton's Humming Bird In A Box and its sounds excellent

 

[wotef]

Here's a cheap tip that works great on my standmount SCM20SLs -- it's this drummers' pad interface material called Moon Gel.

You can get it for like a fiver from you know where.

I can't remember where I first saw it recommended, but gave it a try and compared it to quite a few other things (blu-tack, spikes, nothing, some other boutique products) and it gave a really nice organic, warm, clear sound when squished between the ATCs and my speaker stands. Give it a try!