Speaker Design for close to walls

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the What HiFi community: the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products.
@nopiano will probably confirm, all the modern ATC standmounts have the same nominal impedance and dbs, if correct it is down to what size of cabinet suits the best.
All the ‘entry’ series (as ATC modestly call them) are 85dB except the tiniest (the SCM7) which is 84dB.

More here:-
 
All the ‘entry’ series (as ATC modestly call them) are 85dB except the tiniest (the SCM7) which is 84dB.

More here:-
Good stuff. I thought you'd know as a owner and ATC fan.

Regret not demoing a pair a last year. They were on my list but...

Around this neck of the woods they ATC dealers are sparse.
 

skinnypuppy71

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2021
413
275
2,270
Visit site
I'll throw in a couple of options that I don't think anyone has mentioned, the Dali menuet se are gorgeous little speakers and sound lovely but definitely don't be expecting room shaking bass or proac tablette 10 signature ( there's a used pair of on that well known auction site atm) again don't be expecting big bass, but vocal and acoustic music sound beautiful....I'd add a small subwoofer with either, a rel t-zero would be ample.
 
Curious as to why the Cyrus couldn't drive the ATC's, my Hegel H95 isn't as powerful (60w/8o) and it works my ATC' SMC 7's just fine - well at least to my ears.
There are many reviewers, and I am one of them, that believe you cannot get the best out of these inefficient speakers with anything less than a decent100 wpc. Many of these tried price-comparible amps that had in the region of 60-70wpc and they decided it wasn't enough for their liking.
If yours sound good to you then that's just fine.
Have you ever heard them with a more powerful amp?
ATCs own recommendation of 75-300wpc should tell you something.....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oxfordian

Oxfordian

Well-known member
There are many reviewers, and I am one of them, that believe you cannot get the best out of these inefficient speakers with anything less than a decent100 wpc. Many of these tried price-comparible amps that had in the region of 60-70wpc and they decided it wasn't enough.
ATCs own recommendation of 75-300wpc should tell you something.....
Thanks, I have to be honest I didn't look at spec's when I bought my system, I just listened to the sound that came out of the various bits of kit my dealer loaned me until I had something that sounded good to my ears, the dealer assured me that the combination would be good together and to give them credit they were right.

If I may, what makes a speaker efficient or inefficient, I don't understand all the tech stuff just go on what sounds good, so are my ATC's an inefficient design and is that bad?

I went with the H95/ATC 7's combination simply because I liked what came out of the speakers and still do, plus and being honest, I didn't have the budget to allow me to get the H120's let alone the H190's. Now I have a bit of spare cash I could upgrade the amp if it was warranted but I am unsure if I would gain anything sound wise.
 
Thanks, I have to be honest I didn't look at spec's when I bought my system, I just listened to the sound that came out of the various bits of kit my dealer loaned me until I had something that sounded good to my ears, the dealer assured me that the combination would be good together and to give them credit they were right.

If I may, what makes a speaker efficient or inefficient, I don't understand all the tech stuff just go on what sounds good, so are my ATC's an inefficient design and is that bad?

I went with the H95/ATC 7's combination simply because I liked what came out of the speakers and still do, plus and being honest, I didn't have the budget to allow me to get the H120's let alone the H190's. Now I have a bit of spare cash I could upgrade the amp if it was warranted but I am unsure if I would gain anything sound wise.
Your ATCs are rated at 84dB, which to many would be considered inefficient. It's simply the effect of design / drivers / crossover etc but in no way would anyone consider it to be bad.
Just means you would need quite a meaty amp to get the best out of it volumewise and amplifiers can vary considerably in their the way they deliver current.
Speakers rated from, say 88dB and above and 8ohm would be considered to be efficient and would not need a powerful amplifier to drive them to high volume levels.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oxfordian

Oxfordian

Well-known member
Your ATCs are rated at 84dB, which to many would be considered inefficient. It's simply the effect of design / drivers / crossover etc but in no way would anyone consider it to be bad.
Just means you would need quite a meaty amp to get the best out of it volumewise.
Speakers rated from, say 88dB and above and 8ohm would be considered to be efficient and would not need a powerful amplifier to drive them to high volume levels.

That makes some sense, thank you.

My listening room is small and as such I don't tend to play my music very loud otherwise it seems to overpower the room so is this why I am getting away with a 60wpc amp rather than as you put it something meaty?
 
That makes some sense, thank you.

My listening room is small and as such I don't tend to play my music very loud otherwise it seems to overpower the room so is this why I am getting away with a 60wpc amp rather than as you put it something meaty?
Good to know. Your amp, like many Rotel amps, probably has very good current delivery irrespective of its wpc figure.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oxfordian
In all truth, the OP won't know for sure unless he tries the ATCs with his Cyrus.

Think the reason why ATC recommend amps from 75-300 watts is because the magnet is the size of a small skip.

If you was to look up the specs of the Dali Rubicon & Leema Pulse, on paper the amp should struggle - it doesn't. Of course the speakers have nibbled away a little bit of volume, but it certainly doesn't struggle.

I can't say for sure if the ATCs are okay with a Cyrus, but I wouldn't totally dismiss the combo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WayneKerr
In all truth, the OP won't know for sure unless he tries the ATCs with his Cyrus.

Think the reason why ATC recommend amps from 75-300 watts is because the magnet is the size of a small skip.

If you was to look up the specs of the Dali Rubicon & Leema Pulse, on paper the amp should struggle - it doesn't. Of course the speakers have nibbled away a little bit of volume, but it certainly doesn't struggle.

I can't say for sure if the ATCs are okay with a Cyrus, but I wouldn't totally dismiss the combo.
Just goes to show we are all different, which is a good thing, because I would.
As I stated, I would ignore them, I wasn't suggesting the OP did the same.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts